EMMYS
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER 70 JULY 31, 2019
THE
CONTENDERS
SEE
: ATSUSHI NISHIJIMA/NETFLIX (7). GAME: HELEN SLOAN/HBO (6). THIS: RON BATZDORFF/NBC (4). EVE: ROBERT VIGLASKY/BBC
AMERICA. BARRY: COURTESY OF HBO (3). SAUL: NICOLE WILDER/AMC/SONY PICTURES TELEVISION. SNL: WILL HEATH/NBC (6). ACT: BROWNIE HARRIS/HULU. FLEABAG: COURTESY OF AMAZON STUDIOS (4). MAISEL: NICOLE RIVELLI/AMAZON STUDIOS (4).
THIS IS US
NBC
KILLING EVE
BBC AMERICA
BARRY
HBO
WHEN THEY SEE US
Netflix
It’s a Perfect Storm of
Prestige Performances
Every year, a few actors find themselves competing against castmates, but the crop of
2019 nominees sees as many as four co-stars clamoring for the same prize BY REBECCA FORD
LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA
It’s an onscreen father-and-son battle:
Milo Ventimiglia and Sterling K. Brown
faced off the first time in 2018, when The
Americans’ Matthew Rhys won. Brown has
been nominated after every season of the
show (and prevailed in 2017 to become the
first African American winner in 19 years).
He’s always a frontrunner and claimed
Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice awards
in 2018. Early on, Ventimiglia’s work was
unsung, but he took home the most recent
lead actor SAG Awards trophy.
GUEST ACTOR, DRAMA
Ron Cephas Jones has earned three
consecutive nominations in the category
(and won in 2018) for his role as William
Hill, Randall’s (Brown) biological father.
Michael Angarano is a newer addition
to the show, playing Nicky Pearson,
the troubled brother of Jack Pearson
(Ventimiglia), in Vietnam-set flashbacks.
LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA
In 2018, Sandra Oh was the first woman
of Asian descent to earn a lead actress
Emmy nom. But many felt that Jodie
Comer was snubbed for her work as her
onscreen nemesis, the deadly Villanelle.
That has been righted after their
standout performances in season two.
SUPPORTING ACTOR,
COMEDY
Henry Winkler won his long-
overdue first Emmy for playing
acting coach Gene Cousineau
on Barry’s first season. Now
he’s joined by co-stars Anthony
Carrigan and Stephen Root,
both of whom delivered comedic
and emotional high notes in the
show’s second season.
LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED
“They told me I could only do broad comedy. I invited them to
think differently!” Niecy Nash tweeted on the morning of her
nomination for playing Delores Wise, Korey Wise’s mother, in Ava
DuVernay’s limited series about the Exonerated Five. Aunjanue
Ellis, who plays Yusef Salaam’s mother, Sharonne Salaam, was
a more unexpected nomination.
SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED
Asante Blackk, 17, earned his nomination for his onscreen debut
as one of the Exonerated Five. (He comes from a show business
family — his aunt is Samira Wiley.) But his category also includes two
veteran actors who delivered emotional performances as fathers:
John Leguizamo and Michael K. Williams.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED
Vera Farmiga earned her second
Emmy nom for her work as
prosecutor Elizabeth Lederer
— pitting her against Marsha
Stephanie Blake, who played
mother Linda McCray.
Nash
Blackk
Blake
Angarano Jones
Farmiga
Leguizamo Williams
Oh (left) and Comer
Ellis
Ventimiglia Brown