Variety‘s Awards Circuit section serves as a comprehensive resource for awards-related news throughout the year. It features official predictions for major awards like the Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, and Tony Awards, curated by Variety‘s chief awards editor, Clayton Davis. The prediction pages indicate current standings and are not based on personal preferences. As highlighted by both formal and informal polls, the competitions are dynamic and can change with new developments. Updates to these predictions occur every Thursday.
“Shrinking”
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Updated: April 9, 2026): Can Martin Short achieve a historic win at the Emmys?
Martin Short, with 20 Emmy nominations spanning over four decades, including four consecutive nods for Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” stands on the brink of making history. Winning this year would make Short, at 76, the oldest recipient of the Lead Comedy Actor Emmy, surpassing Eugene Levy, who won at 73 for “Schitt’s Creek.” Short will face competition from his co-star Steve Martin, who is also considered a strong contender.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II might stage an Emmys resurgence with Marvel’s “Wonder Man.” Having previously won a supporting actor Emmy for “Watchmen” in 2020, Abdul-Mateen’s superhero series has been critically acclaimed and could attract voter support. However, he will encounter stiff competition from well-known actors and established shows.
Jason Segel, after the conclusion of “Shrinking” Season 3, is also in the running for his first Emmy. The competition includes recent Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke with FX’s “The Lowdown” and Oscar winner Nicolas Cage, who aims to enter the race with “Spider-Noir” on Prime Video, debuting May 27, just before the eligibility period closes.
The Emmy Awards process begins with the nomination voting from June 11-22, with nominees announced on July 8. The final voting period is from August 17-26, followed by the Creative Arts Awards and Governors Gala on September 5–6, and culminating in the Emmy Awards ceremony on September 14, broadcast on NBC.
-
Image Credit: Peacock window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}});
