Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
OSCARS | EMMYS | GRAMMYS | TONYS
2024 Emmy Predictions:
Outstanding Guest Actor/Actress in a Drama/Comedy Series
Courtesy of NBC
Weekly Commentary (Updated: May 23, 2024): The competition in the guest comedy actress category is fierce. Jamie Lee Curtis and Sarah Paulson are early favorites for “The Bear,” with multiple members from HBO/Max’s “Hacks” — Kaitlin Olson and J. Smith Cameron — who could be dark horses. Despite a robust list of names, this season’s female “SNL” hosts are in a stronger overall position than their male counterparts.
Rudolph, who won back-to-back trophies in 2020 and 2021, is currently the third most-nominated person in the category’s history with six nominations, behind Cloris Leachman’s eight and Tina Fey’s nine. In addition to her work in the second season of Apple’s comedy “Loot,” she could be on her way to multiple mentions, along with Wiig, starring in Apple’s “Palm Royale.” But Wiig has never won despite her nine Emmy nods.
Regarding “The Bear” and the infamous episode “Fishes,” it dishes out a heated Christmas dinner flashback of the Berzatto family. Directed by Christopher Storer, who also co-wrote the episode with Joanna Calo, Fishes” may be a goldmine for nominations, showcasing talents like John Mulaney, Sarah Paulson, Bob Odenkirk, Gillian Jacobs, Chris Witaske, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Jon Bernthal.
Curtis, riding high two years after her Oscar win for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” is the undisputed frontrunner in the guest comedy actress race, eyeing what could be her second career Emmy nod that could bring her halfway to EGOT status (I can’t wait for a potential spoken word album).
Also in the Emmy race are recurring characters like Robert Townsend, who lights up the screen as Sydney’s supportive father, Emmanuel. After five decades in Hollywood, his sentimental turn across four episodes could earn him the first Emmy nod of his career, especially if TV Academy members are going all-in on “Bear.” Meanwhile, Emmy nominee Will Poulter (“Dopesick”) also makes a strong impression in “Honeydew” as Luca, a dessert chef mentoring Marcus, who could slip into the fray.
In the drama field, there’s more uncertainty. “The Morning Show” has a handful of candidates, with Marcia Gay Harden likely being the best shot for anyone.
Emmy submissions are due Thursday, May 9. The eligibility deadline for all series concluding their runs is May 31. The nominations-voting-round is open from June 13 to June 24.
Read: All Primetime Emmy predictions in every category on Variety’s Awards Circuit.