Emmys Acting Contenders: From Pedro Pascal and Diego Luna to Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, Who Was Officially Submitted

With Emmy nominations voting officially underway, the Television Academy's ballots are offering insight into which performances could break through when nominations are unveiled on July 15. While submission totals in several key categories are down — reflecting the industry's ongoing post-strike recovery — the races remain competitive and dynamic, with marquee names and fresh talent jockeying for recognition.
The lead actor and actress categories in drama are notably tighter this year. Only 77 actors and 75 actresses were submitted — down slightly from 2024 (81 and 67) and a sharp decline from 2022's highs (134 and 114). As a result, each category will have only five nominees unless ties boost the field to six.
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The drama actor race includes a trio of Latino contenders making waves: Diego Luna for 'Andor,' Pedro Pascal for 'The Last of Us,' and Ramón Rodríguez for 'Will Trent.' They'll face off against a rising generation, including Bella Ramsey for 'The Last of Us' and Lovie Simone for 'Forever.' Veteran Kathy Bates is also in the mix for her role in 'Matlock,' potentially becoming the oldest nominee ever in the category.
In comedy, the lead fields failed to cross the 80-submission benchmark required for six nominees, meaning both categories will top out at five. With only 51 actors and 47 actresses submitted — down from 55 each last year — it's going to be harder than ever to hear an actor's name called. Previous Emmy winners Steve Martin and Martin Short ('Only Murders in the Building'), Ted Danson ('Man on the Inside'), and Jeremy Allen White ('The Bear') lead the charge, while newcomers from freshman shows such as Seth Rogen ('The Studio') and Benito Skinner ('Overcompensating') add fresh takes to the race.
On the comedy actress side, three-time Emmy winner Jean Smart is back for HBO Max's 'Hacks,' competing against Emmy regulars such as Quinta Brunson ('Abbott Elementary'), Natasha Lyonne ('Poker Face') and Uzo Aduba ('The Residence'). There's also an opportunity to recognize critically acclaimed shows that were unfortunately cancelled such as Stephanie Hsu ('Laid') and Mayan Lopez ('Lopez vs. Lopez').
The guest acting categories in both comedy and drama are crowded and dynamic, featuring a mix of prestige and self-submissions.
In guest comedy actress (74 submissions), 'Saturday Night Live' hosts such as Ariana Grande could land nods, along with Cynthia Erivo for 'Poker Face,' creating a 'Wicked' face-off in the category. But don't count out under-the-radar names like Emily Arlook in Netflix's 'Nobody Wants This' and Nicole Sullivan from Prime Video's 'Running Point.'
Guest comedy actor includes 97 submissions, a stacked lineup featuring last year's winner Jon Bernthal in 'The Bear,' plus auteur-style cameos from Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese in 'The Studio.' The trend of major directors turning to prestige comedy continues to blur traditional boundaries (but it's cool nonetheless).
Season 50 of 'SNL' finds all 20 hosts submitted for consideration, in addition to former cast members and guest including: Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan (as Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz on Jean Smart's emcee night), Dana Carvey and Andy Samberg (for playing President Joe Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff in Nate Bargatze's episode) and Mike Myers (for his hilarious impression of Elon Musk during the Lady Gaga episode).
On the drama side, guest actor and actress categories drew 87 and 77 submissions, respectively. 'The Last of Us' remains a dominant force, with Jeffrey Wright and Kaitlyn Dever in strong positions. Notably, Danny Arroyo submitted himself for his performance in 'Wild West Chronicles,' representing a grassroots campaign that speaks to the democratization of the Emmy entry process.
Each of the four guest categories will yield six nominees.
Despite the merging of limited series and TV movie performances, the lead acting races in these categories are shrinking. Just 48 actors and 53 actresses were submitted — compared to 70 and 92 in 2024 — meaning only five nominees will be selected from each category.
Among the most prominent contenders are Paul Giamatti for 'Black Mirror' and Cate Blanchett for 'Disclaimer.' Meanwhile, rising names like Lola Pettigrew for 'Say Nothing' and the duo of Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez for 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' could break through and redefine the category's generational reach.
The drama supporting actor and actress races saw an uptick in submissions, but falling just short of giving us eight nominees: 233 and 227 names are on the ballot, respectively (up from 217 and 196 in 2024), yielding seven nominees. Apple TV+'s 'Severance' (featuring Patricia Arquette, John Turturro and Tramell Tillman) and HBO Max's 'The White Lotus' (with Sam Rockwell, Carrie Coon and Leslie Bibb) are both poised to dominate those categories.
Comedy supporting races also increased slightly, with 163 actor and 141 actress submissions (compared to 147 and 132 last year). This will result in seven nominees in each category, after giving six last year. Veterans like Harrison Ford ('Shrinking') is aiming for a redemption nod after his high-profile snub for Season 1, while Linda Lavin ('Mid-Century Modern') could earn a posthumous nom — which would put her in a small group of previous recipients.
In the limited series category, supporting actor and actress entries decreased to 124 and 105 (from 161 and 137, respectively, last year). Each will yield six nominees, with Netflix's 'Adolescence' potentially securing up to four spots between both categories especially Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty. Other dark horse possibilities include Peter Sarsgaard ('Presumed Innoncent') and Taraji P. Henson for 'Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist.'
The short form performance category — gender-neutral and often overlooked on Creative Arts nights — features 27 submissions this year. Among the most notable are J.K. Simmons for 'Die Hart: Hart to Kill,' Desi Lydic for 'The Daily Show: Desi Lydic Foxsplains' and Tom Segura for 'Bad Thoughts.' As streaming platforms and social content expand their scope, this category continues to serve as a bellwether for innovation in form and format.
The post-strike rebound has created an unusual Emmy cycle, where beloved titles from multiple years overlap, making the 2025 nomination slate one of the more unpredictable to project.
Variety's Emmy predictions and analysis pages will be updated throughout the voting window.
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