2026 Emmy Predictions - Who Will Win/Who Should Win

I realized recently that I'm going to miss the Emmy ceremony due to a work commitment (why is this on a Monday night and not a Sunday night? Come on!) But even though I won't get to watch the show, I always have opinions. Here's who I think will win, and in some cases, who should win.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA

The Diplomat

The Gilded Age

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Paradise

The Pitt

Pluribus

Slow Horses

Your Friends & Neighbors

Who will and Should Win: The Pitt

Part of me wishes A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms would take this, because it was delightful, but the Pitt is basically unstoppable in this category. At least it feels like it.  

LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age

Chase Infiniti, The Testaments

Keri Russell, The Diplomat

Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus

Zendaya, Euphoria

Who will win: Keri Russell

Who should win: Rhea Seehorn

All of these actresses are fantastic but Keri Russell is campaigning pretty hard, and she has the benefit of "His and Hers Emmys" if her husband, Matthew Rhys takes one home (which he will) Even though Seehorn is great in Pluribus, this is the same voting body that snubbed her for YEARS  while she was on Better Call Saul. I'm not entirely sure they've come around to her yet. 

LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Sterling K. Brown, Paradise

Gary Oldman, Slow Horses

Mark Ruffalo, Task

Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat

Noah Wyle, The Pitt

Who will and should win: Noah Wyle

Despite the fact that I think he indulges a bit too much on the show, Noah Wyle was excellent in The Pitt. I'd love if Gary Oldman won this, he was excellent in this last season of Slow Horses, but Wyle will probably repeat. 

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Taylor Dearden, The Pitt

Fiona Dourif, The Pitt

Allison Janney, The Diplomat

Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt

Sepideh Moafi, The Pitt

Julianne Nicholson, Paradise

Karolina Wydra, Pluribus

Who will and should win: Katherine LaNasa

Lots of strong performances here, but I see her winning again. Vote splitting does give me pause, especially when the Emmys love Julianne Nicholson and Wydra and Janney were great in their shows too, but I'll be lazy like the Emmy voters and just pick last year's winner. 

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Patrick Ball, The Pitt

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show

Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt

Gerran Howell, The Pitt

Jack Lowden, Slow Horses

Tom Pelphrey, Task

Carlos-Manuel Vesga, Pluribus

Who will win: Billy Crudup

Who should win: Jack Lowden or Tom Pelphrey

I can't see The Pitt taking 3 acting awards, though Shawn Hatosy probably has the best chance. Some how this voting body continues to love Crudup on this awful show, so I could see them being uninspired and going that direction again, instead of towards Lowden or Pelphrey who actually deserve it. 

GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

Brittany Allen, The Pitt

Tal Anderson, The Pitt

Tina Ivlev, The Pitt

Miriam Shor, Pluribus

Merritt Wever, The Gilded Age

Shailene Woodley, Paradise

Who will and should win: Brittany Allen

I think the narrative of her self submitting will help her here. I don't feel super confident, because Merritt is a previous winner and from what I understand Shailene is great in Paradise, but that's what I'm going with. 

GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA

Colman Domingo, Euphoria

Ernest Harden, Jr., The Pitt

Jeff Hiller, Pluribus

Jeff Kober, The Pitt

Jonathan Pryce, Slow Horses

Bradley Whitford, The Diplomat

Who will and should win: Jonathan Pryce

I don't feel super confident with this either, especially when Jeff Hiller is a previous winner in a beloved show, but Pryce just broke my heart this season in Slow Horses. This is definitely the place to give him some love. 

OUTSTANDING COMEDY

Abbott Elementary

The Bear

Hacks

Margo's Got Money Troubles

Nobody Wants This

Only Murders in the Building

Shrinking

Widow's Bay

Who will win: Widow's Bay

Who should win: Shrinking or Hacks

This is tough. Widow's Bay is on fire right now, but Hacks is going out on a high note. Part of me wants to go Hacks because they'll have another chance to award Widows Bay in season 2 if they want to, but that also means HBO is winning all 3 big categories and I feel like that's not something that happens often.

LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary

Ayo Edebiri, The Bear

Elle Fanning, Margo's Got Money Troubles

Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback

Jean Smart, Hacks

Who will and should win: Jean Smart

No one else is winning this. 

LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man

Steve Carell, Rooster

Matthew Rhys, Widow's Bay

Jason Segel, Shrinking

Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building

Who will and should win: Matthew Rhys

Rhys' comedic timing in this was amazing and not something I expected from him. I do with Jason Segel could get a win for Shrinking but I don't think that's happening this year. Rhys feels unstoppable. 

