With a stacked nomination list, the competition at the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Comedy Actor will be tight, and in such a heated matchup, a detail like which episode to submit for consideration can make all the difference.
That being said, here are the picks for Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Steve Carell, Matthew Rhys, Jason Segel, and Martin Short. Check out the list below to see which episodes TV Academy members will be considering ahead of the awards on Sept. 14.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Wonder Man)
Character: Simon Williams
Episode: “Matinee”
Recap: After being fired from an episode of American Horror Story, struggling actor Simon Williams fights for a chance to audition for the role of his favorite superhero, Wonder Man.
Emmy History: Abdul-Mateen is a two-time nominee, and one-time winner. He previously won for another comic book adaptation, as Dr. Manhattan in Watchmen.
Steve Carell (Rooster)
Character: Greg Russo
Episode: “Angry, Like an Angry Person”
Recap: A wild night out with a student leads to Greg summoning the courage to ask out Dylan (Danielle Deadwyler.
Emmy History: Carell has wracked up 11 nominations at the Emmys, but has never won.
Matthew Rhys (Widow’s Bay)
Character: Tom Loftis
Episode: “The Inaugural Swim”
Recap: Tom runs afoul of the Sea Hag, an evil spirt who hunts down her victims and… uh… kills them in an interesting way.
Emmy History: Rhys is an eight-time nominee and previously won for the final season of The Americans. He is also nominated this year as a producer on Widow’s Bay.
Jason Segel (Shrinking)
Character: Jimmy Laird
Episode: “The Bodyguard of Sadness”
Recap: Jimmy simultaneously juggles the graduation of his daughter (Lukita Maxwell), the presence of his father (Jeff Daniels), and the impending departure of his colleague and father figure (Harrison Ford).
Emmy History: Segel is a six-time nominee.
Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
Character: Oliver Putnam
Episode: “Flatbush”
Recap: During an investigative trip to the titular Brooklyn neighborhood with Loretta (Meryl Streep), Oliver recalls his earliest memories of the theater.
Emmy History: Short is a two-time winner and 23-time nominee.
The winner for Best Comedy Actor will be announced at the 78th Primetime Emmys on Sept. 14.
