Emmy Awards 2014 nominees: Outstanding Best Supporting Actor and Actress

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The 66th Emmy Awards, which will be held on August 25, 2014, has fans on the edge of their seats as they cross their fingers for their favorite stars and shows. This year, the event will be hosted by Seth Meyers and broadcasted by NBC. The show has also been scheduled on a Monday instead of a Sunday to avoid conflicting schedules with Sunday Night Football and the MTV Video Music Awards.

One of the major awards given in this event is the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a drama series. The nominees for this award are Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Jim Carter (Downtown Abbey), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Josh Charles (The Good Wife), Many Patinkin (Homeland), and Jon Voight (Ray Donovan).

With these male nominees, the Emmy voters may encounter clashing thoughts before casting their votes. Paul's character in "Breaking Bad" had fans loving him despite his shortcomings. Regardless of his mistakes, fans appear to back him up and could not bear for him to suffer too much. Apart from these, Paul has won the award twice for the same series. Hence, fans will have to decide whether or not to give him this award once again or allow others to take the honor.

Fans may have also a strong connection with Charles, who gave his character such remarkable depth in "The Good Wife." Moreover, his sudden and unexpected death may have fueled the emotions of his fans. Some might not have even recovered from the shock of his demise, which might translate to a strong support for his character.

On the other hand, Voight might be able to offer these nominees a good fight. As one of the most prominent actors, his character Ray Donovan, albeit unlovable, still showcased his talent. In addition to his skills, fans might be swayed by the fact that Voight is a veteran actor.

Patinkin has also provided fans with the much needed enlightened performance in what some regard as a bit disappointing season of "Homeland."

The ominous Mr. Carson might give Carter an advantage as fans of Downtown Abbey flock to show support for his character. However, some believe that his role in this series might not be enough to win him an award.

Another major award for this event is the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a drama series. The nominees are Anna Gunn (Breaking Bad), Maggie Smith (Downtown Abbey), Joanne Froggatt (Downtown Abbey), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Christine Baranski (The Good Wife), and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men).

One of the frontrunners in this category is Smith, who already won twice before. Although her role in "Downtown Abbey" is undeniably one of the most well received characters, some fans might think that winning twice sufficiently proves their loyalty to her. Froggatt also had a remarkable season for the show. The distressing twist in her story might be able to convince fans to vote for her as well.

In playing major roles in their series, Baranski and Headey have been recognized as prominent actresses. Their skills and talents have been featured seamlessly in "The Good Wife" and "Game of Thrones," respectively. On the other hand, Hendricks may be a strong nominee for her splendid performance this season in "Mad Men." However, some fans believe that she gave stronger performances in the previous seasons.

With regard to Gunn's performance, some think that the popularity of "Breaking Bad" might give her the leverage to actually bag this award this year. Since she already won the award just last year, Gunn might be able to sustain the support of his fans particularly because of her stellar performance this season.

Hollywood stars who achieved success in their move to the small screen will be presenting awards for the event. Halle Berry, Julia Roberts, Matthew McConaughey, and Woody Harrelson are all slated to join Mayers onstage. Apart from these Hollywood actors, Emmy nominees Bryan Cranston, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Julianna Marguilies, Jim Parsons, Kerry Washington, and Amy Poehler will be presenting awards as well. In addition, The Voice judges Adam Levine and Gwen Stefani, as well as Zooey Deschanel, will be part of the presenters during the event.