The nominees are: Sherlock: His Last Vow's Benedict Cumberbatch; Dancing on the Edge's Chiwetel Ejiofer; Luther's Idris Elba; Fargo's Martin Freeman & Billy Bob Thornton; and The Normal Heart's Mark Ruffalo.
1. MARK RUFFALO - THE NORMAL HEART (HBO)
I fully expect The Normal Heart to win for TV movie. So voters have to decide if rewarding Ruffalo as an executive producer of the movie is enough or if his lead performance is equally as deserving. Right now, I'm inclined to think that he'll win. But it's not a certainty.
2. MARTIN FREEMAN - FARGO (FX)
Two Fargo co-stars managed to get into this race and as we saw last weekend in the technical categories - sometimes having two contenders can hurt both of their chances. Both Freeman and Thornton did stellar work on the miniseries - and I personally couldn't single out one as being better than the other. If one did win, I think it would be Freeman because his character went on a major transformative journey. Also helping his chances - voters will also get to see him (as a different character) on Sherlock: His Last Vow.
3. BILLY BOB THORNTON - FARGO (FX)
But you have to agree that Billy Bob Thornton is a much bigger name than Martin Freeman. He brought credibility to the project. And he was wonderful and menacing throughout its run. A completely deserving performance.
4. BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH - SHERLOCK: HIS LAST VOW (PBS)
Sherlock's popularity seems to be bigger than ever. It won more technical Emmys than any of the previous years. That means the project has momentum now. Cumberbatch's star power is on the rise and the voters may want to reward him now before he becomes an even larger movie star.
5. CHIWETEL EJIOFER - DANCING ON THE EDGE (STARZ)
Ejiofer was nominated for an Oscar earlier this year. That stature in the community is likely what led to his nomination here - despite Dancing on the Edge being shunned in basically every other race. That doesn't give off the impression of a ton of support for the miniseries. And thusly, Ejiofer is a long-shot in this race.
6. IDRIS ELBA - LUTHER (BBC AMERICA)
For yet another year, Luther gets to pretend that it's a miniseries for Emmy purposes. It's not. But that's neither here nor there. Elba may have been deserving in past years. But this year, his fellow nominees seem more deserving and more likely to win.
1. MARK RUFFALO - THE NORMAL HEART (HBO)
I fully expect The Normal Heart to win for TV movie. So voters have to decide if rewarding Ruffalo as an executive producer of the movie is enough or if his lead performance is equally as deserving. Right now, I'm inclined to think that he'll win. But it's not a certainty.
2. MARTIN FREEMAN - FARGO (FX)
Two Fargo co-stars managed to get into this race and as we saw last weekend in the technical categories - sometimes having two contenders can hurt both of their chances. Both Freeman and Thornton did stellar work on the miniseries - and I personally couldn't single out one as being better than the other. If one did win, I think it would be Freeman because his character went on a major transformative journey. Also helping his chances - voters will also get to see him (as a different character) on Sherlock: His Last Vow.
3. BILLY BOB THORNTON - FARGO (FX)
But you have to agree that Billy Bob Thornton is a much bigger name than Martin Freeman. He brought credibility to the project. And he was wonderful and menacing throughout its run. A completely deserving performance.
4. BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH - SHERLOCK: HIS LAST VOW (PBS)
Sherlock's popularity seems to be bigger than ever. It won more technical Emmys than any of the previous years. That means the project has momentum now. Cumberbatch's star power is on the rise and the voters may want to reward him now before he becomes an even larger movie star.
5. CHIWETEL EJIOFER - DANCING ON THE EDGE (STARZ)
Ejiofer was nominated for an Oscar earlier this year. That stature in the community is likely what led to his nomination here - despite Dancing on the Edge being shunned in basically every other race. That doesn't give off the impression of a ton of support for the miniseries. And thusly, Ejiofer is a long-shot in this race.
6. IDRIS ELBA - LUTHER (BBC AMERICA)
For yet another year, Luther gets to pretend that it's a miniseries for Emmy purposes. It's not. But that's neither here nor there. Elba may have been deserving in past years. But this year, his fellow nominees seem more deserving and more likely to win.
