Tomorrow is a big day for television fans. Carson Daly and Mindy Kaling will announce the primetime Emmy Award nominations at 8:30 a.m. ET (you can view the nominations live on the Emmy Television Academy website). As any devoted viewer knows, this has been a banner year for television with breathtaking performances and groundbreaking episodes.
But, the Emmy Awards can sometimes be creatures of habit, nominating the same shows and actors year after year. We are hoping a few actors hear their name announced for the first time tomorrow morning. Here are our picks for the first-time nominees we would love to see.
1. Mads Mikkelsen, Hannibal
With Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter so thoroughly engraved in the public consciousness, the idea of anyone else stepping into the role is as close to pop culture sacrilege as you can get (though Brian Cox did an admirable job as a pre-Hopkins Hannibal in Manhunter). In rebooting the Thomas Harris universe for television, writer Bryan Fuller decided to go in a different direction with actor Mads Mikkelsen, and the gamble paid off handsomely. A national treasure in his native Denmark, the steely-eyed Mikkelsen has proven to be one of the great modern screen presences, with notable roles in the Pusher trilogy, After the Wedding and last year’s The Hunt. As Lecter, the actor oozes equal parts charm, sexuality and menace. Whereas Hopkins played up the character’s more flamboyant, Bond villain-esque aspects, Mikkelsen presents a more cunning, Machiavellian figure. He’s a monster hiding behind an expensive, stylish suit and, try as you might, you just can’t escape his orbit. —Mark Rozeman
2. Allison Tolman, Fargo
Part of the fun in watching TV is discovering a new talent that bursts on the scene—that magic moment when you realize an actor you've never seen before is really something special. Such a delightful epiphany occurred every time Tolman, who had primarily done sketch comedy theater before landing her role as Molly Solverson in Fargo, came on the screen. There was something so graceful and confident about her performance. Whether she was shyly flirting with Gus (Colin Hanks) or quietly using her intellect to solve the case, Molly was a fully realized character. I believed her relationships. I believed her conversations. She was the hero on a show that really needed one—but also a realistic hero. Tolman’s performance got a lot of attention, not because it was a showy role and not because it featured a high-profile actor, but because Tolman was really, really good. —Amy Amatangelo
3. Uzo Aduba, Orange is the New Black
As “Crazy Eyes” on Orange is the New Black Uzo Aduba is something of a crowd favorite. Her unexpected sincerity and intimidating intelligence give humanity to a character that—in a lesser actor’s hands—could come across as… well… crazy. After being caught in Vee’s web of deception in Season Two, the audience is both worried for Crazy Eyes, and also a little proud that she’s finally standing up for herself. Aduba successfully plays multiple objectives, all seemingly at the same time and is so present in her scenes that it’s difficult to remember that Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren is not actually a real person. —Leland Montgomery
10. Aden Young, Rectify
Television is not a great place for subtlety. By nature of the medium, most everything needs to be heightened and fast-paced in order to continually engage the audience’s attention after hours of content. With its deliberate pacing and emphasis on small moments rather than big, melodramatic ones, Sundance’s Rectify is not like most shows. At the center is Aden Young as Daniel Holden, a man who spent close to 15 years in prison only to be abruptly released due to DNA evidence. While the series boasts one of the most phenomenal casts currently on TV, it’s Young’s stoic, yet engaging performance that anchors the show. It’s a master class in economics, with the actor often using his emotive eyes in place of dialogue, making it the kind of role Robert De Niro, Al Pacino or Dustin Hoffman would have fought to play back in their heyday. —Mark Rozeman
16. Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black
One need only watch a few minutes of any Orphan Black episode to see why Tatiana Maslany deserves to win every acting award available. In portraying a group of clones with vastly different personalities, Maslany bounces back and forth between different accents, hairstyles and mannerisms. And while the show’s second season proved to be a bit weaker than its first, the actress continues her reign as one of television’s most valuable players. If nothing else, she deserves some kind of comedy award for her off-key rendition of “Sugar, Sugar.” —Mark Rozeman
Rest at source.
The same old popular actors/actresses will win. I wish at least a nomination for these 5 actors.