Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official awards predictions for the upcoming Oscars and Emmys ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis; Awards Circuit Column, a weekly analysis dissecting the trends and contenders by television editor Michael Schneider (for Emmys) and Davis (for Oscars); Awards Circuit Podcast, a weekly interview series with talent and an expert roundtable discussion; and Awards Circuit Video analyzes various categories and contenders by Variety's leading awards pundits. Variety's unmatched coverage gives its readership unbeatable exposure in print and online, as well as provide inside reports on all the contenders in this year's awards season races.
To see all the latest predictions, of all the categories, in one place, visit THE EMMYS COLLECTIVEVisit each category, per the individual awards show from THE EMMYS HUBTo see old predictions and commentary, click the EMMY PREDICTIONS ARCHIVESFor film awards predictions go toTHE OSCARS HUB
UPDATED: April 28, 2022
2022 EMMYS PREDICTIONS:
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
AWARDS PREDICTION COMMENTARY:
Following the trend in the race for outstanding comedy series, there’s heavy competition in this race where Brett Goldstein won last year for Apple TV’s “Ted Lasso.” So Goldstein seems like a safe bet to return but uncertain if his Emmy-nominated counterparts – Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed and Jeremy Swift – are such sure things.
Splitting focus with “Ted Lasso” is the hilarious “whodunit” series “The Afterparty,” featuring numerous standout and awards-worthy turns from Ben Schwartz, Dave Franco and Jamie Demetriou. As more voters and viewers discover it, they could become viable contenders in the mix.
Also, many veterans from returning comedies are back in full force. Henry Winkler’s beloved “Barry” character, Gene Cousineau, brought him his long-overdue Emmy for the first season. Still, he lost to now four-time winner Tony Shalhoub for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Both are in the thick of it again, but their co-stars could be more substantial in the race this time around, including Anthony Carrigan and Stephen Root (“Barry”) and Luke Kirby and Michael Zegen (“Maisel”).
Broadcast networks may have the best showing in this category with multiple men from “Saturday Night Live” vying for love, most notably Kenan Thompson and Bowen Yang, while “Abbott Elementary” could bring Chris Perfetti or Tyler James Williams into the fold.
Let’s not forget the farewell seasons for “Atlanta” (a strong play for Brian Tyree Henry and an overdue Lakeith Stanfield), “Black-ish” (Laurence Fishburne), and perhaps even “Insecure” (for Jay Ellis).
This is not the complete list of submitted contenders. Additions are added (and updated) every Thursday.
Read more: Variety’s Awards Circuit Emmys Predictions Hub
The Emmy eligibility period runs from June 1, 2021, to May 31, 2022. The deadline for entering programs for Primetime programming and uploading all entry materials is on May 12, 2022, at 6:00 PM PT.
The nomination round of voting runs from June 16 to June 27. The official nominations for the 74th Emmy Awards will be announced Tuesday, July 12.
The programs and potential nominees listed below are incomplete and subject to change. The full television awards season calendar is linked here.
