Emmys 2026 Supporting Actor In A Comedy Dream Nominees: Our 8 Favorites

There’s one thing we know for certain about this year’s Primetime Emmys: The 2025 winner of Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series will not be the 2026 winner of Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Last year, the trophy went to “Somebody Somewhere” actor Jeff Hiller, who’s out of the running now that the HBO dramedy has ended. But we can think of eight worthy successors to Hiller, all of whom make up our final Dream Emmy ballot of the year.

Scroll down to check out all of our Dream Nominees (remember, these aren’t predictions; they’re wish lists) and then tell us if our picks warrant a “Heck, yes!,” “Um, no,” or “How could you leave off so-and-so?!”

For the record, 2026 Emmy nominations will be voted on from June 11-22, and unveiled on July 8. The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air on Monday, Sept. 14, on NBC.

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Little on TV this year gave us as much joy as seeing Cranston back in action as “Malcolm in the Middle” patriarch Hal. His physical comedy was as big and as wild as ever, particularly during one ferocious psilocybin trip Hal took following an existential crisis. And we’d be remiss not to mention his astounding choreographed number with his poker buddies, set to the tune of Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven” (which he planned and performed all for Lois — aw!). Two full decades later, Cranston continued to make our hearts swell in between guffaws, and we thank him for it. — Nick Caruso

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Playing the straight man to someone as wild as Megan Stalter’s Kayla is not an easy task. Downs not only takes on that challenge, but he’s magnetic in his own right. Despite the fact that he’s typically reacting to his fellow co-manager’s mania (and Deborah and Ava’s latest schemes-of-the-week or drama), Downs sells his character’s frustration (which is always played for laughs) with big reactions, expressive eyes, and, much to our delight, exhaustion. Jimmy serves as a much-needed anchor to those around him, and it’s Downs’ hard work that steers the show away from farce and keeps it so grounded. — N.C.

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Do we really need to explain why Ford is a legend deserving of all the awards? As the ensemble’s father figure Paul, Ford imbues his character with charm, wisdom, and a gruffness that always brings laughs when his curmudgeonly annoyance rears its head. But the character’s rock-hard exterior protects a soft, chewy center that contains his mortal fears and truest feelings about those surrounding him. Our hearts broke with every sullen “woof” in Season 3, yet swelled with every bit of sage advice or realness Paul mustered up — and the character’s power to so easily sway our emotions was all because of Ford. — N.C.

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: One of the joys of Hulu’s kitchen dramedy is watching its characters grow and evolve over time — and no one has grown more than Richie, with Moss-Bachrach gradually transforming him from a loudmouthed joker into a top-notch restaurant host. (Still with a loud mouth, though.) In Season 4, Richie’s hosting skills went to new heights as he threw a gorgeous snow-themed dessert for one set of diners, and he also made peace with his new family situation by attending his ex-wife Tiff’s wedding. (Moss-Bachrach showed us the gruff Richie’s tender side as he comforted his nervous young daughter Eva, inviting everyone to share their fears in solidarity.) Then in the finale, Richie’s temper flared up as he learned Carmy was leaving the restaurant, with Moss-Bachrach adding hints of anxiety and sadness to Richie’s rage. It’s that kind of emotionally complex work that keeps us coming back for seconds. — Dave Nemetz

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: WWE superstars often play into big, over-the-top personalities, but Offerman’s performance as former pro wrestler Jinx in “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” displayed a surprising and quiet vulnerability that felt far removed from a macho archetype. Despite sporting a goofy outfit featuring a flaming bandana and Hawaiian shirt, Offerman brought us to tears in Episode 3 when Jinx came clean to his daughter Margo about his addiction. Offerman was measured and matter-of-fact in his delivery of the details, until Margo revealed she loved her dad anyway, at which point he exhaled in relief and finally allowed tears to come. It was just one of the many moments where Offerman chose to exercise restraint, allowing for a satisfying payoff to build within his subtle emotional expression. — Claire Franken

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: You may know him exclusively as boy wizard Harry Potter, but Radcliffe has been flexing his comedy muscles as of late, and he fit seamlessly into NBC’s zany, “30 Rock”-esque freshman comedy as documentary filmmaker Arthur. He’s a bit of a pompous film nerd — it’s not just the British accent that makes him snooty — but he somehow found common ground with disgraced football star Reggie, and Radcliffe and Tracy Morgan formed a dynamic comedy duo that even rivaled the heyday of Liz Lemon and Tracy Jordan. Plus, Radcliffe found fun little quirks and neuroses inside Arthur that made him the punchline and not just the long-suffering straight man to Reggie’s antics. We weren’t expecting Radcliffe the sitcom actor to cast a spell on us… but consider us charmed. — D.N.

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: It’s true that Root’s grizzled seafarer Wyck isn’t the chief source of comic relief in Apple TV’s buzzy horror-comedy. In fact, Wyck might be the most serious man in all of Widow’s Bay, so certain is he that the island town carries a terrifying curse. But it’s exactly that conviction and gravitas that elevates “Widow’s Bay” to a truly gripping ghost story, and Root can communicate Wyck’s belief in the supernatural with little more than a hard stare. Plus, Wyck makes up one-third of our current favorite TV trio, with Root softening his character just enough to make Wyck’s team-up with Tom and Patricia both believable and deeply entertaining. — Rebecca Luther