Look for returning characters to dominate the category, with last year’s winner Hank Azaria likely to repeat his nom for his role as disgraced FBI Agent Ed Cochran in “Ray Donovan.” Beau Bridges should land his third consecutive nod for “Masters of Sex.” Mark Margolis was last nominated for playing Hector Salamanca on “Breaking Bad” in 2012, and that was with a minimum of dialogue, so he has a good shot for bringing a younger but no less terrifying Hector to “Better Call Saul.” Ben Mendelsohn previously won in the supporting category for “Bloodline” but this year he’s eligible as a guest star. year. And both Dylan Baker and Matthew Perry could earn nods for bringing their characters from “The Good Wife” to its spinoff “The Good Fight.”
The freshman series “This Is Us” could be a powerhouse, with turns from Denis O’Hare, Brian Tyree Henry, Jermel Nakia and Gerald McRaney. But McRaney is also also a contender for “House of Cards,” which has a proven track record with guest actors being recognized, so we’ll give that show the edge for now. Other new series featuring standouts include “Flight of the Conchords” star Jemaine Clement’s mutant-friendly Oliver Bird on “Legion” and Ben Vereen’s con man on “Sneaky Pete,” both of whom mastered great arcs.
Frontrunners
Hank Azaria
Ray Donovan
Dylan Baker
The Good Fight
Beau Bridges
Masters of Sex
Jemaine Clement
Legion
Mark Margolis
Better Call Saul
Gerald McRaney
House of Cards
Ben Mendelsohn
Bloowdline
Denis O’Hare
This is Us
Matthew Perry
The Good Fight
Ben Vereen
Sneaky Pete
On the Bubble
Brian Tyree Henry
This Is Us
Hal Holbrook
Grey’s Anatomy
Orlando Jones
American Gods
John Legend
Underground
Hamish Linklater
Legion
Gerald McRaney
This Is Us
John Cameron Mitchell
The Good Fight
Rob Morrow
Billions
Jason Ritter
Goliath
Sean Toub
Homeland
Glynn Turman
Queen Sugar
Bradley Whitford
Chicago Justice
Dark Horses
Chris Bauer
Law & Order: SVU
Marc Blucas
Underground
Ricardo Chavira
Scandal
Brian Cox
Penny Dreadful
Taye Diggs
Empire
Anthony Edwards
Law & Order: SVU
Dominic Fumusa
Homeland
Peter Gallagher
Law & Order: SVU
Benito Martinez
How to Get Away With Murder
Cameron Monaghan
Gotham
Jermel Nakia
This Is Us
Eric Roberts
Grey’s Anatomy
Stephen Root
Man in the High Castle
Peter Stormare
American Gods
David Strathairn
Billions
Jonathan Tucker
American Gods
Steven Weber
13 Reasons Why
