Kenneth Branagh won the Emmy for lead actor in a TV movie/mini seven years ago for starring in "Conspiracy" as Reinhard Heydrich, a Nazi official responsible for killing Jews during World War II. Now he competes for portraying a disheveled, brooding Swedish police detective in "Wallander," which won all five of its British Academy of Film and Television Arts TV nominations, including for best drama series. But, curiously, Branagh wasn't nommed for acting. Still, he has a good shot a reaping a bid at the Emmys because they'll be determined by an outright popular vote of the TV academy's acting branch. If nominated, Branagh could even win, since he has (spoiler alert!) a hokey crying scene near the end of this expanded series episode (parading as a TV movie) with his character's daughter.

Speaking of series episodes parading as TV films, expect Kiefer Sutherland to get nommed here based upon name recognition for "24: Redemption." He won the Emmy for drama series lead actor as Jack Bauer in 2006.

Winning an Emmy is just what Cuba Gooding Jr. needs to prove that he doesn't suffer from an Oscar curse. Since snagging the Academy Award for "Jerry Maguire" (1996), he's appeared in so many duds that he's become a multiple Razzie nominee ("Boat Trip," "Daddy Day Camp"). Now he's reminded us of his ace acting chops in "Gifted Hands," portraying a man who rose from poverty and insecurity to become a celebrated neurosurgeon.

Playing real-life roles is the key to winning here, as it is at most showbiz awards. That's paid off for eight of the last 10 victors in this category. Standout examples this year include Brendan Gleeson as Winston Churchill in "Into the Storm" and Kevin Bacon in "Taking Chance" as a Marine officer who escorted the body of a slain soldier from Iraq to his hometown in Wyoming. Alexander Skarsgard shines as a Marine sergeant fighting in the 2003 Iraq war in "Generation Kill."

LEAD ACTOR IN A TV MOVIE / MINISERIES
(Front-runners)
Kevin Bacon, "Taking Chance"
Kenneth Branagh, "Wallander: One Step Behind"
Paddy Considine, "My Zinc Bed"
Brendan Gleeson, "Into the Storm"
Cuba Gooding Jr., "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story"
Kevin Kline, "Cyrano de Bergerac"
Ian McKellen, "King Lear"
Iqal Naor, "House of Saddam"
Jonathan Pryce,"My Zinc Bed"
Tom Selleck, "Jesse Stone: Thin Ice"
Alexander Skarsgard, "Generation Kill"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24: Redemption"

(Possible)
Harry Connick Jr., "Living Proof"
Scott Foley, "The Last Templar"
Adam Kaufman, "Loving Leah"
Eriq La Salle, "Relative Stranger"
Alex Loynaz, "Pedro"
Matthew Macfadyen, "Little Dorrit"
Matthew Modine, "Sex and Lies in Sin City: The Ted Binion Scandal"
Jimmy Wolk, "Front of the Class"
Noah Wyle, "The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalice"