Oscar Isaac joins sparring partner Carey Mulligan atop a lead acting category for “Beef,” followed by Matthew Rhys as a possibly murderous billionaire in “The Beast in Me” and Richard Gadd, showing quite another side after his “Baby Reindeer” success.
“The sleeper pick here is Richard Gadd, who benefits from his show airing later in the cycle,” says Trey Mangum. “Gadd’s toxic menace in ‘Half Men,’ a world removed from his ‘Baby Reindeer’ breakthrough, could propel him back to the winner’s circle,” says Matt Roush. Tracy Brown says, “If Gadd’s show is among the limited series nominees, [co-star] Jamie Bell will also land an acting nom.”
Meanwhile, Glenn Whipp praises the casting against type in Netflix’s “Death by Lightning,” which also features Matthew Macfadyen, best known as Mr. Darcy in “Pride and Prejudice” and Tom Wambsgans in “Succession,” as the rotten-toothed, unhinged assassin Charles Guiteau.
Whipp says of lead Michael Shannon: He “usually plays the assassin. In ‘Death by Lightning,’ he plays President James A. Garfield, showing us a principled man who aims for a life of public service. The series plays like a requiem as well as a call to action.”
More predictions: Limited series | Limited / TV movie actress
1. Oscar Isaac, “Beef”
T2. Richard Gadd, “Half Man”
T2. Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
4. Paul Anthony Kelly, “Love Story”
5. Riz Ahmed, “Bait”
T6. Charlie Hunnam, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”
T6. Matthew Macfadyen, “Death by Lightning”
Los Angeles Times
Lorraine Ali
1. Oscar Isaac, “Beef”
2. Richard Gadd, “Half Man”
3. Riz Ahmed, “Bait”
4. Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
5. Paul Anthony Kelly, “Love Story”
“There are many strong performances here for the academy to choose from. But who should they nominate to appear smart and with it? Riz Ahmed in ‘Bait,’ Richard Gadd for his embodiment of toxic masculinity in ‘Half Man,’ and Matthew Rhys as a sociopathic billionaire in ‘The Beast in Me.’ ”
Freelance Critic
Kristen Baldwin
1. Oscar Isaac, “Beef”
2. Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
3. Paul Anthony Kelly, “Love Story”
4. Jason Bateman, “Black Rabbit”
5. Richard Gadd, “Half Man”
“Deserving performances fighting for a space on this ballot include Riz Ahmed as a struggling (and spiraling) actor hoping to play James Bond in Prime Video’s ‘Bait’ and Sam Claflin as a wronged man out for elaborate revenge in PBS’ ‘The Count of Monte Cristo.’ ”
Los Angeles Times
Tracy Brown
1. Oscar Isaac, “Beef”
2. Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
3. Paul Anthony Kelly, “Love Story”
4. Charlie Hunnam, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”
5. Riz Ahmed, “Bait”
“This one will likely come down to voters’ opinions on ‘Half Man.’ If Richard Gadd’s show is among the limited series nominees, Jamie Bell will also land an acting nom. But even if that’s the case, Oscar Isaac, Matthew Rhys and Paul Anthony Kelly should still be among the other nominees.”
Blavity
Trey Mangum
1. Oscar Isaac, “Beef”
2. Richard Gadd, “Half Man”
3. Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
4. Paul Anthony Kelly, “Love Story”
5. Riz Ahmed, “Bait”
“If this wasn’t such a stacked category, it seems like Riz Ahmed could push through, but there is stiff competition. While Oscar Isaac is on top of everyone’s minds, I think the sleeper pick here is Richard Gadd, who benefits from his show airing later in the cycle.”
TV Insider
Matt Roush
1. Richard Gadd, “Half Man”
2. Oscar Isaac, “Beef”
3. Matthew Macfadyen, “Death by Lightning”
4. Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
5. Charlie Hunnam, “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”
“Richard Gadd’s toxic menace in ‘Half Men,’ a world removed from his ‘Baby Reindeer’ breakthrough, could propel him back to the winner’s circle. Both leads in ‘Death by Lightning’ are deserving, but it seems a long shot. Charlie Hunnam’s monstrously go-for-broke ‘Ed Gein’ is the darkest of horses.”
Los Angeles Times
Glenn Whipp
1. Oscar Isaac, “Beef”
2. Richard Gadd, “Half Man”
3. Matthew Rhys, “The Beast in Me”
4. Riz Ahmed, “Bait”
5. Michael Shannon, “Death by Lightning”
“Michael Shannon usually plays the assassin. In ‘Death by Lightning,’ he plays President James A. Garfield, showing us a principled man who aims for a life of public service. The series plays like a requiem as well as a call to action.”