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.
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)
Courtesy of HBO
Emmys Commentary (Updated: April 3, 2025): The early rankings for drama and comedy’s lead and supporting categories are now live.
In the lead actress in a comedy series category, Emmy royalty Jean Smart is once again the frontrunner for her acclaimed role in HBO/Max’s “Hacks.” With five career wins and two for her portrayal of Deborah Vance, Smart could make it a fourth and cement her legacy. That’s if Quinta Brunson, who continues to shine as Janine Teague in ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” can go after a second statue.
Supporting comedy categories are equally competitive. Janelle James could be in the running for her first win for “Abbott,” playing the lovable and hilarious principal (ex?) Ava Coleman, who balances absurdity with heart. She faces a tough road ahead from past winners like her “Abbott” co-star Sheryl Lee Ralph and the still unrewarded “Hacks” actress Hannah Einbinder. In addition, we have a few people who could double-dip across multiple acting categories, like Catherine O’Hara (“The Studio” and “The Last of Us”) and Kathryn Hahn (“The Studio” and “Agatha All Along”).
While the Emmy voting period begins in June, the campaigns are underway.
Netflix’s five-time Emmy Award-winning series “Love on the Spectrum” returned for its highly anticipated third season, and the FYC event was packed with lovers of the entire cast, and kicking off Autism Awareness Month. What sets “Love on the Spectrum” apart from any other unstructured reality series is its sincerity and compassion, offering an authentic and uplifting alternative to traditional dating shows.
Upcoming events on the docket include AMC’s moody supernatural drama “Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire” on April 3. Later that week, on April 6, Disney+ will spotlight its acclaimed TV movie “Out of My Mind,” while ABC waltzes in with a tribute to its long-running hit “Dancing with the Stars.”
On April 7, HBO/Max’s “Hacks” will have its celebration to get voters to consider the new season. On April 8 and 9, Paramount+’s “The Agency” with Richard Gere, Jeffrey Wright and Jodie Turner-Smith will hold its event for the freshman show, followed by MGM+’s “Godfather of Harlem” with Forest Whitaker, both of which I’ll be moderating.
Below are the updated Emmy predictions across 23 categories, with more to be added over the coming weeks. The first ranking charts for the four main drama acting categories will be revealed on Friday, March 28.
Nomination leaders (studios): HBO/Max (31); Apple (27); Netflix (25); FX (16)
*** = PREDICTED WINNER
(All predicted nominees listed below are in alphabetical order)
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Drama Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Max “Andor” (Disney+)
“The Diplomat” (Netflix)
“The Last of Us” (HBO/Max)
“Paradise” (Hulu)
“The Pitt” (HBO/Max)
“Severance” (Apple TV+) ***
“Squid Game” (Netflix)
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Comedy Series
Image Credit: Disney “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
“The Bear” (FX)
“Hacks” (HBO/Max) ***
“Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
“Shrinking” (Apple TV+)
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)
“What We Do in the Shadows” (FX)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Limited or Anthology Series
Image Credit: Courtesy of Apple “Adolescence” (Netflix) ***
“Disclaimer” (Apple TV+)
“Dying for Sex” (FX)
“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (Netflix)
“The Penguin” (HBO/Max)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Television Movie
“Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” (Peacock)
“The Gorge” (Apple TV+) ***
“G20” (Prime Video)
“Out of My Mind” (Disney+)
“Rebel Ridge” (Netflix)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Lead Actor (Drama)
Image Credit: Noh Ju-han / Netflix Sterling K. Brown
“Paradise” (Hulu)
Lee Jung-jae
“Squid Game” (Netflix)
Gary Oldman
“Slow Horses” (Apple TV+)
Eddie Redmayne
“The Day of the Jackal” (Peacock)
Adam Scott ***
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
Noah Wyle
“The Pitt” (HBO/Max)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Lead Actor (Comedy)
Image Credit: Courtesy of STEFANIA ROSINI/NETFLIX Adam Brody
“Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
Steve Martin
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
Seth Rogen
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)
Martin Short
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
Jeremy Allen White ***
“The Bear” (FX)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Lead Actor (Limited/TV Movie)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Apple TV+ Colin Farrell ***
“The Penguin” (HBO/Max)
Stephen Graham
“Adolescence” (Netflix)
Brian Tyree Henry
“Dope Thief” (Apple TV+)
Kevin Kline
“Disclaimer” (Apple TV+)
Cooper Koch
“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (Netflix)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Lead Actress (Drama)
Image Credit: Darko Sikman/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME Kathy Bates ***
“Matlock” (CBS)
Britt Lower
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
Melanie Lynskey
“Yellowjackets” (Paramount+)
Elisabeth Moss
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
Bella Ramsey
“The Last of Us” (HBO/Max)
Keri Russell
“The Diplomat” (Netflix)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Lead Actress (Comedy)
Image Credit: PEACOCK Kristen Bell
“Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
Quinta Brunson
“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Ayo Edebiri
“The Bear” (FX)
Natasha Lyonne
“Poker Face” (Peacock)
Jean Smart ***
“Hacks” (HBO/Max)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Lead Actress (Limited/TV Movie)
