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.
“Matlock” (CBS)
CBS
Outstanding Guest Acting (Drama, Comedy) Commentary (Updated May 22, 2025): The four Emmy guest acting categories often serve as a crystal ball — a hint of good fortune for some series, or a subtle warning flare for others. This year, all signs point to HBO Max trying to corner the market.
In guest drama and comedy races, HBO Max has stacked its deck with heavy-hitters from “The White Lotus” (Scott Glenn), “The Last of Us” (Kaitlyn Dever, Catherine O’Hara and Jeffrey Wright) and “Hacks” (Julianne Nicholson).
But don’t count out Apple TV+. Its hilarious workplace satire “The Studio” could end up stealing the whole guest comedy actor race. Emmy darling Bryan Cranston is leading the pack, with scene-stealing support from none other than Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese. When your “guest stars” are Oscar-nominated directors, it’s less “who invited them?” and more “how can we get them back?” And lets not forget the powerhouse women like Sarah Polley and Zoë Kravitz, both worthy of recognition.
And then there’s “Saturday Night Live.” With Season 50 in the books, the NBC sketch comedy is looking for more love than usual. Martin Short seems poised for a double nom, likely joining the lead comedy actor race with “Only Murders in the Building” to help out his hosting bid.
But he’s not alone in the SNL spotlight. Timothée Chalamet, in full Bob Dylan mode during his Oscar campaign for “A Complete Unknown,” is also in the mix for his hosting. Add in perennial contenders like Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney and former cast member Mike Myers, and the ballot could read like a reunion special.
For awards obsessives, there’s a fun footnote in plain sight.
In guest drama actor, Beau Bridges could be more than just a solid bet. He also could be the Emmy gold-plated insurance for co-star and lead drama actress frontrunner Kathy Bates in “Matlock” needs to get her over the finish line. Why is that? A little Emmy history.
If you’ve been tuning in to the Awards Circuit Podcast (FYC Golden Globes by the way), you’ve heard my hesitation in keeping Bates in the top spot without additional series support — no drama series nom, no extra acting mentions. It’s a risk. But Bridges could be the tipping point. And if Emmy history is any guide, he’s been here before.
Back in 2006, Kyra Sedgwick began a four-year streak of lead drama actress nominations for “The Closer,” consistently nominated but always empty-handed, and the only recognition for the popular series. Then came 2010, and Bridges’ guest turn as Detective George Andrews where he nabbed a nom — and Sedgwick finally won her long-overdue Emmy. Coincidence? Maybe. Lucky charm? Quite possibly.
Could lightning strike twice for Beau Bridges, and help out Kathy Bates? Emmy voters do love a good story arc. It also helps he has three individual Emmys to prove his love and respect by the TV Academy and industry.
(The list of predicted nominees and contenders is incomplete and will be updated every Thursday throughout the TV Awards season.)
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Guest Actor (Drama)
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Guest Actress (Drama)
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Guest Actor (Comedy)
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Guest Actress (Comedy)
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More Information (Guest Acting)
2024 category winners:
Guest Actor (Comedy) — Jon Bernthal, “The Bear” (FX) — “Fishes”
Guest Actress (Comedy) — Jamie Lee Curtis, “The Bear” (FX) — “Fishes”
Guest Actor (Drama) — Néstor Carbonell, “Shōgun” (FX) — “Anjin”
Guest Actress (Drama) — Michaela Coel, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” (Prime Video) — “Infidelity”
JC Olivera!function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,(function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}}))}();
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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.
