I don’t know why I was slightly less enthusiastic about Best Actor in this category. Three of the nominees are ones that I predicted, and in all fairness at least two of the choices I considered – David Thewlis for Landscapers and Paul Bettany for A Very British Scandal – were long-shots. And it’s hard to argue the reasoning behind a couple of these nominees.
I think the larger issue is the presence of Sebastian Stan for Pam and Tommy over at least three more qualified nominees. Stan’s work was not at the level of Ben Foster for The Survivor or Sean Penn for Gaslit (who I didn’t consider a lead for this category, even though the HCA did. It’s unlikely he’ll prevail in a couple of weeks time, but these are the Emmys, after all. Anyway, let’s get down to business.
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES….
Colin Firth, The Staircase: 5-1.
For Playing: Michael Peterson, a crime novelist at the center of a constantly spiraling murder investigation. For Him: Whatever problems I have with some of the nominated series, I will never have any problem with something that has Colin Firth’s at its center. Firth has been one of the most commanding actors in history for nearly thirty years, which is particularly remarkable considering how many of his characters just seem to fade into the background. (Even his Bertie at the center of The King’s Speech wished he could do just that.) There is no project without Firth that has no merit, and such is the case with his performance in The Staircase. Even after so many investigations, trials and retrials, documentaries and now a limited series, we are no closer to knowing the truth of Michael Peterson’s guilt. And in that sense, casting Firth was absolutely the right move because there are few actors with the potential to seem ordinary on the outside but have so much below the surface. Another triumph for Firth. Against Him: There was a lot of controversy about the fictionalized version of this series, and it very well worked against in when it came to the nominations: Firth was one of only two for the series. Like so many other nominees in this category, lack of nominations will probably work against him.
Andrew Garfield, Under the Banner of Heaven: 5-1.
For Playing: Jeb Pyre, a devout detective investigating a murder in Utah. For Him: Garfield was an early dark horse for a win in this category and given just how brilliant a young performer well before he starred in this series, it’s hard not to see why. Garfield is an actor capable of starring in a Marvel Movie and The Social Network in the same year. Last year alone, he could have been nominated for The Eyes of Tammy Faye as easily as Tick, Tick…Boom! (which he was) In other hands you could see the role of Jeb Pyre become just another character at the center of True Detective, sounding emotionally resonant but not saying anything. But Garfield managed to make every moment on the screen resonate and he is more than to deserving to contend. Against Him: Under The Banner of Heaven was passed over for Best Limited Series (and indeed most of the other major awards) in favor of Hulu Limited Series Pam and Tommy and The Dropout (the latter at least makes sense). And the buzz surrounded Garfield has died down quite a bit since the series debuted in April. But he’ll get another chance.
Oscar Isaac, Scenes from a Marriage: 13-2.
For Playing: Jonathan, a husband watching as his marriage falls apart. For Him: In all honesty, Isaac should be a lot higher up on this list. His work in Scenes from a Marriage was one of the most emotionally draining and wrenching performances of all of 2021 and much of this year. So much of the series was basically just watching Isaac and Jessica Chastain (and explain to me why she’s not nominated) tear each other down emotionally until there was nothing left. Jonathan was, unlike the original mini-series, the one who was cheated upon and who had far more to lose. You felt his pain right through the screen every time he turned to Mira. You saw that love that these two had for each other despite (and maybe because of) everything they had put each other through. And you left the series with just slightest bit of optimism that they might pull it off. Isaac was, in hindsight, the deserving winner of the HCA acting award in a Limited Series (Broadcast and Cable). When you consider what a banner year he’s been having in TV, in another world he’d be the out and out favorite. Against Him: Inexplicably, Isaac’s nomination was the only one for Scenes from a Marriage. That isn’t always the kiss of doom to an actor winning an Emmy (Mark Ruffalo pulled it off just two years for another emotional raw HBO limited series) but in Isaac’s case, compared with some of the flashier roles; it’s likely he’ll be overlooked
Michael Keaton, Dopesick: 10-3.
For Playing: Harry Fennix, a West Virginia doctor who becomes aware of the evils of Oxycontin from every angle imaginable. For Him: Keaton has won basically every award since Dopesick dropped this past fall, and there’s no scenario I see where he doesn’t win the Emmy. His work at Dr. Fennix, a humble West Virginia who is ensnared by Oxycontin, first by a salesman, then by an injury until he is full blown addict and then by the end of the series, offering a path out through the horrors of tragedy – was pretty much the greatest accomplishment of any actor in a Limited series. Then you consider that Keaton is one of the great actors of our time, who in the last decade has been enjoying a remarkable late career renaissance. You consider the power of all the speeches he’s given over the past year, and the utter self-deprecation and humor he has shown in every acceptance speech, and Keaton winning hits all the right marks. It’s an extraordinary performance in a great series. He’s an actor who has not received enough recognition. And his speech will be perfect. Against Him: These are the Emmys! Arbitrary and capricious might as well be their catchphrase. Last year, they ignored Ethan Hawke’s performance in The Good Lord Bird - a role that everybody connected with the Emmy thought was the sure winner – in favor of Lin-Manuel Miranda for Hamilton. Then they compounded the error by ignoring Hugh Grant and Paul Bettany for Ewan McGregor in a series I’m pretty sure nobody watched. If it’s possible for the Emmys to screw up a great triumph, they will find a way.
Himesh Patel, Station Eleven: 13-2.
For Playing: Jeevan, a survivor of a post-apocalyptic earth leading a theater company’s production. For Him: Patel is the relative unknown to American audiences in this category: he’s been a star of British soap operas for awhile. In recent years, he has gradually become more known in critical sensations such as Tenet and Don’t Look Up. But watching him lead the Travelling Symphony, following him through a doomed world and a romance with a woman with a deeper mission, and trying to find hope and music in a world that has little use for either, Patel was truly a revelation. He was the least known of the nominated actors. That won’t be the truth after this year. Against Him: Station Eleven was ultimately given more recognition for its technical aspects than its actual performances. Throw in that this was a series more talked about then seen, and Patel’s chances are bleak.
Sebastian Stan, Pam and Tommy: 9-2
For Playing: Tommy Lee, the rock star who gets the bright idea to make a legendary sex tape. For Him: Stan is one of the most versatile in recent years and also fairly invisible: even his roles as The Winter Soldier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe show him blending in to the background more than anything else. But as we saw in I, Tonya Stan has a gift for playing bad boys, and his work as Tommy Lee certainly gave him a chance to be front row center. Chewing the scenery was something he wasn’t used to, and playing foolish doesn’t fit in with the persona we’ve come to know. So it’s a tribute to Stan’s versatility as an actor that he managed to do so well and not make a fool of himself as a talent. Against Him: Again, I can’t comprehend the presence of Stan (and indeed almost everybody connected with Pam and Tommy at the Emmys, nor do I fully understand why Stan’s work has now raised him to Keaton’s most formidable challenger in this category. His work and Keaton’s don’t take place in the same universe and there’s no reason why he should be competing against him.
PREDICTION: The easiest one of the night. Keaton will take this in a walk.
Tomorrow, I take on Lead Actress in a Limited Series, and here I still do have a lot of issues.
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