2021 category winner: Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+)
ALL AWARDS CONTENDERS AND RANKINGS:
Photograph by Merrick Morton/HBO
| AND THE PREDICTED NOMINEES ARE: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| RANK | NOMINEE | SERIES | NETWORK |
| 1 | Henry Winkler | “Barry” | HBO/HBO Max |
| 2 | Brett Goldstein | “Ted Lasso” | Apple TV+ |
| 3 | Tony Shalhoub | “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” | Amazon Prime Video |
| 4 | Kenan Thompson | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| 5 | Bowen Yang | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| 6 | Brian Tyree Henry | “Atlanta” | FX |
| 7 | Anthony Carrigan | “Barry” | HBO/HBO Max |
| 8 | Ben Schwartz | “The Afterparty” | Apple TV+ |
| NEXT IN LINE | |||
| 9 | Stephen Root | “Barry” | HBO/HBO Max |
| 10 | Chris Perfetti | “Abbott Elementary” | ABC |
| OTHER TOP-TIER CONTENDERS | |||
| 11 | Luke Kirby | “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” | Amazon Prime Video |
| 12 | Nick Mohammed | “Ted Lasso” | Apple TV+ |
| 13 | Tyler James Williams | “Abbott Elementary” | ABC |
| 14 | Lakeith Stanfield | “Atlanta” | FX |
| 15 | Brendan Hunt | “Ted Lasso” | Apple TV+ |
| 16 | Carl Clemons-Hopkins | “Hacks” | HBO/HBO Max |
| 17 | Jeremy Swift | “Ted Lasso” | Apple TV+ |
| 18 | Pete Davidson | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| 19 | Laurence Fishburne | “Black-ish” | ABC |
| 20 | Harvey Guillen | “What We Do in the Shadows” | FX |
| ALSO IN CONTENTION | |||
| 21 | Dave Franco | “The Afterparty” | Apple TV+ |
| 22 | Jamie Demetriou | “The Afterparty” | Apple TV+ |
| 23 | David Hyde Pierce | “Julia” | HBO/HBO Max |
| 24 | Martin Short | “Schmigadoon!” | Apple TV+ |
| 25 | Kyle Mooney | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| 26 | Dule Hill | “The Wonder Years” | ABC |
| 27 | Andre Braugher | “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” | NBC |
| 28 | Jay Ellis | “Insecure” | HBO/HBO Max |
| 29 | Rafael Casal | “Blindspotting” | Starz |
| 30 | Jaime Camil | “Schmigadoon!” | Apple TV+ |
| UNRANKED CONTENDERS | |||
| — | Aaron Tveit | “Schmigadoon!” | Apple TV+ |
| — | Alan Cumming | “Schmigadoon!” | Apple TV+ |
| — | Alex Moffat | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| — | Ames McNamara | “The Conners” | ABC |
| — | Andrew Dismukes | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| — | Andrew Rannells | “Black Monday” | Showtime |
| — | Andrew Santino | “Dave” | FX |
| — | Anthony Turpel | “Love, Victor” | Hulu |
| — | Aristotle Athari | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| — | BD Wong | “Nora from Queens” | Comedy Central |
| — | Benjamin Earl Turner | “Blindspotting” | Starz |
| — | Bob Balaban | “The Chair” | Netflix |
| — | Bobby Moynihan | “Mr. Mayor” | NBC |
| — | Brandon Scott Jones | “Ghosts” | CBS |
| — | Bruno Gouery | “Emily in Paris” | Netflix |
| — | Case Walker | “The Other Two” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Charlie Barnett | “Russian Doll” | Netflix |
| — | Chris Redd | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| — | Chris Redd | “Kenan” | NBC |
| — | Christopher McDonald | “Hacks” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Christopher Walken | “The Outlaws” | Amazon Prime Video |
| — | Colin Jost | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| — | D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai | “Reservation Dogs” | FX |
| — | Dallas Dupree Young | “Cobra Kai” | Netflix |
| — | Darren Barnet | “Never Have I Ever” | Netflix |
| — | Domonique Brown | “Atypical” | Netflix |
| — | Don Johnson | “Kenan” | NBC |
| — | Enrique Arrizon | “Acapulco” | Apple TV+ |
| — | Fred Armisen | “Schmigadoon!” | Apple TV+ |
| — | Fred Armisen | “Our Flag Means Death” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Freddie Stroma | “Peacemaker” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Gata | “Dave” | FX |
| — | Gianni Decenzo | “Cobra Kai” | Netflix |
| — | Griffin Santopietro | “Cobra Kai” | Netflix |
| — | Humphrey Ker | “American Auto” | NBC |
| — | Ike Barinholtz | “The Afterparty” | Apple TV+ |
| — | J.B. Smoove | “Curb Your Enthusiasm” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Jacob Bertrand | “Cobra Kai” | Netflix |
| — | James Austin Johnson | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| — | Jaren Lewison | “Never Have I Ever” | Netflix |
| — | Jay Duplass | “The Chair” | Netflix |
| — | Jeff Garlin | “Curb Your Enthusiasm” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Jimmy Tatro | “Home Economics” | ABC |
| — | John Early | “Search Party” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | John Goodman | “The Righteous Gemstones” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | John Reynolds | “Search Party” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Jon Barinholtz | “American Auto” | NBC |
