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There’s nothing like your first time.
As the Emmys eligibility period draws to a close, a new class of actors – some from the world, others breaking out for the first time – are poised to land their first nominations from television’s most prestigious awards body.
From breakout turns in true-crime sagas like “Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story” to multiple scene-stealing supporting roles in genre juggernauts like “Andor” and “Severance,” we’re tracking the top acting contenders to receive their first-ever Emmy nom.
Below is Variety’s list of 12 hopefuls, looking to nab an invitation to TV’s biggest party. Note: we only cite one actor from each series.
Nomination voting runs from June 12 to June 23, with official nominations set to be announced July 15.
Honorable mentions: Utkarsh Ambudkar (“Ghosts”); Wendi McLendon-Covey (“St. Denis Medical”); Wagner Moura (“Dope Thief”); Chris Perfetti (“Abbott Elementary”); Sarah Sherman (“Saturday Night Live”)
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Ike Barinholtz (‘The Studio’)
Image Credit: Apple TV+
Barinholtz has quietly built one of the most versatile resumes in comedy; this year, he’s gone full prestige. With Apple TV+’s sharp satire “The Studio,” he channels with unexpected zingers and an underlying resonance that stands out. It’s an evolution of a long-respected industry figure that could mirror Tony Shalhoub’s part comedic-dramatic Emmy trajectory from “Monk” to “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” even more aptly similar to Tony Hale’s 2013 win. He also gets an added boost for co-creating Netflix’s “Running Point” with Kate Hudson.
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Adam Brody (‘Nobody Wants This’)
Image Credit: Courtesy of SAEED ADYANI/NETFLIX
After winning the Critics Choice prize for his turn as Noah Roklov, a rabbit who begins an unexpected relationship with an agnostic podcaster (Kristen Bell), the ever-charming Adam Brody looks poised to land his very first major TV acting nom for the Netflix rom-com show. Many actors from the millennial generation have made roaring comebacks in their second acts in Hollywood. Look at Kenan Thompson when he was double-nominated for “Kenan” and “Saturday Night Live” in 2021. With the series also contending to land in other major races, Brody’s nom becomes more assured by the day, even if only five slots will likely be available.
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John Cena (‘The Bear’)
Image Credit: FX
Cena has been a wrestler, a “Peacemaker” and a Daytime Emmy nominee as the host of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” Cena’s role in Season 3 of “The Bear” marks a stunning pivot for the entertainer. Best known for his quirks and beats in comedy and action roles, he taps into his softer side with his guest arc on the hit FX series.
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Owen Cooper (‘Adolescence’)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix
At just 15, Cooper delivers a performance that could make Emmy history. In the British drama “Adolescence,” he plays a troubled teen with breathtaking vulnerability. Comparisons to Paul Mescal’s quiet intensity in “Normal People” are not unwarranted. He’s the front-runner in the supporting actor (limited) race, and might just become the youngest nominee in the category. His equally affecting co-stars Ashley Walter and Christine Tremarco are sure to light up the supporting ballots alongside him.
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Rhenzy Feliz (‘The Penguin’)
Image Credit: HBO/Max
Feliz breaks through with a magnetic portrayal of a young criminal navigating Gotham’s shifting power dynamics in HBO Max’s “The Penguin.” His performance, steeped in nuance, evokes Emmy-nominated turns like Michael Mando in “Better Call Saul” and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in “Watchmen.” If nominated, Feliz would become only the eighth Latino actor ever recognized in the supporting drama actor category, which notably has yet to produce a winner. He would also be just the second Dominican actor nominated in any Emmy acting category, following Jharrel Jerome’s historic 2019 win for lead actor (limited) for “When They See Us.” His potential nod would arrive in the same year Zoe Saldaña became the first Dominican to win an Academy Award for her performance in “Emilia Pérez.”
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Harrison Ford (‘Shrinking’)
Image Credit: Apple TV+
An acting legend without a single Emmy nomination? It’s true. Ford’s turn as Dr. Paul Rhoades, a grieving, gruff therapist, blends dry humor with emotional vulnerability. Following an overlooked first season and a solid run in Paramount’s “1923,” Ford seems overdue for Emmy recognition, perhaps in the same vein as Alan Arkin’s nods for “The Kominsky Method” or when Henry Winkler finally won an overdue Emmy for the first season of “Barry.” Ford’s nom could also bring in his co-star and Critics Choice winner Michael Urie as well.
