The Awardist Emmys Who will (and who should) win at the 2021 Emmys Whether you're competing in an Emmys pool or just playing along at home, we've got some fearless predictions ahead of Sunday's ceremony on CBS. By Kristen Baldwin Kristen Baldwin Kristen Baldwin is the TV critic for EW EW's editorial guidelines Published on September 17, 2021 10:55AM EDT There are a few things we know for sure about Emmys night: Pose's Billy Porter will look fabulous, everyone will want to hang with the Ted Lasso cast, and someone will have to keep a straight face while announcing Emily In Paris as an Outstanding Comedy Series nominee. As for who will win, only the Television Academy knows for sure — but here are our predictions. KEY: □ = should win■ = will win♦ = should and will winOutstanding Drama SeriesThe fourth time will be the charm for Netflix's The Crown, which earned 24 nominations this year but has surprisingly never won the top category. Oddsmakers currently put the Disney+ drama The Mandalorian in second, but we here at The Awardist refuse to entertain that idea. Crowns > helmets. The BoysBridgerton♦ The CrownThe Handmaid's TaleLovecraft CountryThe MandalorianPoseThis Is Us Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama SeriesIn the final season of FX's Pose, Billy Porter's Pray Tell went out in a blaze of ballroom glory and beautiful personal sacrifice. As much as we loved Josh O'Connor as Prince Charles, Porter has the understandable edge for his final-season performance. Sterling K. Brown, This Is UsJonathan Majors, Lovecraft Country□ Josh O'Connor, The CrownRegé-Jean Page, Bridgerton■ Billy Porter, PoseMatthew Rhys, Perry Mason Emmy frontrunners Olivia Colman ('The Crown'), Michael K. Williams ('Lovecraft Country'), and Jason Sudeikis ('Ted Lasso'). Alex Bailey/Netflix; Eli Joshua Ade/HBO; Apple TV+ Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesEmma Corrin stunned with her deeply felt turn as The Crown's passionate, fragile, and fiercely independent Princess Diana. If anyone can edge her out here, it's Michaela Jaé — Pose's beating heart and soul until the very end. Uzo Aduba, In TreatmentOlivia Colman, The Crown■ Emma Corrin, The Crown□ Michaela Jaé, PoseElisabeth Moss, The Handmaid's TaleJurnee Smollett, Lovecraft Country Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Crown may not have taken home the Emmy for Outstanding Period and/or Character Hairstyling (it went to Bridgerton), but here's hoping Gillian Anderson thanks her fantastic Margaret Thatcher wig when she accepts this Supporting Actress in a Drama award. ♦ Gillian Anderson, The CrownMadeline Brewer, The Handmaid's TaleHelena Bonham Carter, The CrownAnn Dowd, The Handmaid's TaleAunjanue Ellis, Lovecraft CountryEmerald Fennell, The CrownYvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid's Tale Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesLong before his sudden, heartbreaking death on Sept. 6, Michael K. Williams was the odds-on favorite in this category for his stirring performance as Montrose Freeman in Lovecraft Country. His memory and legacy are a blessing. Giancarlo Esposito, The MandalorianO-T Fagbenle, The Handmaid's TaleJohn Lithgow, Perry MasonTobias Menzies, The CrownMax Minghella, The Handmaid's TaleBradley Whitford, The Handmaid's Tale♦ Michael K. Williams, Lovecraft Country Outstanding Comedy SeriesForget the inevitable (and undeserved) backlash for Ted Lasso season 2, Jason Sudeikis' uplifting Apple TV+ sports-com is still on track to take home a well-earned win. black-ishCobra KaiEmily in ParisThe Flight AttendantHacksThe Kominsky MethodPen15♦ Ted Lasso Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy SeriesYou better believe that Sudeikis (who's already taken home a SAG award and Golden Globe) is the guy to beat. Anthony Anderson, black-ishMichael Douglas, The Kominsky Method William H. Macy, Shameless♦ Jason Sudeikis, Ted LassoKenan Thompson, Kenan Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesJean Smart solidified her National Treasure status this year by absolutely crushing her two marquee roles: Helen in HBO's Mare of Easttown and comedian Deborah Vance on HBO Max's Hacks. She will win, or there will be hell to pay. (Additional props to frequent nominee Tracee Ellis Ross, who definitely deserves a win for black-ish. With the ABC sitcom heading into its eighth and final season, we think 2022 will be her year.) Aidy Bryant, ShrillKaley Cuoco, The Flight AttendantAllison Janney, MomTracee Ellis Ross, black-ish♦ Jean Smart, Hacks Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesThis is a packed category with no easily predictable winner, which makes it all the more exciting. We're giving the edge to Kenan Thompson: Voters clearly love him (he's nominated twice), and there's a decent chance the Lasso boys will split the vote in his favor. Plus, if he wins for Saturday Night Live (it's his third nomination in this category), he'll stay on the show forever, right? Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Hacks□ Brett Goldstein, Ted LassoBrendan Hunt, Ted LassoNick Mohammed, Ted LassoPaul Reiser, The Kominsky MethodJeremy Swift, Ted Lasso■ Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night LiveBowen Yang, Saturday Night Live Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy SeriesThe talent in this group is ridiculous, but it would be a shock (and a shame, shame, shame) if Hannah Waddingham isn't called to the podium on Emmys night. Aidy Bryant, Saturday Night LiveHannah Einbinder, HacksKate McKinnon, Saturday Night LiveRosie Perez, The Flight AttendantCecily Strong, Saturday Night LiveJuno Temple, Ted Lasso♦Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso Outstanding Limited or Anthology SeriesA lot of deserving winners here, and the race is close. The Queen's Gambit was a phenomenon last fall, Mare of Easttown had everyone talking this spring, and the brilliance of I May Destroy You is timeless. Our crystal ball says Queen's has the most momentum. □ I May Destroy YouMare of Easttown■ The Queen's GambitThe Underground RailroadWandaVision Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieSPOILER ALERT! Close your eyes. Think back to November 2020, the moment you realized that The Undoing's dashing Dr. Jonathan Fraser (Hugh Grant) had been playing us all along. The HBO thriller's hiding-in-plain-sight twist worked because Grant was just so damn good at convincing us it wouldn't. Paul Bettany, WandaVision♦ Hugh Grant, The UndoingEwan McGregor, HalstonLin-Manuel Miranda, HamiltonLeslie Odom Jr., Hamilton Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieMuch like the Limited Series category itself, this is a race between Easttown and Queen's Gambit. (In a perfect world, voters would crown Michaela Coel, but she'll likely take home an award for writing.) Call it recency bias — or the fact that we've watched "Murder Durder" too many times — but we predict that Kate will put the win in Winslet. □ Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You Cynthia Erivo, Genius: ArethaElizabeth Olsen, WandaVisionAnya Taylor-Joy, The Queen's Gambit■ Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown The Emmy Awards will air Sunday at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS and be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Related content: 2021 Creative Arts Emmys: See the complete list of winners RuPaul ties record for most-awarded Black artist in Emmys history Why Emmy nominee Gillian Anderson had to walk onstage sideways at the 1997 ceremony