If I Had an Emmy Ballot: COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTING

Our personal Emmy ballot series continues with Comedy Supporting Acting. Ranked alphabetically, here are the six actors and actresses who'd make our list:



Tituss Burgess for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: For his rendition of “Pinot Noir” alone, Tituss Burgess is more than deserving for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Tina Fey’s magnificent discovery (he previously guested on 30 Rock) is arguably the biggest highlight of a show full of ‘em. His line readings are a delectable mix of exasperation and barely-containable enthusiasm, while his talent for physical comedy (See: Werewolf costume) is always a treat.

Charlie Day for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: Long a supporting comedy MVP, Charlie Day demonstrated new range in the outrageously meditative and formally ambitious 10th season of Sunny. Specifically, he was tasked with carrying the manic single-take episode “Charlie Work,” a challenge which translated into the actor’s most impressive episodic performance to date.

Kevin Dunn for Veep: Sifting through the cast of Veep is impossibly difficult, but since his introduction in season 2 Kevin Dunn has been an essential addition to the series’ ensemble. He imbues Selina’s Chief of Staff Ben Cafferty with a dry weariness and a simmering rage that makes for a nice change of comedic pace. And in this especially tumultuous season of Veep, Dunn was permitted to turn that simmer on a glorious boil.

Kathryn Hahn for HAPPYish: HAPPYish is not a good show, and Hahn also happens to be on the ballot for her work in the superior series Transparent. But the oft-underused actress gets plenty to chew on as the raging, irritable outcast Lee Payne in Showtime’s miscalculated satire. It’s a big, bold and startlingly emotive performance; if nothing else, HAPPYish proves what Hahn is capable of. (A lot.)

Tony Hale for Veep: Already an Emmy winner for his work in the scathing HBO satire, Tony Hale is a category stalwart for good reason. Early this season, the reliable funnyman went tete-a-tete with Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a stirring, heavily-dramatic scene, and absolutely nailed it. Hale’s Gary was forced to consider his role and value this season, as Veep Meyer turned President Meyer, which demanded more range of Hale than ever before.

Jane Krakowski for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: At first, it seemed like Jane Krakowski was recycling 30 Rock beats in her performance as the Upper East Side elitist Jacqueline Voorhees. But as the debut season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt wore on, Krakowski honed in on a darker comic edge. The result was an alternatingly fascinating and hilarious pairing with Ellie Kemper, as well as an instantly classic new character to add to Krakowski’s impressive resume.

Amy Landecker for Transparent: Judith Light may have been broadly funny as Transparent’s family matriarch, but Amy Landecker, while less quote-unquote funny, is all kinds of great as eldest daughter Sarah Pfefferman. The longtime character actress plays a woman struggling with intimacy and her sexual identity, embodying her with naturalism, intelligence and generous comedy. It’s a bone-deep character immersion.

T.J. Miller for Silicon Valley: Silicon Valley really broke out in its second season, but T.J. Miller’s Erlich Bachman has been, from the opening scene of the pilot, a fascinating comedic creation. At once an ingenious parody of typified “bro” culture and an innovatively profane linguist, Bachman operates with swagger and oddity as no one else on TV does. It’s all thanks to Miller, who gives the character a hypnotically (and hilariously) bizarre spin.

Niecy Nash for Getting On: On a show that so easily delves into the absurd, and with a resume filled with outrageous characters, Niecy Nash’s down-to-earth authenticity and irresistible deadpan in Getting On startles in the best way. As Nurse Didi, the Reno 911! alum gives a perfectly-pitched performance, with season highlights including her brilliantly reactive work opposite Ann Morgan Guilbert (“Miss Birdie…”) and June Squibb.

Kaitlin Olson for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: She’ll be on my ballot until the day Sunny dies. FX’s flagship comedy has been on the air for a full decade, and through that time the Television Academy’s most consistent oversight may come in the form of Sunny’s principal actress. Kaitlin Olson is astonishingly unabashed and unafraid, her timing as expert as her penchant for gross-out gags and playing drunk. She’s a stellar comedian who’s long overdue for recognition.

Mel Rodriguez for Getting On: Between Better Call Saul, The Last Man on Earth and Getting On, Mel Rodriguez was surprisingly prolific in this past TV season. It’s a great thing, too, because he possesses a range and an energy quite unlike anybody else. His most substantive role is in Getting On as the sexually-confused and data-obsessed Patsy de la Cerda. And within the show’s blackly comic aesthetic, he’s an absolutely perfect fit.

Lauren Weedman for Looking: After stealing too many scenes to count as a recurring player in Looking’s freshman run, Lauren Weedman was wisely upgraded to the main cast in season 2. As Doris, she comes equipped with zesty one-liners and a grittily realistic edge, and when tasked to dig deeper she demonstrates serious range. In particular, an episode from the season’s back half focuses on Doris coming to terms with her father’s death; Weedman seamlessly and beautifully integrates the tragedy of the event with her character’s emotional reliance on comedy. It’s a tour-de-force.

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