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75th Emmy Award Predictions: Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series


January 12, 2024

I recently gave my Emmy predictions for the Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress In A Drama Series categories. Today, we’re going to lighten things up by focusing on the Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series categories.

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

The nominees are:

  • Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary)
  • Anthony Carrigan (Barry)
  • Henry Winkler (Barry)
  • Ebon Moss-Bachrach (The Bear)
  • James Marsden (Jury Duty)
  • Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)
  • Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso)

 

The Bear and Barry are two dark, dramatic shows (some would argue that The Bear is a drama that sometimes has some funny stuff in it) up against Jury Duty, Abbott Elementary and Ted Lasso. Although none of these are similar types of shows, they’re all considered comedies.

Having just watched Season Two of The Bear, I have a much greater appreciation for Moss-Bachrach’s performance than in Season One. I think he’ll be very hard to beat next year. This year, however, he’s up against actors who are more likely to win for their performances.

Speaking of more likely candidates, Winkler has won this award before, for Barry’s very funny first season. Carrigan has now been nominated three times, but I don’t think either of them wins. Carrigan’s NoHo Hank has been the funniest part of Barry since the beginning. This fourth and final season saw him both funny and heartbreakingly earnest. That being said, I think the show has won all the awards it’s going to win.

Williams’ work on Abbott is wry and wonderful. I think he’ll win an Emmy at some point, but not yet. I think two of his co-stars will win their categories, but he has the advantage of coming back with many more seasons of the show. Unlike the last three men on the list, he’ll have more chances to win.

Brett Goldstein has won the Emmy each of the last two years. He could win it again, but I don’t think he will. His co-star Phil Dunster was marvelous in Ted Lasso’s final season and has a realistic shot at unseating Goldstein.

There’s also James Marsden, who was incredible playing a smarmy version of himself in the sleeper hidden camera series Jury Duty. It’s hard not to be a fan of Marsden, who has been doing excellent work for many years, but especially after watching this show. He’s really funny in a way that I’m not sure many knew he could be.

Jury Duty has earned so many nominations it seems as though the voters are also fans. I can see Marsden waltzing out of there with a trophy in his hands. If I were voting, I’d have a hard time deciding between Goldstein, Dunster and Marsden. I might even consider voting for Carrigan. I would give my vote to Dunster, but won’t be upset when they call Marsden’s name.

Who Should Win: Phil Dunster
Who Will Win: James Marsden

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

The nominees are:

  • Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)
  • Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary)
  • Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)
  • Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)
  • Jessica Williams (Shrinking)
  • Juno Temple (Ted Lasso)
  • Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)

 

Jessica Williams is very talented but I don’t believe she’ll be winning the Emmy this year. Neither will Juno Temple, who was wonderful in all three seasons of Ted Lasso. Temple took a stock character and made her adorable, breathing intelligence and life into her in the process. She deserves this nomination, but won’t win.

I don’t think her co-star (and former winner) Hannah Waddingham will win either. She was also excellent in Lasso’s farewell, as was Alex Borstein (another former winner) in her final season of Maisel. Both were just as good as —if not better— than their performances in the years when they won this award, but that’s the thing about the Emmy’s. You can win for your work one year and lose another despite giving a better performance because the voters prefer someone else. You can’t get that in film, because each movie is a one-off. With TV having multiple seasons and opportunities to reward talent, sometimes your brilliance from one year to the next can be taken for granted.

Ayo Edebiri was terrific in the first season of The Bear and deserves to be here as well, but I don’t think she’s going to get enough votes to surpass the Abbott co-stars battling it out for the second straight year.

Now for the two people I think are the leading contenders. Last year I thought one of these two actress from Abbott Elementary would win this category. However, the one I thought deserved to win but wouldn’t wound up taking the gold. One year later and it’s déjà vu all over again.

I was certain that James’ crazy like a fox Abbott Elementary school principal was going to take this award last year, but that Ralph’s wise kindergarten teacher deserved it. With Ralph having won instead — not to diminish her wonderful work — I was able to pay more attention to what James was doing. The way she takes a lunatic and makes her so enjoyable to watch is almost subversive. I found her somewhat annoying in the first season, but that changed in Season Two. She’s become one of my favorite characters.

Last year I thought James would win, although Ralph had my personal vote. This year, I want to say that James is going to win, but I think people will continue to reward the legendary Ralph. Funny that I’m switching my predictions one year later (and hoping I’m wrong).

Who Should Win: Janelle James
Who Will Win: Sheryl Lee Ralph

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