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Dale Dickey, Widow's Bay

Hannah Einbinder, Hacks

Janelle James, Abbott Elementary

Kate O'Flynn, Widow's Bay

Michelle Pfeiffer, Margo's Got Money Troubles

Megan Stalter, Hacks

Who will and should win: Hannah Einbinder

This is hard because I think Kate O'Flynn is very strong in this category too, but if Hacks misses out on Best Comedy, rewarding its two leading ladies is still a good way to go out. 

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons

Paul W. Downs, Hacks

Harrison Ford, Shrinking

Nick Offerman, Margo's Got Money Troubles

Stephen Root, Widow's Bay

Michael Urie, Shrinking

Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary

Who will and should win: Harrison Ford

If anyone else wins this, I'm turning into a super villain. 

GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

Leslie Bibb, Hacks

Jamie Lee Curtis, The Bear

Betty Gilpin, Widow's Bay

Cherry Jones, Hacks

Laurie Metcalf, Hacks

Kaitlin Olson, Hacks

Lauren Weedman, Hacks

Who will win: Leslie Bibb

Who should win: Any

Hacks very well could split the vote and allow Curtis and Gilpin to win, but my instinct is Leslie Bibb takes this for having the most outrageous lines in her episode. "Deborah do you strap?" I still laugh thinking about it. 

GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY

Michael J. Fox, Shrinking

Brett Goldstein, Shrinking

Hamish Linklater, Widow's Bay

Christopher McDonald, Hacks

Rob Reiner, The Bear

Connor Storrie, Saturday Night Live

Who will win: Rob Reiner or Michael J Fox.

Who should win: Hamish Linklater

I usually don't do "or" picks in who I think will win, but I'm pretty torn between the two.

OUTSTANDING LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES

All Her Fault

The Beast in Me

BEEF

DTF St. Louis

Love Story

Who will win: DTF St. Louis

Who should win: The Beast In Me

Voters clearly loved this show and it was better than BEEF. Personally, I think The Beast in Me is the strongest, but I don't see it winning here. 

OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE

Heads of State

Miss You, Love You

People We Meet on Vacation

Remarkably Bright Creatures

Jack Ryan: Ghost War

Who will win: Remarkably Bright Creatures

LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR MOVIE

Claire Danes, The Beast in Me

Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures

Carey Mulligan, BEEF

Sarah Pidgeon, Love Story

Sarah Snook, All Her Fault

Who will and should win: Sarah Snook

Despite All Her Fault not being a very good show overall, Snook is amazing in it and they've rewarded her before. One could say the same with Claire Danes, but I think Snook was stronger. 

LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR MOVIE

Riz Ahmed, Bait

Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit

Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Oscar Isaac, BEEF

Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me

Who will and should win: Matthew Rhys

Yes, I see him winning twice tonight. Especially since they didn't nominate the real best actor in a limited series this season, Jamie Bell for Half Man or put the DTF St. Louis guys in the right category. 

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR MOVIE

Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis

Dakota Fanning, All Her Fault

Laurie Metcalf, Monster: The Ed Gein Story

Joy Sunday, DTF: St. Louis

Youn Yuh-jung, BEEF

Constance Zimmer, Love Story

Who will and should win: Linda Cardellini

She's beloved and was excellent in this show. I really want her or Dakota Fanning to win personally, but think Linda has the edge just because the show overall was better. 

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, OR MOVIE

Jason Bateman, DTF St. Louis

Richard Gadd, Half Man

David Harbour, DTF St. Louis

Richard Jenkins, DTF St. Louis

Charles Melton, BEEF

Nick Offerman, Death by Lightning

Who will win: David Harbour

Who should win: Richard Gadd 

I do not think Harbour is supporting, but he does give the best performance in DTF St. Louis and was nominated several times for Stranger Things, so I can see this being his moment. If DTF splits votes, Gadd and Offerman are also previous winners that would deserve this too.  I just feel like it's Harbour's.

OUTSTANDING SCRIPTED VARIETY SERIES

The Daily Show 

Jimmy Kimmel Live! 

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver 

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 

Saturday Night Live 

Who will win: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Who should win: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Look, Colbert went through some shit this year, and I think they'll reward him for that even though John Oliver's show has always been stronger. Hopefully they'll pick up the Writing win at least. I can't be mad at Colbert winning either, I love that guy too.