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 2025 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting takes place from June 12 to June 23, with the official Emmy nominations announced Tuesday, July 15. Afterwards, final voting commences on August 18 and ends the night of August 27. The 77th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, September 14, and air live on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.
The State of the Race
Prior to the most recent Emmys, where Lamorne Morris earned both a surprise nomination and win for his turn in the fifth season of “Fargo,” the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie race usually saw one contender breeze their way toward a victory with little competition. For instance, “Black Bird” star Paul Walter Hauser and “The White Lotus” star Murray Bartlett had their shows premiere a full year before final voting started, and therefore collected multiple trophies well before winning their Emmy.
This year, the narrative is slightly closer to that. The Netflix hit “Adolescence” just premiered in March, but within a week there were people already calling that breakout star Owen Cooper will win the Emmy. Prior to that, the only other names that have been in the mix based on winter TV awards have been Javier Bardem for “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and Diego Luna for “La Máquina.” One could argue Liev Schreiber from “The Perfect Couple” as well, since he won the Critics Choice Award, but that group does not have as much overlap or influence on the Television Academy as the SAG Awards or Golden Globes. Even Jesse Plemons for “Zero Day” seems like a greater priority for Netflix, since that show seems to have a chance at breaking into more Emmys categories than Schreiber’s.
Some of the earlier premieres that received awards wins and nominations but did not have their supporting actors recognized are series like HBO’s “The Penguin,” which features actors like Rhenzy Feliz and Clancy Brown; “Presumed Innocent” with Peter Sarsgaard and Bill Camp; and fellow Apple TV+ series “Disclaimer,” which had significant roles for Oscar nominees Sacha Baron Cohen and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
Only “Adolescence” and “The Penguin” have been true blue hits in the limited series space this season, so they may take up all the nomination slots. However, Emmys voters have proven to seek out FX and Hulu for their limited series, so “Good American Family” stars Mark Duplass and Dule Hill, or even “Dying for Sex” star Rob Delaney, all have a shot based on the ideas that voters seem more inclined to give their shows a try.
Though we have a sense of the leads, sight unseen, Netflix’s “Sirens” and Amazon Prime Video’s “The Better Sister” are two more series that could provide some contenders. There is also a big question as to whether the stars of any Outstanding TV Movie contenders, like Don Johnson in “Rebel Ridge,” or the men of “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” make it in, but those projects are all still building an audience.
Current Contenders (In Alphabetical Order):
Javier Bardem, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (Netflix)
Sacha Baron Cohen, “Disclaimer” (Apple TV+)
Clancy Brown, “The Penguin” (HBO)
Owen Cooper, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
Rob Delaney, “Dying for Sex” (FX)
Mark Duplass, “Good American Family” (Hulu)
Rhenzy Feliz, “The Penguin” (HBO)
Dule Hill, “Good American Family” (Hulu)
Samuel L. Jackson, “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” (Peacock)
Nathan Lane, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (Netflix)
Diego Luna, “La Máquina” (Hulu)
Jesse Plemons, “Zero Day” (Netflix)
Peter Sarsgaard, “Presumed Innocent” (Apple TV+)
Kodi Smit-McPhee, “Disclaimer” (Apple TV+)
Ashley Walters, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
More Limited Series and TV Movie Category Predictions:
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Outstanding TV Movie
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
View IndieWire’s full set of predictions for the 77th Emmy Awards.
Last Year’s Winner: Lamorne Morris, “Fargo”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: FX does not have anything as popular and male-centric as “Fargo” in the limited series races this year, but someone like Rob Delaney, the focus of the romantic plot in “Dying for Sex” still has a reasonable chance of winning, and keeping the streak going for the cable network.
Notable Ineligible Series: Jason Bateman, “Carry-On” (the film was not submitted for Emmys consideration); Domhnall Gleeson and Kyle MacLachlan, “Echo Valley” (the film will not premiere in time to be eligible); Tom Pelphrey and Raúl Castillo, “Task” (the season will not air in time to be eligible); David Dastmalchian, “Murderbot” (the season will not air in time to be eligible); Nick Offerman, Bradley Whitford, and Shea Whigham, “Death by Lightning” (the season will not air in time to be eligible).
