2015 Emmy Nomination Predictions: Best Supporting Actor in a TV Movie/Limited Series

2015 Nomination Predictions
Michael Chiklis "American Horror Story: Freak Show"
Damien Lewis "Wolf Hall"
Bill Murray "Olive Kitteridge"
Jonathan Pryce "Wolf Hall"
Stephen Rea "The Honorable Woman"
Finn Wittrock "American Horror Story: Freak Show"

Other Contenders - Michael Kenneth Williams "Bessie", Louis Gossett Jr. "The Book of Negroes", Michael Gambon "The Casual Vacancy", John Gallagher Jr. "Olive Kitteridge", Cory Michael Smith "Olive Kitteridge", Jason Isaacs "Stockholm, Pennsylvania", Neil Patrick Harris "American Horror Story: Freak Show", Denis O'Hare "American Horror Story: Freak Show", John Carroll Lynch "American Horror Story: Freak Show", Wes Bentley "American Horror Story: Freak Show", Elvis Nolasco "American Crime", Cuba Gooding Jr. "The Book of Negroes", Ralph Fiennes "Worricker: Salting the Battlefield", Dean Norris "Sons of Liberty", William DeVane "24: Live Another Day", Benjamin Bratt "24: Live Another Day", Hugh Fraser "Agatha Christie's Poirot: Curtian, Poirot's Last Case", Olivier Martinez "Texas Rising", Ray Liotta "Texas Rising", Jeremy Davies "Texas Rising", Mike Epps "Bessie", Kelsey Grammer "Killing Jesus", Nick Nolte "Gracepoint", Zachary Quinto "The Slap", Brian Cox "The Slap", Tim Roth "Grace of Monaco", Patrick Fuqit "Full Circle", Iain Glen "The Red Tent", Jeffrey Dean Morgan "The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe"

Commentary - A tough race that looks like it is about twelve guys for six slots. I would love to see Michael Kenneth Williams, John Gallagher Jr., Cory Michael Smith, or Louis Gossett Jr. make the cut, and Michael Gambon is an acting legend (despite the mild reception to The Casual Vacancy). Jason Issacs got a surprise CCTA nod for the Stockholm, Pennsylvania, so he too is the running. But I don't think either of them or the guys from American Horror Story (Well some of the guys: O'Hare, Harris, and unfortunately Lynch) can break through ahead of the stiff competition that they face. First is the great Bill Murray. I didn't find his work in Olive Kitteridge to be astonishing by any means, but anytime you can honor a criminally under-rewarded legend like Murray, it is worth it. While some of the AHS guys might not make the cut, I still think that two will do so. First is Emmy-winner Michael Chiklis, who is a well-liked guy among Emmy voters. Second is the explosive performance from Finn Wittrock, probably the most deserving of the bunch. Damien Lewis is another well-liked Emmy winner, who is great in Wolf Hall, and probably has some left over good will from his Homeland days. I think he will be joined by his co-star Jonathan Pryce, who has a better shot at a nomination, and a win than his co-star. Finally,  I think that Stephen Rea, an Oscar-nominee, with a really fantastic role in The Honorable Woman, will beat out stiff competition. But between now and the final list, I would not be surprised if I am convinced to switch a few of these guys around.