2025 Emmys Predictions in Every Category
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.
“Black Mirror” (Netflix)
Emmys Commentary (Updated: April 10, 2025): The first charts for the acting races in limited or anthology series/TV movie have been added, marking what is expected to be one of the toughest categories to project this season, with streaming giants and prestige networks rolling out emotionally gripping, star-driven projects.
Michelle Williams emerges as the frontrunner for her raw and fearless turn in FX’s “Dying for Sex,” based on the popular podcast. Cate Blanchett is also in the spotlight with Apple TV+’s “Disclaimer,” directed by Alfonso Cuarón, positioning her as a strong contender who could finally earn her an Emmy. Cristin Milioti is gaining serious traction for her genre-defying performances in HBO/Max’s “The Penguin” and Netflix’s “Black Mirror.” Meanwhile, longtime TV icon Ellen Pompeo returns in Hulu’s “Good American Family,” signaling a bold pivot in her career.
Early predictions for directing have also been added, bringing the total number of categories currently charted to 30 — with roughly 70 left to go.
As for FYC events this week, Paramount+’s espionage thriller drew a packed house at the Television Academy, where cast members Richard Gere, Jeffrey Wright and Jodie Turner-Smith spoke about their roles in the acclaimed drama.
Speaking of legends, Forest Whitaker received a huge round of applause and respect from the crowd at the MGM+ event for the latest season of “Godfather of Harlem.”
Nomination leaders (studios): HBO/Max (38); Apple (31); Netflix (30); FX (15)
*** = PREDICTED WINNER
(All predicted nominees listed below are in alphabetical order)
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Drama Series
Image Credit: Netflix “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: JON PACK/Netflix © 2024 “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
“The Bear” (FX)
“The Four Seasons” (Netflix)
“Hacks” (HBO/Max) ***
“Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
“Shrinking” (Apple TV+)
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Limited or Anthology Series
Image Credit: HBO “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
Image Credit: Courtesy of Searchlight “The Gorge” (Apple TV+)
“Mountainhead” (HBO/Max)
“O’Dessa” (Hulu)
“Out of My Mind” (Disney+)
“Rebel Ridge” (Netflix) ***Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Lead Actor (Drama)
Image Credit: Paramount Sterling K. Brown
“Paradise” (Hulu)
Gary Oldman
“Slow Horses” (Apple TV+)
Eddie Redmayne
“The Day of the Jackal” (Peacock)
Adam Scott ***
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
Billy Bob Thornton
“Landman” (Paramount+)
Noah Wyle
“The Pitt” (HBO/Max)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Lead Actor (Comedy)
Image Credit: Apple TV+ 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: Netflix Colin Farrell ***
“The Penguin” (HBO/Max)
Paul Giamatti
“Black Mirror” (Netflix)
Stephen Graham
“Adolescence” (Netflix)
Brian Tyree Henry
“Dope Thief” (Apple TV+)
Cooper Koch
“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (Netflix)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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Lead Actress (Drama)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Hulu 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: Disney Kristen Bell
“Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
Quinta Brunson
“Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Tina Fey
“The Four Seasons” (Netflix)
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: CR: Rob Youngson/FX 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>>>
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Supporting Actor (Drama)
Image Credit: HBO / Liane Hentscher 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: Courtesy of Apple TV+ Ike Barinholtz
“The Studio” (Apple TV+)
Colman Domingo
“The Four Seasons” (Netflix)
Paul W. Downs
“Hacks” (HBO/Max)
Harrison Ford
“Shrinking” (Apple TV+)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach ***
“The Bear” (FX)
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 Hulu 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 Máquina” (Hulu)
Ashley Walters
“Adolescence” (Netflix)Emmy category page with rankings>>>
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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: HBO/Max 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: Sarah Shatz/FX 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>>>
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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: Lloyd Bishop/NBC “The Daily Show” (Comedy Central) ***
“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: Max “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
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Directing (Drama)
Image Credit: HBO/Max “The Last of Us” (HBO/Max)
Neil Druckman, “Episose 206”
“The Last of Us” (HBO/Max) ***
Mark Mylod, “Episode 202”
“The Pitt” (HBO/Max)
John Wells, “7:00 A.M.”
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
Ben Stiller, “Cold Harbor”
“Severance” (Apple TV+)
Jessica Lee Gagné, “Chikhai Bardo”
“The White Lotus” (HBO/Max)
Mike White, “Amor Fati”Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Directing (Comedy)
Image Credit: Philippe Antonello/Prime “The Bear” (FX)
Ayo Edebiri, “Napkins”
“Étoile” (Prime Video)
Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, “Pilot”
“The Four Seasons” (Netflix)
Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, “Pilot”
“Mid-Century Modern” (Hulu)
James Burrows, “Here’s to You, Mrs. Schneiderman”
“Nobody Wants This” (Netflix)
Greg Mottola, “Pilot”
“Only Murders in the Building” (Hulu)
John Hoffman, “Once Upon a Time in the West”
“The Studio” (Apple TV+) ***
Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, “The Oner”Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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Directing (Limited or Anthology/TV Movie)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Apple “Adolescence” (Netflix)
Philip Barantini, Series
“Black Mirror” (Netflix)
Chris Barrett & Luke Taylor, “Eulogy”
“Disclaimer” (Apple TV+)
Alfonso Cuarón, Series
“Dope Thief” (Apple TV+)
Ridley Scott, “Jolly Ranchers”
“Mountainhead” (HBO/Max)
Jesse Armstrong
“The Penguin” (HBO/Max)
Craig Zobel, “After Hours”Emmy category page with rankings>>>Coming Soon
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More Information
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About the Primetime Emmy Awards
The Primetime Emmy Awards, commonly known as the Emmys, are awarded by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Established in 1949, these celebrate outstanding achievements in American primetime television. The Emmys are categorized into three divisions: the Primetime Emmy Awards for performance and production excellence; the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, recognizing achievements in artistry and craftsmanship; and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards, which honor significant engineering and technological advancements. The eligibility period typically extends from June 1 to May 31 each year. The Television Academy hosts the Emmys and has over 20,000 members across 30 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors, artisans and executives.
