I wish I could say I am surprised, but alas, the Emmys have once again proved all the haters right in nominating the same shows over and over again. This year, Outstanding Guest Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series is dominated by three shows nominated at the 2025 Emmys. Save for Cynthia Erivo in “Poker Face,” eleven out of twelve nomination slots are from “The Bear,” “Hacks,“ and “The Studio.“ Do any of these three have what it takes to sweep both the Guest Actor and Actress categories?
The easy answer that definitely won’t sweep is “Hacks,“ and that’s because it has zero nominations in the Guest Actor category this year. In years past, “Hacks“ has scored nominations for Christopher Lloyd (in 2024) and Christopher McDonald (in 2022). A handful of us here at Next Best Picture were predicting that either Christopher McDonald/or Tony Goldwyn would make it in this year. Still, we underestimated the power of Hollywood making fun of itself. Enter “The Studio.“
“The Studio“ shattered records by receiving 23 Emmy nominations, the most ever for a comedy series in its first season. A significant reason for this is that five of its nominations, over 21%, fall within one category: Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. In a show bursting at the seams with A-list appearances, the easy prediction would’ve been to call the Television Academy’s inclusion of all the recognizable names from “The Studio“ a case of shoehorning, which would’ve been a correct guess. While congratulations are in order for Anthony Mackie and Dave Franco, it’s unlikely either one of their roles in “The Studio“ will be recognized come Emmy Sunday. What performances could be in serious contention are Ron Howard, Bryan Cranston, and my personal favorite, Martin Scorsese. Ron Howard had a fun role early on in the series as himself, the kind-hearted but legendary director forced to listen to a note to cut a scene he has personal and emotional ties to in his new film. Hearing this note from a new and inexperienced studio head, Matt Remick, played by Seth Rogen, leads Howard and Rogen to engage in a hilarious tit-for-tat of passive aggressiveness, followed by an even more hilarious descent into fury by both characters. Howard proves how truly legendary he is, this time in front of the camera, with his comedic timing juxtaposed by his rage – a testament to Howard’s natural talent as both an actor and a filmmaker.
We can’t forget the other two top contenders from “The Studio“ in the Guest Actor category: Bryan Cranston and Martin Scorsese. Cranston likely landed his nomination with an absolutely insane (complimentary) season finale appearance as Griffin Mill, studio owner with a penchant for partaking in some party favors which leaves him rendered, well, Weekend-at-Bernie’s’d. After this episode, no one can ever say Bryan Cranston doesn’t leave it all out on the table. A commitment to physical comedy like I’ve never seen before, Cranston would be absolutely deserving of this win. There’s only one thing standing in his way: Martin Scorsese. Scorsese could never claim to be under-recognized throughout the film community, but he’s also never been recognized on this particular stage for his acting performances. There’s something to be said for a legendary director finally stepping in front of the camera after all these years. He just gets it. The comedic timing, the natural relationships with other characters, and the comfort in owning the space he’s in; Marty is no doubt a natural as himself and would be deserving of an Emmy win. But all these “The Studio“ guys have a big hurdle to jump over, and that’s reigning winner Jon Bernthal from “The Bear.”
Bernthal and Jamie Lee Curtis completed the sweep of the Guest Actor and Actress categories last year for their season two portrayals as emotionally unstable, troubled, and chaotic members of the Berzatto family. In arguably a weaker season three, Bernthal is once again shown in flashbacks as a man who loved deeply but ultimately couldn’t find peace. Back-to-back wins aren’t unheard of at the Emmys, but in a category stacked with legends from “The Studio“ with positively over-the-top performances, coupled with a weak season of “The Bear,“ the odds are with “The Studio“. Can the same be said for Guest Actress, and will we see a sweep?
As mentioned, Jamie Lee Curtis is the defending champion in this category and is entering the 2025 race with some tough competition. The field is a little more diverse in Guest Actress than the Actor race is, with entrants from four shows instead of two: “The Bear“ (Jamie Lee Curtis and Olivia Colman), “The Studio“ (Zoë Kravitz), “Hacks“ (Julianne Nicholson and Robby Hoffman), and “Poker Face“ (Cynthia Erivo). A chance for a sweep is significantly lower with the lack of nominations for “The Studio“ here. And while Zoë Kravitz makes a memorable mark with a portrayal of herself zooted to the max on Matt Remick’s drugs, Curtis’s real competition is a double-header win coming from “Hacks.” Julianne Nicholson has been recognized for two very different roles in this year’s Emmys race: one for playing the villain in “Paradise,“ scoring a nomination in Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and one for playing Dance Mom on “Hacks,“ a Canadian influencer who’s quirky, wholesome demeanor skyrockets her to fame and subsequently spirals her into rock bottom. It’s this nomination that could see Nicholson taking home the win, having to balance a naive persona with a quick descent into party-girl madness. The nuance and range required to pull off this feat within a C-plot is making waves within the Television Academy, the industry as a whole, and television lovers alike. While Jamie Lee Curtis certainly returns in a meaty role and delivers a powerful performance as the matriarch of the Berzatto family, a less popular and poorly reviewed season three could open up the field of candidates for a win from another show, such as “Hacks.”
In three of the past five years, the same show has swept both the Guest Actor and Guest Actress in a Comedy Series categories. Last year, “The Bear“ won both, and SNL took both prizes in 2021 and 2020. In 2025, the trend could shift back to rewarding different shows, but each would still be from the top comedies recognized in “The Studio“ and “Hacks,“ or possibly “The Bear.“
Emmy Win Predictions
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series:
Julianne Nicholson – “Hacks”
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series:
Martin Scorsese – “The Studio”
Who do you think will win Outstanding Guest Actor and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at this year’s Emmy Awards? Will one show sweep multiple categories? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below or on our X account, and be sure to check out our latest Emmy predictions here. Please also be sure to subscribe to the Next Best Series Podcast, where we interview Emmy contenders throughout the awards season and discuss the race.
