Emmy Nomination Predictions: Will Aziz Ansari Join Comedy Lead Actor Stalwarts? [POLL, VIDEO]
The Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category at the Emmys this year could be made up of some of the funniest men in Hollywood.
Emmy voting has officially ended for the nomination round, with the nominations announcement scheduled for July 14. Up to this point, we are previewing which actors, actresses and shows are out in front to nab nominations from the TV Academy.
Next up is the Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category. There are six slots available even though there were seven contenders nominated last year. Neither Louie nor Episodes aired within this eligibility period, so stars (and frequent nominees) Louis C.K. and Matt LeBlanc will not be able to return for another nomination this year. Assuming there are six nominees this year, that leaves at least one open slot for a new contender.
Let's break down who we think will be nominated for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
1. Jeffrey Tambor as Maura Pfefferman in Transparent
Tambor won this category last year for his complex, sensitive performance as Maura, a transgender woman who comes out in her '70s. While not the funniest performance, voters still found Tambor to be stronger than anyone else last year. Considering how rare it is for an Emmy winner to get snubbed the following year, Tambor is locked here.
2. William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher in Shameless
Macy is an acting legend who has been nominated the past two years for his role in Shameless. He also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Male Actor in a Comedy Series last year, suggesting that he has the support of his acting peers. Barring any shockers, he's likely in again.
3. Don Cheadle as Marty Kaan in House of Lies
Cheadle has received an Emmy nomination every single year since House of Lies began in 2012. With four nominations under his belt, there aren't many reasons to not predict him to get one more. However, this is the final year for House of Lies and Emmy voters have been known to be decidedly unsentimental about shows in their final season, so a snub is always possible.
4. Anthony Anderson as Dre Johnson in black-ish
Anderson got a surprise nomination in this category last year when very few were predicting him. Now that black-ish has even more critical buzz with hard-hitting episodes, he is probably getting another nomination. Yet, he was also black-ish's only nomination last year, so it's unclear if voters truly like the show.
5. Will Forte as Phil Miller in The Last Man on Earth
Forte was also a slightly surprising nomination last year. While The Last Man on Earth certainly had critical acclaim, it wasn't entirely clear if the Emmys were aware of the show. They clearly were, as the show also received Directing and Writing nominations. It's likely that Forte will return, though he could just as easily be a one-and-done due to the show's low ratings.
6. Aziz Ansari as Dev Shah in Master of None
We are predicting Ansari to be the only new nominee in this category this year. Master of None debuted to huge critical praise in November, with special attention given to Ansari's complex performance as a struggling actor living in New York City. Ansari's popularity within the comedy world plus the Netflix factor should be a winning combination as far as nominations go.
Other contenders in this category include Gael Garcia Bernal for Mozart in the Jungle, Thomas Middleditch for Silicon Valley, Jim Parsons for The Big Bang Theory, Zach Galifianakis for Baskets, Patrick Stewart for Blunt Talk, Fred Armisen for Portlandia, Rob Lowe for The Grinder and Andy Samberg for Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
