Emmys 2020 — Comedy Lead Actor: Who Will Be Nominated?

With the 2020 Emmy nominations announcement just around the corner (set to take place on July 28), Variety senior editors Danielle Turchiano and Michael Schneider are taking a deep dive into the comedy lead actor category and dissecting the most eligible contenders for this edition of Variety’s “Awards Heat” video series presented by Apple TV Plus.

Although “Barry’s” Bill Hader won the award last year, the series did not return for another season this year, leaving other top contenders like Eugene Levy of “Schitt’s Creek” and Michael Douglas of “The Kominsky Method” (who were both nominated in 2019) as possible Emmy nominees this year.

Additionally, though “Space Force” received rough reviews from critics, Turchiano and Schneider predict Steve Carell may still receive a nomination from the academy due to his high profile. Meanwhile, “Curb Your Enthusiasm’s” Larry David and “Black Monday’s” Don Cheadle are still possible nominees, despite their series not drawing as much buzz as others in the category.

Other possible nominees include Ted Danson for “The Good Place” and Ramy Youssef for “Ramy.”

Variety’s “Awards Heat” presented by Apple TV Plus takes a look at the Emmy competition, as Schneider and Turchiano break down eligible contenders in each category leading up to the Emmys.

The TV Academy also just announced that the comedy and drama categories will be extended to eight nominees this year instead of the usual seven. The 72nd annual Emmy Awards will take place on Sept. 20 with late-night star Jimmy Kimmel as the host.