| — | Keegan-Michael Key | “The Pentaverate” | Netflix |
| — | Ken Jeong | “The Pentaverate” | Netflix |
| — | Leslie Jordan | “Call Me Kat” | Fox |
| — | LeVar Burton | “Blindspotting” | Starz |
| — | Lucas Bravo | “Emily in Paris” | Netflix |
| — | Lucien Laviscount | “Emily in Paris” | Netflix |
| — | Mark Proksch | “What We Do in the Shadows” | FX |
| — | Martin Kove | “Cobra Kai” | Netflix |
| — | Martin Sheen | “Grace and Frankie” | Netflix |
| — | Michael Benjamin Washington | “American Auto” | NBC |
| — | Michael Cera | “Life and Beth” | Hulu |
| — | Michael Che | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| — | Michael Fishman | “The Conners” | ABC |
| — | Michael Zegen | “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” | Amazon Prime Video |
| — | Mikey Day | “Saturday Night Live” | NBC |
| — | Ncuti Gatwa | “Sex Education” | Netflix |
| — | Paul W. Downs | “Hacks” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Phil Dunster | “Ted Lasso” | Apple TV+ |
| — | Rell Battle | “Killing It” | Peacock |
| — | Ryan Phillippe | “MacGruber” | Peacock |
| — | Sam Waterston | “Grace and Frankie” | Netflix |
| — | Samuel Arnold | “Emily in Paris” | Netflix |
| — | Scott MacArthur | “Killing It” | Peacock |
| — | T.R. Knight | “The Flight Attendant” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Taika Waititi | “Our Flag Means Death” | HBO/HBO Max |
| — | Tanner Buchanan | “Cobra Kai” | Netflix |
| — | Thomas Ian Griffith | “Cobra Kai” | Netflix |
| — | Tom Basden | “After Life” | Netflix |
| — | Tye White | “American Auto” | NBC |
| — | William Abadie | “Emily in Paris” | Netflix |
| — | William Stanford Davis | “Abbott Elementary” | ABC |
| — | Xolo Maridueña | “Cobra Kai” | Netflix |
AWARDS CATEGORY HISTORY (Supporting Actor Comedy)
The Primetime Emmy Awards, better known simply as the Emmys, is television’s most prestigious artistic award. Many records are held for both wins and nominations in the near eight decades.
For wins: Don Knotts has the most awards in this category with five, winning them all for “The Andy Griffith Show.” John Larroquette and David Hyde Pierce are second in line with four.
“The Andy Griffith Show” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” are the most awarded series with five wins, with “Frasier,” “Modern Family” and “Night Court” next in line with four apiece.
For nominations: David Hyde Pierce is the most nominated actor in this category with 11, all for his turn as Niles Crane for “Frasier.” Harry Morgan is next in line with nine, followed by Ty Burrell with eight. Jason Alexander and Peter Boyle are the most nominated actors without winning seven nods.
“M*A*S*H” garnered the most nominations in this category for its actors with 21 with “Cheers” and “Modern Family” with 19.
2022 Primetime Emmy Awards Predictions
2022 Creative Arts Emmys Predictions
- Outstanding Television Movie
- Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
- Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
- Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
- Outstanding Reality Host
- Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series
- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
- Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
- Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
- Outstanding Animated Program
- Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
- Outstanding Voice-Over Performance
- Outstanding Narrator
- Outstanding Structured Program
- Outstanding Unstructured Program
- Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
- Outstanding Documentary Special
- Outstanding Documentary Filmmaking
- Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special
- Outstanding Main Title Design
- Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
- Outstanding Music for Series
- Outstanding Music for Limited Series
- Outstanding Music and Lyrics
- Outstanding Music Supervision
About the Primetime Emmy Awards (Emmys)
The Primetime Emmy Awards, better known as the Emmys, are given out by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Since 1949, the awards have recognized excellence in American primetime television programming. They are divided into three classes – Primetime Emmy Awards, the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards (honors artisan achievements), and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards (recognizes significant engineering and technological contributions). The typical eligibility period is between June 1 and May 31 of any given year. The Television Academy comprises over 25,000 members, representing 30 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors and various artisans and executives.
- The 74th Emmy Awards will take place on Monday, Sept. 12, and air on NBC.