2020 Emmy Nomination Predictions: Final Predictions - Best Actor and Actress in a Drama Series

Best Actor in a Drama Series

Jason Bateman "Ozark"

Sterling K. Brown "This is Us"

Brian Cox "Succession"

Bob Odenkirk "Better Call Saul" 

Billy Porter "Pose"

Jeremy Strong "Succession"

Other Contenders - Milo Ventimiglia "This is Us", Tobias Menzies "The Crown", Steve Carell "The Morning Show", Patrick Stewart "Star Trek: Picard", Ben Mendelsohn "The Outsider"

Commentary - All five guys who were eligible last year are eligible again this year. I expect four, Bateman, Brown, Odenkirk, and Porter to return. This might be the year though that Ventimiglia drops out, although I have bet against him before. Instead, I expect the two Succession leads to take his slot, and the slot vacated by Kit Harington. Succession is on the rise, and both of these guys did well in the winter precursors. But I am also looking out for Menzies, who could steal a slot, maybe even from previous winner Brown. Steve Carell, Patrick Stewart, and Ben Mendelsohn are also in the mix. 

Best Actress in a Drama Series

Jennifer Aniston "The Morning Show"

Olivia Colman "The Crown"
Jodi Comer "Killing Eve" 

Viola Davis "How to Get Away With Murder"

Laura Linney "Ozark" 

Elisabeth Moss "The Handmaid's Tale"

Other Contenders - Nicole Kidman "Big Little Lies", Sandra Oh "Killing Eve", Claire Danes "Homeland", Reese Witherspoon "The Morning Show", Zendaya "Euphoria", Christine Baranski "The Good Fight", Evan Rachel Wood "Westworld", Mandy Moore "This is Us

Commentary - Such a tough category, and yet I feel it closing in. Aniston, Colman, and Linney all feel like locks, and it feels like the win will be between those three. Jodi Comer just won last year, and despite the dip in quality of Killing Eve, I think she has at least one more nomination in her. Elisabeth Moss will most likely return, as The Handmaid's Tale continues to remain popular. In that last slot, I am sticking with Viola Davis. She has never not been nominated for this role, and I think voters will want to see her nominated one last time for her role in How to Get Away With Murder. But look out for Kidman and Oh, who could easily take a few slots. Also I would not be surprised to see Witherspoon, Zendaya, Baranski, Wood, and Moore (who was nominated last year).