History was made at the 2004 Emmys when “Angels in America” won all seven major awards for which it was eligible, becoming the first limited series to do so. Included in its haul were two lead acting trophies for Meryl Streep and Al Pacino as well as a pair of supporting ones for Mary-Louise Parker and Jeffrey Wright. Streep already had an Emmy to her name for “Holocaust” (1978) and Parker had previously been nominated for “The West Wing,” but the two men had never been recognized by the TV academy before.
Wright’s main “Angels in America” role was that of a wise and weary nurse named Belize, but he also filled in as mysterious inveigler Mr. Lies and as an angelic council member representing Europa. At 38, he was initially the eighth youngest man to ever bring home the gold in his category and now sits in 10th place.
Since 1964, a total of 56 actors have won Emmys for their supporting roles on non-continuing programs, beginning with Albert Paulsen (“One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich”). Two of the winners have bagged two or more trophies.
Check out our photo gallery to find out who ranks ahead of Wright on the list of 10 youngest Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor Emmy winners.
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10. Jeffrey Wright (‘Angels in America,’ 2004)
Image Credit: HBO Age: 38
Roles: Belize / Mr. Lies / Angel Europa
Wright has since garnered one lead and two supporting nominations for the drama series “Westworld.”
Other nominees:
Justin Kirk (“Angels in America”)
William H. Macy (“Stealing Sinatra”)
Ben Shenkman (“Angels in America”)
Patrick Wilson (“Angels in America”) -
9. Albert Paulsen (‘One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich,’ 1964)
Image Credit: ABC Age: 38
Role: Lt. Volkoval
During his 35-year career, character actor Paulsen earned this single notice for an episode of “Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre.” He returned less than two years later for a second episode entitled “Memorandum for a Spy.”
Other nominees:
Sorrell Booke (“Dr. Kildare”)
Conlan Carter (“Combat!”)
Carl Lee (“The Doctors and the Nurses”) -
8. Hank Azaria (‘Tuesdays with Morrie,’ 2000)
Image Credit: Cliff Lipson/Showtime Age: 36
Role: Mitch Albom
This is only time Azaria has been recognized for this type of program. He has brought home four awards for his voice-over work on “The Simpsons” and one for his guest appearance on the drama series “Ray Donovan.”
Other nominees:
Klaus Maria Brandauer (“Introducing Dorothy Dandridge”)
James Cromwell (“RKO 281”)
Danny Glover (“Freedom Song”)
John Malkovich (“RKO 281”) -
7. Evan Peters (‘Mare of Easttown,’ 2021)
Image Credit: HBO Age: 34
Role: Colin Zabel
This was Peters’s first Emmy nomination and win. He began his TV acting career at age 17 with a regular role on the short-lived drama series “The Days.”
Other nominees:
Thomas Brodie-Sangster (“The Queen’s Gambit”)
Daveed Diggs (“Hamilton”)
Paapa Essiedu (“I May Destroy You”)
Jonathan Groff (“Hamilton”)
Anthony Ramos (“Hamilton”) -
6. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (‘Watchmen,’ 2020)
Image Credit: HBO Age: 34
Role: Cal Abar
Four years after making his acting debut, Abdul-Mateen attracted the attention of Emmy voters with his work on this nine-episode comic book adaptation.
Other nominees:
Jovan Adepo (“Watchmen”)
Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend”)
Louis Gossett Jr. (“Watchmen”)
Dylan McDermott (“Hollywood”)
Jim Parsons (“Hollywood”) -
5. Michael Moriarty (‘The Glass Menagerie,’ 1974)
Image Credit: MGM Studios Age: 33
Role: Jim O’Connor
28 years after his first victory, Moriarty won a bookend trophy in this category for the TV movie “James Dean.” He also triumphed for his lead role in the limited series “Holocaust” in 1978.
Other nominees:
Michael Douglas (“The Streets of San Francisco”)
Will Geer (“The Waltons”)
Sam Waterston (“The Glass Menagerie”) -
4. John Malkovich (‘Death of a Salesman,’ 1986)
Image Credit: CBS Age: 32
Role: Biff Loman
This was Malkovich’s first of three nominations in this category. He later earned bids for the TV movie “RKO 281” (2000) and the limited series “Napoléon” (2003).
Other nominees:
Charles Durning (“Death of a Salesman”)
John Glover (“An Early Frost”)
Harold Gould (“Mrs. Delafield Wants to Marry”)
Pat Morita (“Amos”) -
3. Roddy McDowall (‘Our American Heritage: Not Without Honor,’ 1961)
Image Credit: CBS Age: 32
Role: Philip Hamilton
With this nomination, McDowall became the first of two actors to earn Emmy recognition for playing Alexander Hamilton‘s son, with the other being Anthony Ramos (“Hamilton”) in 2021. He was also nominated for a 1964 guest appearance on “Arrest and Trial.”
Other nominees:
Charles Bronson (“Memory in White”)
Peter Falk (“The Law and Mr. Jones”) -
2. Michael A. Goorjian (‘David’s Mother,’ 1994)
Image Credit: CBS Age: 23
Role: David Goodson
Just a few weeks after winning this award, Goorjian began his tenure as a recurring cast member on “Party of Five,” eventually appearing on over one quarter of the six-season drama series’ episodes.
Other nominees:
Alan Alda (“And the Band Played On”)
Matthew Broderick (“A Life in the Theatre”)
Richard Gere (“And the Band Played On”)
Ian McKellen (“And the Band Played On”) -
1. Scott Jacoby (‘That Certain Summer,’ 1973)
Image Credit: NBC Age: 16
Role: Nick Salter
Jacoby’s only Emmy win is also the only one this TV movie received from seven nominations. Hal Holbrook and Hope Lange both contended for lead acting awards for playing Jacoby’s character’s parents.
Other nominees:
James Brolin (“Marcus Welby, M.D.”)
Will Geer (“The Waltons”)
