The Primetime Emmy Awards have unveiled their official list of nominees for the 2022 ceremony that will take place this September. The six nominees in the category for Best Leading Actor in a Limited Series or Movie are an interesting group. The nominees vary across a number of genres including drama, true-crime, apocalyptic dystopia, and biography. Despite the variety in genre, the six leading men nominated in the Limited Series category only hail from two streaming services: HBO and Hulu.
Despite the range these nominees cover, none of the actors in this category have ever won a Primetime Emmy Award. This guarantees that this year's winner will add a new accolade to their list of accomplishments. Four of this year's nominees for Best Leading Actor in a Limited Series have received their very first Emmy nomination. Overall, the six nominees have a combined total of two previous Emmy nominations.
Colin Firth - The Staircase
Colin Firth has received his second Emmy nomination for his role in The Staircase. Firth was previously nominated in the early 2000s for his role in Conspiracy. In the true-crime HBO series The Staircase, Firth portrays Michael Peterson, an author accused of killing his wife Kathleen in their North Carolina home on December 9, 2001. The HBO series delves into Peterson's life, his relationship with his family, the trial, and the original docuseries made about the infamous trial. Firth's performance has been highly regarded for his subtle intensity and devotion to showcasing a different side of the infamous trial. Firth has certainly made a strong case to win the Emmy this year.
Andrew Garfield - Under the Banner of Heaven
Andrew Garfield has received his first Emmy nomination for his role in the Hulu true-crime series Under the Banner of Heaven. The true-crime series was inspired by John Krakauer's 2003 novel. The novel and its adapted Hulu series chronicle the investigation into the brutal murders of Brenda Lafferty and her 15-month-old daughter Erica, and how the history of Mormonism, fundamentalists, and the LDS Church influenced the crime. Garfield's performance as the fictional character of Detective Jeb Pyre in the series has been praised as an honest, distressing exploration of a Mormon detective caught between solving the atrocious crime and how it impacts his relationship with his own faith and family. Unfortunately, there's a chance that like Garfield's Academy Award nomination earlier this year, he'll leave the Emmy ceremony empty-handed.
Oscar Isaac - Scenes from a Marriage
Marvel fans were hoping to see Oscar Isaac nominated for his striking performance in Moon Knight, but his role in HBO's Scenes from a Marriage was even worthier of the nod. In Scenes from a Marriage, Isaac plays Jonathan Levy. Each episode of the HBO series places Isaac and his co-star Jessica Chastain in a series of difficult situations that explores the way in which a married couple may handle them. To ignore the role the on-screen chemistry between Isaac and Chastain had on their ability to give such emotionally raw performances would be naive, despite Chastain not being nominated for an Emmy. However, the intimate performance given by Isaac has rightfully earned him his first Emmy nomination which could be validated by winning the award.
Michael Keaton - Dopesick
Michael Keaton has received his second Emmy nomination this year. Keaton was previously nominated in the early 2000s for his role in Fred Rodgers: America's Favorite Neighbor. This time, Keaton has been nominated for his role in Hulu's Dopesick as Dr. Samuel Finnix. The series explores the opioid crisis in the United States and the longstanding impact the drug has continued to have, challenging the stigma surrounding addiction. Keaton has already scored a Golden Globe for his performance in Dopesick, beating fellow Emmy nominee Oscar Isaac to win it. In September, Keaton could repeat his success and capture the Emmy as well.
Himesh Patel - Station Eleven
After starring opposite of Lily James in the 2019 romantic comedy Yesterday and starring in the Academy Award-nominated film Don't Look Up, Himesh Patel is now a first-time Emmy nominee. Patel has received the nod for his role in HBO Max's Station Eleven, a post-apocalyptic dystopian, where he plays Jeevan Chaudhary. The series is adapted from the eerily relevant 2014 novel of the same name by Emily St. John Mandel, where a flu pandemic kills most of the population. Patel's charming performance as he cares for Kirsten is one of the highlights of Station Eleven, as is Jeevan's rather difficult relationship with his family. As endearing as Patel's performance in the series is, his potential Emmy win could strike some as a surprise.
Sebastian Stan - Pam & Tommy
Sebastian Stan has earned his first Emmy nomination for his role in the Hulu biographical drama Pam & Tommy. In it, Stan plays Tommy Lee opposite Lily James, who portrays Pamela Anderson. The Hulu series depicts the marriage between the two, including the theft and distribution of the sex tape the newlyweds made on their honeymoon. Stan has previous experience with biographical roles, and it has paid off. In 2017, Stan played Jeff Gillooly in the Academy Award-nominated film I, Tonya alongside Margot Robbie. Despite the moral concerns of the series, Pam & Tommy has received favorable reviews from viewers and critics, who cite the performances of its cast to be well worth the watch.
Given the vast difference in each of these roles, comparing the nature of their performances does little to edge out a potential winner. However, if any of the nominees are favored to win the award, Michael Keaton is a natural name that comes to mind. Keaton's previous Golden Globe win puts him ahead of some of the other nominees, but Oscar Isaac's performance in Scenes from a Marriage should not be taken lightly. Isaac's emotionally vulnerable performance in the HBO series has more than the ability to award him the Emmy and makes him one to watch.
The winners of the 2022 Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced on September 12, 2022.