Darren Criss has been the Emmy front-runner for Best Movie/Mini Actor since we opened our predictions center in March. He has a showy starring role as real-life serial killer Andrew Cunanan in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace,” the second installment of Ryan Murphy‘s “American Crime Story” franchise. But later in the spring a challenger emerged who might be Criss’s biggest threat: Benedict Cumberbatch (“Patrick Melrose“).
As we approach the announcement of the Emmy nominations on July 12 Criss has leading odds of 10/3 based on the combined predictions of thousands of Gold Derby users. Among those users are 19 Expert journalists from top media outlets, 12 of whom agree with the consensus that Criss will win: Debra Birnbaum (Variety), Debbie Day (Rotten Tomatoes), Lynn Elber (Associated Press), Chris Harnick (E!), Matthew Jacobs (Huffington Post), Tom O’Neil(Gold Derby), Lynette Rice (Entertainment Weekly), Robert Rorke (New York Post), Matt Roush (TV Guide Magazine), Sasha Stone (Awards Daily), Peter Travers (Rolling Stone) and Ken Tucker (Yahoo).
Criss has no previous Emmy nominations for acting (he picked up a songwriting bid in 2015 for “Glee”), but that didn’t stop Riz Ahmed (“The Night Of”) from taking down a couple of Oscar winners in this category last year. And the last season of “American Crime Story,” “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” won this award just two years ago for its star Courtney B. Vance.
Based on our combined odds, Criss’s closest competition is Al Pacino(“Paterno”), who ranks second with 9/2 odds. But the Experts think the real dark horse is Cumberbatch for playing the title character in Showtime’s literary adaptation “Patrick Melrose.” It’s a meaty showcase for Cumberbatch, who gets to play a former child abuse victim struggling with addiction, and five Experts say it will be the ticket to an Emmy win: Eric Deggans (NPR), Joyce Eng (Gold Derby), Pete Hammond (Deadline Hollywood), Anne Thompson (IndieWire) and Ben Travers (IndieWire).
Cumberbatch is already an Emmy darling, with five nominations in this category over the last six years. One of those was for the miniseries “Parade’s End” (2013), and the other four were for playing the title role in “Sherlock” (2012, 2014, 2016, 2017). He won in 2014 for the episode “His Last Vow.”
In fact, if Cumberbatch earns a nom this year as we expect him to, he’ll tie the legendary Laurence Olivier as the second most nominated actor in this category’s history with six bids (Hal Holbrook is the all-time leader with seven). And if he wins he’ll be the 10th to claim this award more than once, joining other esteemed thespians including Anthony Hopkins, Peter Falk, and his possible 2018 rival Pacino.
So who do you think is really out front? Will Criss slay the competition, or will Cumberbatch get his fix?
Tag: emmys 2018
Best Drama Series – Feinberg Forecast: Final Emmy Nomination Projections
Best Limited Series
PROJECTED NOMINEES
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Godless (Netflix)
The Looming Tower (Hulu)
Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
Genius (National Geographic)Best Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie
PROJECTED NOMINEES
Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Al Pacino (Paterno)
Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose) — podcast
Jeff Daniels (The Looming Tower) — podcast
Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso)
John Legend (Jesus Christ Superstar)Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Television Movie
PROJECTED NOMINEES
Jeff Daniels (Godless) — podcast
Edgar Ramirez (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Brandon Victor Dixon (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Tahar Rahim (The Looming Tower)
Peter Sarsgaard (The Looming Tower)
Ricky Martin (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Television Movie
PROJECTED NOMINEES
Merritt Wever (Godless)
Penelope Cruz (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Judith Light (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story)
Nicole Kidman (Top of the Lake: China Girl) — podcast
Sharon Stone (Mosaic)
Ellen Burstyn (The Tale)
Best Drama Series – Feinberg Forecast: Final Emmy Nomination Projections
2018 Emmy nominations slugfest: Limited Series/TV Movie acting predictions | GOLD DERBY
Contributors Amanda Spears, Zach Laws and Riley Chow debate the Emmy races for Best Movie/Limited Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress. | 2 July 2018
‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’ will be Ryan Murphy’s 7th limited series nominated at Emmys in 7 years
If “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” earns an Emmy nomination for Best Limited Series, as Gold Derby’s racetrack odds predict, that would be the seventh consecutive nomination for prolific producer Ryan Murphy in this category. Over the past decade Murphy and his team at FX have completely reinvented TV’s longform format, and that’s no more evident than at the Emmys. Previously these six shows all received Emmy noms for Best Limited Series: “Feud: Bette and Joan” (2017), “The People v. O. J. Simpson” (2016), “American Horror Story: Freak Show” (2015), “American Horror Story: Coven” (2014), “American Horror Story: Asylum” (2013) and “American Horror Story: Murder House” (2012).
Based on Maureen Orth‘s book “Vulgar Favors,” “Versace” follows the story of spree killer Andrew Cunanan (Darren Criss) who murdered several men in the 1990s including fashion designer Gianni Versace (Edgar Ramirez). Tom Rob Smith wrote the nine-episode series that also stars Emmy contenders Penelope Cruz, Judith Light, Ricky Martin, Cody Fern, Finn Wittrock and Jon Jon Briones.
Not to be forgotten, two other Ryan Murphy Productions also earned Emmy bids in the top races: “Glee” as Best Comedy Series in 2010 and 2011 and “The Normal Heart” as Best TV Movie, which prevailed in 2014. His landmark FX series “Nip/Tuck” was shockingly snubbed at the Emmys as Best Drama Series, though it did triumph in that same category at the Golden Globes in 2005.
