2024 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Marcus Jones
We will update this article throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2024 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting takes place from June 13 to June 24, with the official Emmy nominations announced Wednesday, July 17. Afterwards, final voting commences on August 15 and ends the night of August 26. The 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, September 15, and air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.
The State of the Race
Voters’ imaginations tend to end at the supporting categories. It’s much easier to tell what lead performances should be recognized just by sampling a series than it is to predict what actor should be recognized for what could be a standout episode in the back half of the TV season. Last season, though the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series still had eight nominees, only two shows were represented (“Succession” and “The White Lotus.”)
If there is one show sure to be represented in the category this year, it’s “The Morning Show” from Apple TV+. Already, in even more competitive years, star Billy Crudup has managed to be the workplace soap’s most decorated actor, so it is fair to call him the current Emmy frontrunner. But co-star Jon Hamm, a Season 3 addition, happens to be best known as the star of one of winningest dramas in Emmys history, so there is still competition even within the cast.
Though it has been a few years, “The Crown” is another show that has had its performers win this category before, so it’s entirely possible, especially since it’s for the farewell season, that Jonathan Pryce becomes the second actor to win an Emmy for playing Prince Philip on the Netflix series, or Khalid Abdalla gets recognized for starring opposite Elizabeth Debicki, who just recently won a SAG Award for her portrayal of Princess Diana.
Though again, the supporting categories are where the scope of shows represented narrows, there are certain performers like “The Curse” star Benny Safdie or “Loki” stars Ke Huy Quan and Owen Wilson that receive a boost from the leads of their shows being major Emmys contenders. In a similar iron sharpens iron fashion, “3 Body Problem” from the “Game of Thrones” creators has a chance of quite a few cast members making the cut in this Emmy category, as one of the strengths of the show is its ensemble.
Current Contenders (In Alphabetical Order):
Khalid Abdalla, “The Crown” (Netflix)
Jovan Adepo, “3 Body Problem” (Netflix)
Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV+)
Salim Daw, “The Crown” (Netflix)
Mark Duplass, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV+)
Jon Hamm, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV+)
Nathan Lane, “The Gilded Age” (HBO)
Aaron Moten, “Fallout” (Prime Video)
Jonathan Pryce, “The Crown” (Netflix)
Ke Huy Quan, “Loki” (Disney+)
Benny Safdie, “The Curse” (Showtime)
Alex Sharp, “3 Body Problem” (Netflix)
Ken Watanabe, “Tokyo Vice” (Max)
Owen Wilson, “Loki” (Disney+)
Benedict Wong, “3 Body Problem” (Netflix)
More Drama Category Predictions:
Outstanding Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
View IndieWire’s full set of predictions for the 76th Emmy Awards.
Last Year’s Winner: Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: “The Gilded Age,” the one HBO series most in awards contention, is much more female-focused than past drama Emmys juggernaut “Succession,” but star Nathan Lane is still around to help possibly bring the network a third straight win in this category.
Notable Ineligible Series: Matthew Macfadyen, Nicholas Braun, Alan Ruck, and Alexander Skarsgård, “Succession” (ended); F. Murray Abraham, Michael Imperioli, Theo James, and Will Sharpe, “The White Lotus: Sicily” (ended)
