As Clarence mentioned in his Golden Globes Drama piece, the Foreign Press likes to reward “hot and new” television series—and actors. But that doesn’t mean that returning favorites don’t have a chance either (after all, it took two Best Actor Drama Series nominations before Kevin Spacey took home the golden statue for House of Cards).
Here’s a look at who’s in the running for Best Actor Drama:
Kyle Chandler, Bloodline
An Emmy nomination surely helps, but this is a crowded category. He could be the one that gets bumped.
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
He’s coming off an Emmy win, which is big, but he hasn’t been nominated in this category since 2012. Have the Golden Globes forgotten about Don Draper?
Sam Heughan, Outlander
There’s some buzz around Outlander this season, which means this Highland warrior could crash the Best Actor race.
Terrence Howard, Empire
He didn’t get any Emmy love, but the Golden Globes love to invite film actors to their ceremony. This could be Howard’s ticket.
Rami Malek, Mr. Robot
If this show gets any nomination, then it’s going to be in this category, since Malek is the show. A lesser actor would not be able to carry this performance. But is this category too crowded?
Wagner Moura, Narcos
While Narcos wasn’t the TV phenomenon of the summer, Moura’s performance can’t be ignored.
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
The Breaking Bad spin-off has been well-received by critics and audiences alike. Plus, Odenkirk has already received a number of nominations and wins for this role already.
Clive Owen, The Knick
Owen was the new kid on the block last year with this series. Could he land a second nomination and win for Season Two?
Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan
He was nominated for this role in 2013 and 2014 and looks to continue this streak.
Kevin Spacey, House of Cards
He won in this category last year, but the buzz around House of Cards has severely died down.
James Spader, The Blacklist
NBC’s biggest hit is due in large part to Spader’s performance. Plus, he’s been nominated for the past two years in this category.
Dominic West, The Affair
Emmy voters may not have had a soft spot for this Showtime series (it was shut out for nominations), but the Golden Globes gave it Best Drama Series last season. If they like Season Two, then West could get another nomination. Although, further handicapping him is the series’s focal shift away from Noah and more toward the secondary characters. That won’t help him this year.