Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Natasha Rothwell for Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Peggy Sirota
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Commentary (Updated June 16, 2025): The lead comedy actress race showcases a diverse array of talent, with 47 women vying for the five available slots. Among them is the esteemed three-time Emmy winner Jean Smart, for her role as Deborah Vance on HBO Max’s reigning comedy series champion, “Hacks.”
We’re looking at some of last year’s nominees who could return for another bout with Smart including former winner Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”) and Selena Gomez (“Only Murders in the Building”).
Notably, there’s an opportunity to recognize critically acclaimed shows that were unfortunately canceled, such as Charlotte Gainsbourg for “Étoile,” Natasha Rothwell for “How to Die Alone,” Stephanie Hsu for “Laid” and Mayan Lopez for “Lopez vs. Lopez.”
The big populist series has a few big names in the conversation as well, including Kathryn Hahn for “Agatha All Along,” a possible double nominee for her supporting work in Apple’s “The Studio.”
Many actresses from freshman series are eagerly looking to start off on a strong note — notably Kristen Bell for “Nobody Wants This,” Kate Hudson for “Running Point” and the hilarious duo from “St. Denis Medical,” Wendi McLendon-Covey and Allison Tolman.
Final seasons for several actresses who have never been nominated include Natasia Demetriou for “What We Do in the Shadows” and Meagan Good for “Harlem.”
The Emmys eligibility period ends on May 31. Nomination voting runs from June 12 to June 23, with official nominations set to be announced July 15.
(The list of predicted nominees and contenders is incomplete and will be updated every Thursday throughout the TV Awards season.)
-
And the Predicted Contenders Are:
Image Credit: Variety Actors on Actors / Peggy Sirota !function(){“use strict”;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}}}))}();
-
More Information (Lead Actress Comedy)
2024 category winner: Jean Smart, “Hacks” (HBO/Max) — Season 3
Christopher Polk!function(){“use strict”;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}}}))}();
!function(){“use strict”;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}}}))}();
About the Primetime Emmy Awards
The Primetime Emmy Awards, commonly known as the Emmys, are awarded by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Established in 1949, these celebrate outstanding achievements in American primetime television. The Emmys are categorized into three divisions: the Primetime Emmy Awards for performance and production excellence; the Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, recognizing achievements in artistry and craftsmanship; and the Primetime Engineering Emmy Awards, which honor significant engineering and technological advancements. The eligibility period typically extends from June 1 to May 31 each year. The Television Academy hosts the Emmys and has over 20,000 members across 30 professional peer groups, including performers, directors, producers, art directors, artisans and executives.
Read the full article here
