Gary Oldman's potential Emmy win for 'Slow Horses' would cement his status as one of the most accomplished actors of his generation, bridging the gap between prestige film and television with effortless ease.
The Television Academy has historically been reluctant to award film actors in TV categories, making Oldman's potential win a significant shift in Emmy voting patterns and a potential game-changer for future crossover nominations.
Gary Oldman won the Oscar for Best Actor for playing Winston Churchill in 'Darkest Hour' (2017). If he wins the Emmy for 'Slow Horses,' he'd be the first performer to win both Oscar and lead TV Emmy for a drama role. Matthew McConaughey fell short of this feat with 'True Detective' despite winning Oscar for 'Dallas Buyers Club.'
The Emmys have long been a different beast for film actors, but Oldman could break through with 'Slow Horses' β and in doing so, finally bridge the Oscar-Emmy divide that has eluded so many of his peers.
The race for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series is heating up, and Gary Oldman is positioned to make Emmy history with his performance in Apple TV+'s "Slow Horses." If the veteran British actor takes home the gold, he'll become the first Oscar winner to claim lead acting prizes from both the Film Academy and Television Academy for a drama or comedy series β a feat that has eluded some of Hollywood's biggest names.
Oldman already has the Academy Award in his collection, having won Best Actor for his transformative portrayal of Winston Churchill in "Darkest Hour" (2017). Now, his work as the gruff but brilliant MI5 handler Jackson Lamb in "Slow Horses" could add television's top honor to his mantle. The competition is stiff, but the historical significance of this particular milestone cannot be overstated β it's a barrier that even Matthew McConaughey couldn't breach with his acclaimed turn in "True Detective's" first season, despite having an Oscar for "Dallas Buyers Club." Kieran Culkin came close with his Emmy win for "Succession," but his Academy Award came in supporting actor for "A Real Pain" β a different category entirely.
Meanwhile, the Taylor Sheridan television universe remains one of the Emmys' most conspicuous blind spots. Despite six series running for eight consecutive years with marquee names like Kevin Costner, Helen Mirren, Harrison Ford and Billy Bob Thornton, Sheridan's shows have been shut out of major acting, writing and directing categories. However, momentum may be shifting β Season 2 of "Landman" recently set a Paramount+ premiere record, suggesting audience strength that could become harder for Emmy voters to ignore going forward.
Noah Wyle is also positioned for another lead actor bid with "The Pitt's" sophomore season, putting him in rare company. Historically, repeat wins this early in a show's run are exceptionally rare, with only Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad"), Daniel J. Travanti ("Hill Street Blues"), Bill Cosby ("I Spy") and E.G. Marshall ("The Defenders") having accomplished the feat. The Emmy Awards timeline kicks off with nomination-round voting from June 11-22, nominations announced July 8, final voting August 17-26, and the ceremony on September 14 airing on NBC.
