‘Schitt’s Creek,’ Regina King & More 2020 Emmys Sure Bets & Possible Surprises
The Emmys are nearly a month away! As the second phase of the awards race takes place (nominations were announced on July 28), we can’t help but wonder which wins are on the horizon.
When it comes to this year’s crop of nominees, it’s almost anyone’s guess as to who will actually wind up taking home gold, but the chances are always better for some than others.
Below, we take a look at seven of the sure bets and possible surprises that could take place across the Emmys’ major categories.
72nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, Sunday, September 20, 8/7c, ABC
Sure Bet: Mark Ruffalo for I Know This Much Is True
The actor, possibly known best for his portrayal of Avenger Bruce Banner (aka, the Hulk) in Marvel’s high-profile flicks, delivered a riveting performance as twins Dominick and Thomas Birdsley. Altering his appearance and filming the same scenes weeks apart were just some of the challenges faced to deliver his moving work. While he’s up against some stiff competition including Watchmen‘s Jeremy Irons and buzzy newcomer Normal People‘s Paul Mescal, Ruffalo holds a strong lead that will be tough for the others to beat.
Possible Surprise: Jennifer Aniston for The Morning Show
It shouldn’t be surprising that any of the ladies nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series could win, but with former champ Killing Eve‘s Jodie Comer and buzzed-about stars like Laura Linney (Ozark) and Zendaya (Euphoria) also among the nominations, we’d still be surprised to see if Jennifer Aniston could take home the award. After delivering a Golden Globe-winning performance for her role as Alex Levy in Apple TV+’s flagship series The Morning Show, she may be adding another statuette to her shelf.
Sure Bet: Regina King for Watchmen
We’re feeling confident that Oscar-winning actress Regina King could take the top prize in her nominated category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series. As the star of HBO’s Watchmen, King portrayed the effects of generational trauma in her role as Angela Abar, a Tulsa detective who goes by the alias Sister Night when she’s fighting crime in her nun-inspired uniform. Though she is up against other strong contenders including Mrs. America‘s Cate Blanchett, King’s critically-acclaimed performance might just edge out her competitors.
Possible Surprise: Schitt's Creek
Last year’s Outstanding Comedy Series winner Fleabag is not a threat this time around, which means it’s truly anyone’s game for comedy. While former winner, Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel stands a good chance, it could be time for another series to take home the top honor such as NBC’s The Good Place (with it’s final shot) or FX’s What We Do in the Shadows. But when it comes to surprises, we can’t help but hope that Schitt’s Creek will break through for it’s final season after years of laughter on Pop. Admit it, you want it too.
Sure Bet: Meryl Streep for Big Little Lies
This should be a no-brainer, but when Meryl Streep takes on a role in television, she’s not doing it just for fun. Like any role she inhabits, Streep’s Mary Louise Wright commanded viewers’ attention anytime she appeared on screen in HBO’s star-studded Lies. Whether it was her dinner scream or snarky back-and-forth banter with Reese Witherspoon’s Madeline, it was as if Streep pocketed the trophy before Season 2 even wrapped. While she still has some stiff competition against other wonderful actresses including The Crown‘s Helena Bonham Carter, Ozark‘s Julia Garner (last year’s winner), Westworld‘s Thandie Newton and Succession‘s Sarah Snook among others, Streep’s chances definitely feel like the strongest.
Possible Surprise: Unbelievable
While Watchmen is a definite favorite in the Outstanding Limited Series category, outcry over the lesser-acknowledged Netflix program Unbelievable could cause a stir in the category. Perhaps it’s wishful thinking — we’re more likely to go with Damon Lindelof’s sequel series for HBO — but Unbelievable‘s faithful viewers could sway in an unlikely turn of events.
Sure Bet: Succession
When it comes to this year’s Outstanding Drama Series nominees, there’s no shortage of greats, but the Golden Globe Awards are often strong predictor of where major categories at the Emmys will go. If that’s the case for this year’s crop, then HBO’s Succession is most likely to take top honors at the ceremony. But with titles like Netflix’s Ozark and AMC’s Better Call Saul in the running, both of which had critically-acclaimed season runs this year following the Golden Globe Awards, there’s a sliver of a chance that one of them or another could edge out Succession, but we’re not putting that chance very high on the list of possibilities.