Image Credit: Disney Cate Blanchett
“Disclaimer” (Apple TV+)
Cristin Milioti
“The Penguin” (HBO/Max)
Lola Petticrew
“Say Nothing” (FX)
Ellen Pompeo
“Good American Family” (Hulu)
Michelle Williams ***
“Dying for Sex” (FX)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Supporting Actor (Drama)
Image Credit: Apple TV+ Walton Goggins
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)
Jason Isaacs
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)
Young Mazino
“The Last of Us” (HBO/Max)
Pedro Pascal
“The Last of Us” (HBO/Max)
Sam Rockwell
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)
Tramell Tillman ***
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
John Turturro
“Severance” (Apple TV+)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Supporting Actor (Comedy)
Image Credit: Rosalind O’Connor/NBC Ike Barinholtz
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)
Colman Domingo
“The Four Seasons” (Netflix)
Paul W. Downs
“Hacks” (HBO/Max)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach ***
“The Bear” (FX)
Michael Urie
“Shrinking” (Apple TV+)
Tyler James Williams
“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Bowen Yang
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Supporting Actor (Limited/TV Movie)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Javier Bardem
“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (Netflix)
Owen Cooper ***
“Adolescence” (Netflix)
Jay Duplass
“Dying for Sex” (FX)
Rhenzy Felix
“The Penguin” (HBO/Max)
Diego Luna
“La Maquina” (Hulu)
Ashley Walters
“Adolescence” (Netflix)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Supporting Actress (Drama)
Image Credit: HBO/Max Patricia Arquette
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
Leslie Bibb
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)
Carrie Coon
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)
Kaitlyn Dever
“The Last of Us” (HBO/Max)
Allison Janney ***
“The Diplomat” (Netflix)
Catherine O’Hara
“The Last of Us” (HBO/Max)
Parker Posey
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Supporting Actress (Comedy)
Image Credit: Apple TV+ Liza Colón-Zayas
“The Bear” (FX)
Hannah Einbinder
“Hacks” (HBO/Max)
Kathryn Hahn
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)
Janelle James ***
“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Catherine O’Hara
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)
Sheryl Lee Ralph
“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Jessica Williams
“Shrinking” (Apple TV+)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Supporting Actress (Limited/TV Movie)
Image Credit: HBO/Max Erin Doherty ***
“Adolescence” (Netflix)
Lesley Manville
“Disclaimer” (Apple TV+)
Deirdre O’Connell
“The Penguin” (HBO/Max)
Jenny Slate
“Dying for Sex” (FX)
Sissy Spacek
“Dying for Sex” (FX)
Christine Tremarco
“Adolescence” (Netflix)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Guest Actor (Drama)
Image Credit: Courtesy of HBO Andy Garcia
“Landman” (Paramount+)
Scott Glenn ***
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)
Shawn Hatosy
“The Pitt” (HBO/Max)
Joe Pantoliano
“The Last of Us” (HBO/Max)
Jeffrey Wright
“The Last of Us” (HBO/Max)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Guest Actress (Drama)
Image Credit: Kailey Schwerman/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME Gwendoline Christie
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
Fiona Shaw
“Bad Sisters” (Apple TV+)
Hilary Swank ***
“Yellowjackets” (Paramount+)
Tracey Ullman
“Black Doves” (Netflix)
Merrit Wever
“Severance” (Apple TV+)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Guest Actor (Comedy)
Image Credit: FX Jon Bernthal
“The Bear” (FX)
John Cena ***
“The Bear” (FX)
Bryan Cranston
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)
Timothée Chalamet
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Christopher McDonald
“Hacks” (HBO/Max)
Martin Scorsese
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Guest Actress (Comedy)
Image Credit: Disney Jamie Lee Curtis
“The Bear” (FX)
Cynthia Erivo
“Poker Face” (Peacock)
Ariana Grande
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Melissa McCarthy ***
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
Kaitlin Olson
“Hacks” (HBO/Max)
Sarah Polley
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Talk Series
Image Credit: Comedy Central “The Daily Show” (Comedy Central) ***
“Everybody’s Live with John Mulaney” (Netflix)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC)
“Late Night with Seth Meyers” (NBC)
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Scripted Variety
Image Credit: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Image “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO/Max)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC) ***Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Reality Competition Program
Image Credit: Euan Cherry/Peacock “The Amazing Race” (CBS)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” (MTV)
“Survivor” (CBS)
“Top Chef” (Bravo)
“The Traitors” (Peacock) ***Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Structured Reality
Image Credit: COURTESY OF NETFLIX “Antiques Roadshow” (PBS)
“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” (Food Network)
“Love is Blind” (Netflix)
“Queer Eye” (Netflix)
“Shark Tank” (ABC) ***Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Unstructured Reality
Image Credit: Netflix “Below Deck Down Under” (Bravo)
“Love on the Spectrum” (Netflix) ***
“RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked” (MTV)
“Selling Sunset” (Netflix)
“Welcome to Wrexham” (FX)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Game Show
Image Credit: Sony Pictures Television “Celebrity Family Feud” (ABC)
“Jeopardy” (ABC) ***
“Password” (NBC)
“The Price is Right” (CBS)
“Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” (ABC)Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
