The precursor awards of the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Critics' Choice Awards tend not to affect the outcome of the Emmys. However, this year the race for Lead Actor in a Drama Series is looking to go to the winner of at least two of those awards. Kevin Spacey (House of Cards) has been the bridesmaid for two Emmy cycles now, losing to Jeff Daniels and Bryan Cranston. It looks like he's finally going to take it this time.
Perennial Emmy loser Jon Hamm (Mad Men) is assured to come back and could finally pull off a win for the show (it has lost every acting award it's been nominated for) with a submission of the series finale “Person to Person.”
In addition to the two perennial nominees above, there are three new faces looking to join the race. Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) has turned the comic relief of Breaking Bad into one of the most intriguing characters of the television season. Depending on how the show fares at the Emmys, we could see a win for him, especially with his arsenal of phenomenal episodes. Dominic West (The Affair) can't seem to break into the Emmy race. From The Wire to The Hour, he's been egregiously snubbed, however the third time could be the charm. Again, it depends on how well the show is received. One nominee that can't depend on his show is Cilve Owen (The Knick). While the Cinemax drama was well received, it has one thing against it. It's on Cinemax. Owen can probably get in on buzz and name alone, but there are others in the mix like Jeff Daniels (The Newsroom), Terrence Howard (Empire), and Kyle Chandler (Bloodline) who could just as well take his place.
1. Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
2. Jon Hamm, Mad Men
3. Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
4. Clive Owen, The Knick
5. Kyle Chandler, Bloodline
6. Dominic West, The Affair
Check out our complete list of 2015 Emmy Predictions HERE!
Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.
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