In terms of Emmy wins, Murphy has one for directing the “Glee” pilot and three for producing “The Normal Heart,” “The People v. O.J. Simpson” and its short form counterpart “Inside Look: The People v. O.J. Simpson.” On this year’s Emmy ballot he’s eligible for producing “9-1-1” and “American Horror Story: Cult” in addition to producing and directing “The Assassination of Gianni Versace.”
Sixteen out of 19 of Gold Derby’s Emmy Experts from major media outlets don’t just think “Versace” will be nominated, but that it will win. They are: Debra Birnbaum (Variety), Debbie Day (Rotten Tomatoes), Eric Deggans (NPR), Lynn Elber (Associated Press), Joyce Eng (Gold Derby), Pete Hammond (Deadline Hollywood), Chris Harnick (E), Matthew Jacobs (HuffPo), Tom O’Neil (Gold Derby), Lynette Rice (Ent. Weekly), Robert Rorke (New York Post), Matt Roush(TV Guide Magazine), Anne Thompson (Indiewire), Peter Travers (Rolling Stone), Ken Tucker (Yahoo) and Adnan Virk (ESPN). See more Emmy odds and rankings.
As one of TV’s most successful storytellers, Murphy is using his influence to try to change Hollywood for the better. He recently created the Half Initiative, which strives to make the entertainment industry more inclusive by creating equal opportunities for women, minorities and the LGTB community behind the scenes. “We started with the directing end of my company. We started with the hope of 50% or more. Now, actually, our average is running like 60% female,” he told our sister site Deadline.
6 Underrated TV Shows and Actors Who Deserve Emmys: Pics
Taylor Kitsch
Playing a villain in a way that the audience admires isn’t an easy task. Especially, when it’s based on a horrible person like Branch Davidians leader David Koreshin Waco. While the category – Lead Actor in a Limited Series – will most likely go to Darren Criss’ portrayal of Versace’s killer Andrew Cunanan – Kitsch still deserves the recognition.
Top 6 Emmy hopefuls I’m rooting for: Peter Capaldi, Rami Malek, Finn Wittrock …
I’m the patron saint of lost Emmy causes — is it still too late for “Buffy” and “The Wire”? — so while my colleague Marcus James Dixon recently singled out actors and actresses he’s rooting for who are on the bubble based on our racetrack odds, I’m focusing on the deep bench of 100/1 long shots who deserve recognition this year. But sometimes long shots pay off. […]
Cody Fern and Finn Wittrock (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace”) — Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actor
Darren Criss and Edgar Ramirez are currently expected to win Emmys as killer Andrew Cunanan and slain fashion designer Gianni Versace, respectively. But for me the heart of the series was in the middle episodes that focus on Cunanan’s earlier victims. The stories of Jeff Trail and David Madson— and the actors who play them, Finn Wittrock and Cody Fern — illustrate with great insight the psychological toll of homophobia and sexual shame. Cunanan was able to exploit that to ingratiate himself with both of them. He was the monster in their closet.
Top 6 Emmy hopefuls I’m rooting for: Peter Capaldi, Rami Malek, Finn Wittrock …
Circuit Breaker Episode 97: The Emmy Race, ‘Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,’ and New Trailers
Welcome to the Awards Circuit podcast titled “CIRCUIT BREAKER!,” a weekly podcast from AwardsCircuit.com featuring host Clayton Davis along with panelists Sam Coffey, Mark Johnson, Joey Magidson, Chris James, and Karen Peterson. We discuss movies, television and all the awards shows that need predicting. New episodes are released every Monday. | 27 June 2018
Samira Wiley and Ryan Eggold to Announce 70th Emmy Nominations
The Television Academy announced today that Samira Wiley and Ryan Eggold will present the nominations for the 70th Emmy Awards from the Wolf Theatre at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center on Thursday, July 12 at 8:30 AM PT /11:30 AM ET.
Television Academy Chairman and CEO Hayma Washington will join Wiley and Eggold at the nominations ceremony, which will stream live on Emmys.com.
“It has been another exceptional year in television marked by extraordinary storytelling from a wealth of diverse and innovative content creators,” said Washington. “We are pleased to have these two talented performers join us to announce this year’s Emmy nominees and to celebrate television excellence.”
Samira Wiley and Ryan Eggold to Announce 70th Emmy Nominations
Pierce: What are the best shows on TV? Critics don’t agree
There’s a misperception out there that TV critics are some sort of monolith. That there’s some sort of critical consensus.
To prove that wrong, you need look no further than the nominees for this year’s Television Critics Association Awards — which include a few shows I don’t much care for, one that troubles me greatly and one I absolutely loathe.
Don’t get me wrong. The TCA Awards are more legit than, say, the Emmys, because they’re given by people who actually watch almost everything on TV. (Nobody can watch everything anymore.)
And I’ll happily endorse the overwhelming majority of the TCA Awards nominees.
But I’m not a big fan of “Bill” or “GLOW.” And this might get me in trouble, but I’m kind of over “The Handmaid’s Tale” after Season 2.
I’ve also been stewing over “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” for months. The more I think about it, the more I’m troubled by the fact that so much of the supposed docudrama was complete fiction.
If I Had an Emmy Ballot 2018 | Festivals & Awards | Roger Ebert
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Cody Fern, Assassination of Gianni Versace
Robert Forster, Twin Peaks
Scoot McNairy, Godless
Peter Sarsgaard, The Looming Tower
Jimmi Simpson, Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G.
Michael Stuhlbarg, The Looming TowerBEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Penelope Cruz, Assassination of Gianni Versace
Laura Dern, Twin Peaks
Nicole Kidman, Top of the Lake: China Girl
Judith Light, Assassination of Gianni Versace
Naomi Watts, Twin Peaks
Meritt Wever, Godless
If I Had an Emmy Ballot 2018 | Festivals & Awards | Roger Ebert