Emmys: Fierce Fight For Drama Series Acting Categories In Final Predictions Smackdown With Gold Derby, Indiewire & Deadline Experts

Gold Derby’s Tom O’Neil, IndieWire’s Anne Thompson and I do our final predictions smackdown in advance of Sunday’s main event, the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on CBS. The three of us go head to head to head on the Drama Series acting races and come up with markedly different ideas.

For Lead Actress in a Drama Series, we pretty much think it could come down to a battle royal between The Crown’s Claire Foy and The Handmaid’s Tale’s Elizabeth Moss, and the ultimate winner might be anyone’s guess. A truly close vote could lead to a spoiler in that category, so expect the unexpected.

As for Lead Actor in a Drama Series, it is a field of seven contenders — none of whom has won before in the category, though This Is Us star Sterling K. Brown took an Emmy last year for FX’s O.J. Simpson limited series. Kevin Spacey has his fifth consecutive nomination for House of Cards — could this be his year? Or perhaps Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk who I think is ripe for a win? And any category that has Anthony Hopkins (Westworld) in it could prove to be tough going for all the contenders.

Anne, Tom and I try to sort it all out for your Emmy ballots. Click on the link above to watch.