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Cooper Koch (‘Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Menendez Story’)
Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Colle
Koch delivers a haunting performance as Erik Menendez in Netflix’s dramatization by producer Ryan Murphy. His portrayal balances the underlying and emotional restraint with deep psychological complexity, echoing the breakout moment seen in Evan Peters’ Emmy-nominated performance in “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” With renewed public interest in the Menendez case, Koch’s take could land him squarely in the lead actor (limited) race. This story can’t exist without the other brother, who is played exquisitely by Nicholas Alexander Chavez. Depending on how the category shakes out, with only five slots readily available, it may be tough to see both make the cut.
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Katherine LaNasa (‘The Pitt’)
Image Credit: HBO/Max
LaNasa commands the screen as the head nurse of a gritty Pittsburgh emergency room in the intense medical drama “The Pitt.” With a presence that’s part no-nonsense and part deeply human, she recalls breakout Emmy wins by actresses like Archie Panjabi in “The Good Wife” and Anna Gunn in “Breaking Bad.” Her nod would mark a career-defining milestone. The same could be said for any of her fellow co-stars, Tracy Ifeachor, Patrick Ball, Supriya Ganesh, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Isa Briones, Gerran Howell, and Shabana Azeez, who all submitted as well.
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Britt Lower (‘Severance’)
Image Credit: AppleTV+
Despite the series earning 14 nominations in 2022, Lower’s mysterious and emotionally layered performance as Helly was overlooked. In Season 2, she returns with even greater precision and emotional heft. Her arc feels within range to garner a long-overdue recognition, perhaps akin to Rhea Seehorn’s eventual supporting nom for the final two seasons of “Better Call Saul” after years of fan and critic campaigning. A lead drama actress nod seems all but certain. Let’s not forget that her co-stars Zach Cherry as the wise-cracking Dylan and Tramell Tillman as the human thesaurus Milchik are both vying for supporting drama actor consideration, and are likely to come along for the ride for the series.
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Isabela Merced (‘The Last of Us’)
Image Credit: Courtesy of HBO
Merced enters Season 2 of the apocalyptic drama with a quiet but fierce performance as a new survivor. She follows in the footsteps of Bella Ramsey’s 2023 nomination (she was among the youngest ever nominated in lead drama actress) and could become just the fourth Latina actress nominated in the supporting drama actress category, joining Aubrey Plaza (“The White Lotus”), Morena Baccarin (“Homeland”) and Alexis Bledel (“The Handmaid’s Tale”). In addition, Merced, 23, would be among the top 10 ever nominated alongside the likes of Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams (“Game of Thrones”).
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Sam Nivola (‘The White Lotus’)
Image Credit: HBO Max
Mike White’s Emmy powerhouse launched the awards careers of several prominent character actors and newcomers, from winners Murray Bartlett to Jennifer Coolidge to nominees Will Sharpe and Natasha Rothwell. Now, 21-year-old Sam Nivola adds a new energy and depth to the ensemble and is poised to sneak into the race with his memorable turn as the young Lochlan, a high school senior staying at the Thailand resort. If the son of the great character actors Alessandro Nivola and Emily Mortimer makes the cut, he would the second youngest to be nominated in the category, surpassing Noah Wyle, who was 24 when nominated for “ER” in 1995, and only bested by 13-year-old Johnny Crawford for “The Rifleman” in 1959.
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Hilary Swank (‘Yellowjackets’)
Image Credit: Kailey Schwerman/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME
Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank (“Boys Don’t Cry” and “Million Dollar Baby”) dives into the twisted, psychological depths of “Yellowjackets” in a guest arc that’s both chilling and cerebral. Swank made her first appearance in the March 28 episode — the eighth installment of the show’s third season — in a jaw-dropping twist that finally revealed the long-speculated fate of Melissa. In the episode, adult Shauna (Melanie Lynskey) discovers that Melissa is not only alive, but living under a new identity with a family unaware of her traumatic past. Her entry into the race as a guest drama actress would follow a well-worn path of film stars crossing into prestige TV. See Marcia Gay Harden in “The Morning Show” or Patricia Arquette in “The Act.”
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