Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series

The competition:
Alan Arkin (The Kominsky Method) plays Norman Newlander, an agent mourning the death of his wife in the first season of the Netflix comedy. His costar Michael Douglas is nominated, as is the show for Best TV Series – Comedy/Musical. Arkin won a Globe in 1966 in “The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming,” and has been nominated four times since. He contends for SAG Awards for both his individual performance and as part of his ensemble.

Kieran Culkin (Succession) plays Roman Roy, one of multiple children heir to a successful company, in the first season of the HBO drama. Culkin was previously nominated for a Globe for his starring role in the film “Igby Goes Down” in 2002. He is the lone representative of his show at the Globes this year.

Edgar Ramirez (American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace) plays fashion designer Gianni Versace in the second season of the FX anthology series. His costars Darren Criss and Penelope Cruz are also nominated this year, as is his show for Best Miniseries or Television Film. Ramirez was previously nominated for the miniseries “Carlos” in 2010 and contended for an Emmy this past year for this role.

Ben Whishaw (A Very English Scandal) plays Norman Scott, a model who begins an affair with a member of Parliament in the Amazon limited series. His costar Hugh Grant is also nominated this year, as is his show for Best Miniseries or Television Film. This is his first Globe nomination.

Henry Winkler (Barry) plays Gene Cousineau, an acting teacher in the first season of the HBO comedy. His costar Bill Hader is also nominated this year, as is his show for Best TV Series – Comedy/Musical. Winkler won two Globes for “Happy Days” decades ago and has two other nominations. He won the Emmy for this role earlier this year, and also contends individually and as part of his ensemble at the SAG Awards.

Additional notes: None of these men have faced off against each other before for these roles. This category is not consistent in rewarding dramas, comedies, miniseries, or TV movies, and the three regular series nominees are all from freshman series this year, which makes the chances of all in this category about even.
Who should win? I only watched the first episode of Culkin and Ramirez’s projects. I’ve seen four episodes of Arkin’s show and I think he’s great. Winkler is certainly good, though I wish his costar Anthony Carrigan was getting anywhere near as much recognition. Whishaw is a great choice, and I’d be happy to see him win too.
Who will win? It’s a stacked category, but I think nostalgia for Winkler will give him the win.