Voter Guide, Showrunners, Directors June 18, 2024

Our panel of Emmy experts share their picks

Lead Actor, Drama

HIROYUKI SANADA

MUCH LIKE DRAMA LEAD ACTRESS, THE LEAD ACTOR CATEGORY WILL see a completely new slate of names compared to last year’s nominees. Panelists took the chance to advocate for a mix of new and overlooked favorites to make the cut. The overwhelming front-runner in this round is Hiroyuki Sanada, the Shōgun of “Shōgun.” As the quietly ambitious Lord Toranaga, “The Japanese martial arts star has room to stretch beyond impressive swordfighting scenes … and he slays,” says Lorraine Ali. A close second is Walton Goggins, whose string of “morally ambiguous characters that you can’t help but love,” as Glenn Whipp puts it, continues on “Fallout.” Kristen Baldwin agrees, insisting, “This is the year that Emmy voters shall rain down accolades on Goggins, who commands the screen as the fearsome and funny Ghoul.”

GLENN WHIPP
Los Angeles Times

HIROYUKI SANADA (‘SHŌGUN’) COSMO JARVIS (‘SHŌGUN’) WALTON GOGGINS (‘FALLOUT’) GARY OLDMAN (‘SLOW HORSES’) DOMINIC WEST (‘THE CROWN’) DONALD GLOVER (‘MR. & MRS. SMITH’)

Is there a better actor than Walton Goggins when it comes to playing morally ambiguous characters that you can’t help but love? If you’ve seen the postapocalyptic “Fallout” (or “Justified” or “The Hateful Eight” or ... it’s a long list), you know that’s a rhetorical question.

MATT ROUSH
TV Guide

HIROYUKI SANADA (‘SHŌGUN’) GARY OLDMAN (‘SLOW HORSES’) DONALD GLOVER (‘MR. & MRS. SMITH’) WALTON GOGGINS (‘FALLOUT’) DOMINIC WEST (‘THE CROWN’) ZAHN MCCLARNON (‘DARK WINDS’)

Lee Jung-jae’s “Squid Game” win is precedent for a lead actor to win for a non-English-language performance.

Sanada’s majestic Lord Toranaga surely qualifies. I’m also rooting for Gary Oldman to finally be recognized.

TREY MANGUM
Shadow and Act

JACOB ANDERSON (‘INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE’) NCUTI GATWA (‘DOCTOR WHO’) HIROYUKI SANADA (‘SHŌGUN’) IDRIS ELBA (‘HIJACK’) WALTON GOGGINS (‘FALLOUT’) DOMINIC WEST (‘THE CROWN’)

We need to be talking about “Interview With the Vampire’s” Jacob Anderson. Walton Goggins is the glue that draws you into “Fallout,” Idris Elba getting in for “Hijack” would be a welcome surprise. But Hiroyuki Sanada is Shōgun, and I can’t see it going any other way.

LORRAINE ALI
Los Angeles Times

HIROYUKI SANADA (‘SHŌGUN’) DONALD GLOVER (‘MR. & MRS. SMITH’) WALTON GOGGINS (‘FALLOUT’) OMAR SY (‘LUPIN’) ZAHN MCCLARNON (‘DARK WINDS’) IDRIS ELBA (‘HIJACK’)

Sanada was one of the only reasons I stuck with “Westworld” after Season 1. As a lovelorn samurai, he was a grounding presence in a confusing narrative. In "Shōgun,” he has room to stretch beyond impressive swordfighting scenes ... and he slays.

KRISTEN BALDWIN
Entertainment Weekly

HIROYUKI SANADA (‘SHŌGUN’) WALTON GOGGINS (‘FALLOUT’) DONALD GLOVER (‘MR. & MRS. SMITH’) NATHAN FIELDER (‘THE CURSE’) GARY OLDMAN (‘SLOW HORSES’) DOMINIC WEST (‘THE CROWN’)

This is the year that Emmy voters shall rain down accolades on Walton Goggins, who commands the screen as the fearsome and funny Ghoul in Prime Video’s hit adaptation of the game “Fallout.” “Shōgun's” Hiroyuki Sanada should have strong momentum in this category as well.

TRACY BROWN
Los Angeles Times

HIROYUKI SANADA (‘SHŌGUN’) WALTON GOGGINS (‘FALLOUT’) NCUTI GATWA (‘DOCTOR WHO’) COSMO JARVIS (‘SHŌGUN’) DONALD GLOVER (‘MR. & MRS. SMITH’) ZAHN MCCLARNON (‘DARK WINDS’)

Sanada seems like a shoo-in as the Shōgun (to be) of “Shōgun,” though Walton Goggins as “Fallout’s” charismatic but ruthless Ghoul makes a strong case here. Ncuti Gatwa brings a fresh energy to the longrunning “Doctor Who.”

You can find all our picks at latimes.com/buzzmeter