Before Emmy Gold: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

The seven nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series come from five series: The Pitt leads the pack with three nominees (Patrick Ball, Shawn Hatosy, and Gerran Howell), alongside Billy Crudup (The Morning Show), Jack Lowden (Slow Horses), Tom Pelphrey (Task), and Carlos Manuel Vesga (Pluribus). Of the seven, five are first-time nominees in this category, while Billy Crudup is a previous winner for this role, having won twice for his performance as Cory Ellison.

Patrick Ball

Nominated For: The Pitt

Past Emmy History: N/A

Patrick Ball, after starring in a guest spot on Law & Order, breaks out into the world of screen acting as Dr. Langdon. Those are the only two film or television roles Ball’s been featured in thus far, the rest of his early career having been on the stage, but his second-ever TV role has shot him straight to awards love and immediate stardom.

Season 2 presents an even more fascinating chapter in Langdon’s journey, asking us to forgive and understand him, rather than judge him for a previous mistake. Ball does an excellent job showing the strength Langdon and countless other healthcare workers show for their patients, while offering layers of remorse, growth, and genuine kindness towards his colleagues.

Billy Crudup

Nominated For: The Morning Show

Previous Nominations: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – The Morning Show (2020 Winner, 2022, 2024 Winner)

Hidden Gem: The Stanford Prison Experiment

A long-reigning staple of stage and screen, Billy Crudup has crafted a prolific career spanning critically acclaimed films like Almost Famous, Watchmen, and Spotlight. He possesses a rare ability to blend cynicism with charismatic, unpredictable energy, all while making us root for him, even when he loses his way.

Crudup continues his masterclass performance as media executive Cory Ellison in The Morning Show. Though often manipulative and self-serving, Ellison has moments of desperate humanity and true faith in others, remaining the highlight of the series’ heart. This season, his standout scenes included those with Lindsay Duncan, playing Cory’s mother.

Shawn Hatosy

Nominated For: The Pitt

Past Emmy History: Winner for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (2025) for The Pitt

Hidden Gem: Public Enemies

Hatosy is known for playing intense, morally gray characters on series like Animal Kingdom, and his earlier film roles include John Q and Public Enemies. He also recently starred as a primary antagonist in Ready or Not 2: Here I Come. Though Dr. Abbott is a night shift doctor at the ER in The Pitt, he shows up throughout both seasons and always leaves a gigantic impression, from his very first scene early on in the series premiere.

Hatosy portrays Dr. Abbot with a ferocity and strong sense of sarcasm, while his devotion and excellence in his work and his deep friendship with Dr. Robby make him a reassuring presence as well.

Gerran Howell

Nominated For: The Pitt

Past Emmy History: First Nomination

Hidden Gem: Catch-22

Gerran Howell began his career as a prominent UK youth actor in series like Young Dracula before making a smooth transition into mature, high-concept prestige television like the Hulu miniseries adaptation of Catch-22 and Freedom Fighters: The Ray.

Howell delivers a breakout performance as Dr. Dennis Whitaker on The Pitt. Whitaker is incredibly skilled and determined to help others, while his resourcefulness and deep empathy make Whitaker an essential part of the emergency room, not to mention a devoted friend.

Jack Lowden

Nominated For: Slow Horses

Past Emmy History: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Slow Horses (2024)

Hidden Gem: Fighting with My Family

Jack Lowden was first recognized by many in Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning Dunkirk, and was fantastic starring alongside Florence Pugh in Fighting with My Family, in which he plays the brother of WWE wrestler Paige and an aspiring wrestler himself.

As ambitious but disgraced MI5 agent River Cartwright in Slow Horses, Lowden is a badass who is hilariously sarcastic, charming, and occasionally even clumsy. He’s quite the team leader, and his chemistry with Gary Oldman’s Jackson Lamb, as well as Jonathan Pryce as his grandfather David Cartwright, are part of what anchors the show in character and screenwriting brilliance.

Tom Pelphrey

Nominated For: Task

Past Emmy History: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series – Ozark (2022)

Hidden Gem: Banshee

Tom Pelphrey is best known for his work on series such as Banshee, Iron Fist, and his unforgettable turn as Ben Davis in Ozark. In the latter, his magnificent and gut-wrenching presence sent ripples through the entire series.

In HBO’s Task, Pelphrey delivers a devastating performance as Robbie Prendergrast. Infusing a conflicted, tragic figure with immense depth and heart, Pelphrey’s captivating screen presence makes us deeply care about a man making horrific and harmful decisions, while relentless in his fight for those he cares about.

Carlos Manuel Vesga

Nominated For: Pluribus

Past Emmy History: N/A

Hidden Gem: Narcos

Carlos Manuel Vesga hails from Colombia and gained broader international recognition through global hits like Narcos and The Snitch Cartel.

In Pluribus, Vesga delivers a quiet, scene-stealing turn as Manousos Oviedo. Manousos presents a riveting dilemma and foil to Rhea Seehorn’s Carol, portraying a quietly heroic figure filled with both distrust and gentleness. Manousos is a constant scene-stealer who changes the course of the series and deservedly earned Vesga his first Emmy nomination.