All eyes are again on Andrew Scott. The Dubliner is Ireland’s one acting hope at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards this Sunday.

Will our man take home the gold on the night? We’re certainly rooting for him. Is there another performer who might pip him at the post? Maybe.

Let’s not forget Scott is nominated for two Emmys for his work on Netflix’s Ripley. In July, he received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and he was also nominated for his role as a producer on the series.

Well deserved, and we’d love nothing more than to see Scott win his first Emmy, but another Netflix contender – the globe-conquering Baby Reindeer – might spoil the fun.

Scott, who recently began filming on Anthony Maras’s World War II drama Pressure, is having a bit of a moment. His Emmy nominations for Ripley were hardly a surprise. He’s in the form of his life on the screen and, indeed, the stage.

Last December, he received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Male Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for his sensational turn in Andrew Haigh’s romantic fantasy, All of Us Strangers.

He was unfortunate not to have received Oscar recognition for his performance – and some of us will never forgive the Bafta committee for its controversial Scott snub in January.

Dubliner Scott oozes danger from every pore. You can’t take your eyes off him for a second for fear you’ll miss something

Regardless, Ireland’s favourite actor continues to triumph. He also landed a Laurence Olivier Best Actor nomination this year for his one-man turn in a reimagining of Chekhov’s Vanya at the Duke of York Theatre in London.

It’s Steven Zaillian’s Ripley, a moody, monochrome adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel, The Talented Mr Ripley, that tops the Andrew Scott awards chart.

The series, which stars Scott as the eponymous chancer who works his way into the lives of the rich and not-so-fabulous in 1960s Europe, is nominated for 13 Emmys. Quite the feat, and Ripley also garnered some of the best reviews of the year.

The Irish Independent’s Pat Stacey awarded it the full five stars when it premiered in April.

“Dubliner Scott oozes danger from every pore,” Stacey wrote in his review. “He’s on-screen nearly all the time throughout the eight episodes, and he’s mesmerising. You can’t take your eyes off him for a second for fear you’ll miss something.”

There are two concerns. One is that Scott’s hectic filming schedule might prevent him from attending this year’s Emmys ceremony in Los Angeles. The other is that he is up against some serious competition.

Enter Richard Gadd’s Baby Reindeer, the most talked-about TV show of 2024. Inspired by real events, the controversial black comedy hardly requires an introduction, and the series is nominated for 11 Primetime Emmy Awards. It competes against Ripley in the Limited or Anthology Series or Movie categories.

This is where we run into trouble: in the acting bracket, Scott faces off against Gadd (Baby Reindeer), Matt Bomer (Fellow Travelers), Jon Hamm (Fargo) and Tom Hollander (Feud: Capote vs The Swans). It’s a tough group, and the heart says Scott, but the head knows Gadd will probably emerge victorious.

Elsewhere, only a fool would bet against The Bear (23 nominations) and Shogun (25) dominating the winners list.

Jeremy Allen White is almost certain to taking home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy series for his remarkable turn as frazzled chef-turned-restaurant owner Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto in season two of The Bear.

Likewise, his co-star, the inimitable Ayo Edebiri (a legendary figure on Irish social media), is a shoo-in for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy.

The drama categories are trickier to call. Should Gary Oldman take home the Lead Actor prize for his brilliant turn as foul and flatulent spy Jackson Lamb in the Apple TV+ gem Slow Horses? He should, but the Emmy will probably go to Japanese actor Hiroyuki Sanada for his terrific performance in the Disney+ historical epic Shogun.

Who will win the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emmy? Maya Erskine (Mr and Mrs Smith) and Anna Sawai (Shogun) are strong favourites, but Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age) could beat them to it.

There is, as you might have guessed, a worrying shortage of Irish performers in this year’s line-up. Some commentators had expected Colin Farrell to land a nomination for his central role in the bonkers Apple TV+ mystery drama Sugar, but it wasn’t to be.

Instead, he will present an award at this year’s ceremony – and Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan is also on the presenters list. They’ll do us proud, and we’ll keep our fingers crossed for Scott on the night.

The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards show takes place this Sunday, September 15.