Emmys: 28 Supporting Actor Contenders Gather for THR’s Star-Studded Photo

This story first appeared in the June 12 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.

1. Kumail Nanjiani
Silicon Valley (HBO)

First Hollywood Crush: “Cindy Crawford. She was every straight dude’s first crush for, like, 10 years. That Diet Pepsi commercial changed my life.”

2. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Game of Thrones (HBO)

Ideal Thrones Cameo: “The Queen of England.”

3. Molly Parker
House of Cards (Netflix)

First Hollywood Crush: “Jack Nicholson. My dad and I watched all his films together. After my first movie, I asked my dad what he thought. He said, ‘You could have used your eyebrows more — like Jack.’ I think he was on to something.”

4. Ben Mendelsohn
Bloodline (Netflix)

Toughest Scene: “In episode 12, there’s a huge scene with the whole family — a lot of strong feelings and banging of hands on tables. That was bad. It was a tough day at the office.”

5. Wendi McLendon-Covey
The Goldbergs (ABC)

Scariest Show Moment: “Roller-skating on Goldbergs with a roomful of kids who had clearly lied on their résumés about being able to roller-skate. That was a little dangerous.”

6. Michael McKean

Better Call Saul (AMC)

 

Weirdest Audition: “I went in for a character who had a ponytail. I’d just cut mine off and couldn’t throw it away for sentimental reasons, so I brought it in a bag to show that I was able to grow one.”

7. Melissa Rauch
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)

Most Embarrassing Thing on Her DVR: “[TLC’s] Sex Sent Me to the ER. My parents visited, and I asked them what their favorite shows were. They said, ‘Have you seen Sex Sent Me to the ER?’ I was mortified that my parents watch this — it made me want to be adopted.”

8. Steve Rannazzisi
The League (FX)

Most Embarrassing Thing on His DVR: “The Real Housewives of New Jersey reunion from two years ago. It was that good.”

9. Timothy Simons
Veep (HBO)

First Hollywood Crush: “A girl in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; she worked in the Foot Clan hideout. She seemed very dangerous.”

10. Alfre Woodard
State of Affairs (NBC)

Big Break: “Auditioning for musical theory at Carnegie Mellon. I had one minute to wow them with my acting and two minutes to dance. I don’t dance, so it was me humming ‘Exodus’ and running around and flinging myself on the floor. I didn’t get in. I know I’m not really famous today because no one ever ratted me out.”

11. Tituss Burgess
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

How His Character Would Accept an Emmy: “He would walk up before his name was called, wearing some dress Sarah Jessica Parker wore on Sex and the City.”

12. Craig T. Nelson
Parenthood (NBC)

On the Upcoming Coach Reboot: “We just wanted to bring back a three-camera show, a half-hour where people can get together and laugh. Maybe that works; maybe we’re beyond it.”

13. Jussie Smollett
Empire (Fox)

Favorite Scene: “The white-party scene with Taraji [P. Henson] and Naomi Campbell fighting. Taraji says every horrible thing you can think of, including, ‘you and your Benjamin Button eggs.’ “

14. Amy Brenneman
The Leftovers (HBO)

Humble Beginnings: “My early jobs were for commercials where you had to say, ‘This is why I like the Whopper,’ or, ‘When I have heavy-flow days …’ I wanted to do Shakespeare, and there I was, talking about my menstrual cycle. But I made a very good living.”

15. Guillermo Diaz
Scandal (ABC)

What’s Always in His Trailer: “Diet Coke and my DVD collection of I Love Lucy.”

16. Annaleigh Ashford
Masters of Sex (Showtime)

First TV Crush: “I loved Sam Malone on Cheers. Ted Danson was so funny, charming and really turned his life around. Diane, what were you thinking?”

17. Andre Holland
The Knick (Cinemax)

Most Embarrassing Thing on His DVR: “Last year’s college football semifinals, in which my team, Alabama, lost. I replay it every now and again, hoping it ends differently.”

18. Maura Tierney
The Affair (Showtime)

First TV Crush: “I was madly in love with Paul Michael Glaser, and I got to stay up later to watch Starsky & Hutch because I loved him.”

19. Ike Barinholtz
The Mindy Project (Fox)

What He’d Say If He Won an Emmy: “I think I already have. Isn’t that what this shoot is for? Was I misinformed?”

20. Chelsea Peretti
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox)

First Hollywood Crush: “Fred Savage on The Wonder Years. He had that scratchy voice and those big, brown doe eyes. He was a real catch.”

21. Charlie Day
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)

Toughest Episode: “We did one all in one shot, and then Birdman stole our thunder.”

22. Amanda Peet
Togetherness (HBO)

Worst Audition: “A hair commercial when I was 22. I had to pretend to be washing my hair and that the shampoo was releasing butterflies and rainbows. I just couldn’t do it.”

23. Danielle Brooks
Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)

Craziest Scene: “There was one I shot with [actress] Lorraine Toussaint: My character, Taystee, says, ‘I’m not taking your mess anymore.’ Lorraine decides to kiss me and shake up the scene. It really threw me off!”

24. Judith Light
Transparent (Amazon)

Landing the Gig: “I had a 45-minute Skype call with [show creator] Jill Soloway. I never read a scene; I never auditioned. It was just like a conversation with a friend about issues and life.”

25. Josh Gad
The Comedians (FX)

Toughest Scene: “[Co-star] Billy [Crystal] and I play fake versions of ourselves, and in one scene we said some mean things to each other. After, I said: ‘You know that was fake Josh Gad saying those things. Real Josh Gad loves real Billy Crystal.’ “

26. Matt Czuchry
The Good Wife (CBS)

Worst Audition: “My first audition [for Good Wife] was horrible. I won’t get into it, but thankfully they believed in me enough to give me another shot.”

27. Theo Rossi
Sons of Anarchy (FX)

How His Character Would Accept an Emmy:“Juice wouldn’t make it to the show because he’d be on the run. But he would take the Emmy and try to sell it.”

28. Kathryn Hahn
Happyish (Showtime)

Transparent (Amazon)

Worst Audition: “It was for a Coen brothers movie, and I brought a box of props. That was a horrible call.”

Additional reporting by Michael O’Connell and Kate Stanhope