Emmys 2020: Lead Actor, Drama — Dream Nominees

The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards will be airing (in some form!) on Sept. 20. Before the real nominees are unveiled on July 28, we at TVLine have come up with our own dream nominations in 15 major categories. Scroll down to see our ideal contenders for Lead Actor in a Drama Series, then give us your thoughts!

BILLY PORTER, POSE

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: As flamboyant emcee Pray Tell on FX's boundary-shattering LGBTQ drama, Porter soared to a win in this category last year, and he earned the right to defend his crown, thanks to his richly layered work in Season 2. Porter was remarkable as Pray Tell added a newfound militarism to his crusading for equality, embarked on a touching romance with the much younger Ricky and ferociously faced down death in a harrowing hospital scene. (And he sang, too!) All in all, a terrific encore from a truly gifted performer.

BOB ODENKIRK, BETTER CALL SAUL

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: The transformation from Jimmy McGill to Saul Goodman may be complete, but Odenkirk hasn't stopped adding new shades of gray to the fast-talking lawyer. In fact, Season 5 might've been Odenkirk's strongest yet, as Jimmy grappled with the consequences of his new persona, both on his relationship (as he and Kim joined forces against a hostile outside world) and on his very survival (as he and Mike endured a searing hot trek through the desert). Turning into Saul brought out Jimmy's true colors... and brought out the best in Odenkirk, too.

BRIAN COX, SUCCESSION

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Cox almost makes it look too easy, playing gruff media titan and family patriarch Logan Roy. And while his work did garner him a Golden Globe, he failed to net even an Emmy nod. But in the acclaimed dramedy's sophomore run, Cox was given more layers to play, as Logan carefully considered a variety of fates for his company, went toe-to-toe with fierce femmes played by Holly Hunter and Cherry Jones, and ultimately left us with one vexing grin.

JEREMY STRONG, SUCCESSION

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: Strong's arc as sometime-favorite son Kendall Roy is the stuff awards were made to acknowledge. Coming out of the first season's roller coaster of highs and lows, Kendall was a shell of his Master of the Universe self, a blackened sheep happy to grab any olive branch tendered by his domineering dad. Yet even as he started to prove himself anew, Strong always found moments to signal that Kendall was but one plexiglass barrier away from getting off this gut-wrenching ride once and for all.

MIKE COLTER, EVIL

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: One of the things we love most about Colter's portrayal of David is how he fills the priest-in-training's musings with a compelling mix of wonder, frustration and awe. The season finale aired in January, but we're still thinking about that monologue about a fallen soldier, and how he expertly balanced David's veneration of God with bitterness over a life needlessly cut short. The moment was moving in its simplicity; here's hoping the Emmy Powers That Be have a come-to-Jesus moment about Colter real soon.

PENN BADGLEY, YOU

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD: After shedding what remained of his Gossip Girl image with the first season of this twisted thriller, Badgley extended his boundaries even further in its sophomore outing, delivering a commanding performance as functioning serial killer Joe Goldberg. Like one of Joe's unwitting
victims, we found ourselves seduced by Badgley's effortless charisma and calculated demeanor all over again, resulting in conflicting feelings the likes of which we haven't battled since the days of Dexter Morgan.

STERLING K. BROWN, THIS IS US

WHY HE DESERVES A NOD:Brown's exemplary work leveled up in Season 4, particularly in the episode that explored what might have happened if Jack Pearson had lived. It would have been easy for Brown to play an alternate version of Randall as a moustache-twirling jerk. But he did something far more interesting: He kept Randall recognizable but decidedly different from the big-hearted man we know. Add in the therapy scenes that surrounded the fantasy, and you got another award-worthy performance from the two-time Emmy winner.