Before voting for the Emmy winners begins Aug. 17, Television Academy members are encouraged to watch all of the nominees' episode submissions. While the guest stars' choices in drama and comedy were publicly available on the nominating ballots, Gold Derby can now share the lead acting episode submissions.

Read on for everything to know about the Emmy episode submissions for Best Drama Actor.

Sterling K. Brown (Paradise) Sterling K. Brown in ParadiseAnne Marie Fox/Disney

Episode: "A Holy Charge"
Character: Xavier Collins
Recap: In a flashback three years earlier, Annie (Shailene Woodley) treats Xavier's wounds and the two bond as he recovers, eventually agreeing to travel together to find Teri (Enuka Okuma) in Atlanta before heading on to Colorado. When Annie goes into premature labor from pre-eclampsia, Xavier gets help from nearby survivors so she can deliver a baby girl — but Annie dies of postpartum bleeding shortly after, asking Xavier to bring her daughter to Link (Thomas Doherty) and give her the letter she wrote before she died. Xavier and the baby make it to the post office in Atlanta where Teri once messaged from, only to be met by Gary (Cameron Britton), who tells them Teri has been taken.
Emmy history: This is Brown's 14th nomination; he previously won for American Crime Story (2016), This Is Us (2017), and Lincoln: Divided We Stand (2021), and was also nominated for Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2018), This Is Us (2018-21), Invincible (2024), and Paradise (2025).

Gary Oldman (Slow Horses) Gary Oldman in 'Slow Horses'Apple TV

Episode: "Tall Tales"
Character: Jackson Lamb
Recap: With Slough House locked down by the Dogs, Coe (Tom Brooke) convinces Lamb that Gimball (Christopher Villiers) is next on the terrorists' target list. To buy his agents time, Lamb spins a wrenching story about a Stasi torture victim, mesmerizing the Dogs long enough for River (Jack Lowden), Shirley (Aimee-Ffion Edwards) and Coe to disarm and restrain them. He then dispatches his team to protect Jaffrey (Nick Mohammed) and Gimball.
Emmy history: This is Oldman's fourth nomination; he was previously nominated for Friends (2001) and Slow Horses (2024-25).

Mark Ruffalo (Task) Mark Ruffalo in 'Task' Peter Kramer/HBO

Episode: "A Still Small Voice"
Character: Tom Brandis
Recap: Tom, Aleah (Thuso Mbedu), and Kath (Martha Plimpton) close in on proof of Grasso's (Fabien Frankel ) betrayal, and Tom joins Aleah in pursuit when a bleeding Grasso races to warn Maeve (Emilia Jones). After Grasso kills Jayson (Sam Keeley) to protect her, Tom comforts a shaken Maeve and quietly pretends not to notice the bag of drug money. At Ethan's (Andrew Russel) sentencing, Tom delivers an emotional impact statement, forgiving Ethan and telling him he's welcome home once he's released, closing the season on a hopeful note for Tom and his daughters.
Emmy history: This is Ruffalo's fourth nomination; he won as a producer for The Normal Heart (2014) and as Best Movie/Limited Actor for I Know This Much Is True (2020), and was also nominated for Movie/Limited Actor The Normal Heart (2014).

Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat) Rufus Sewell and Keri Russell in The DiplomatNetflix

Episode: "Schrodinger’s Wife"
Character: Hal Wyler
Recap: Hal helps steer Kate (Keri Russell) toward suggesting that Trowbridge bury a recovered submarine in concrete, breaking his standoff with the Americans. Afterward, Kate begs Hal to take her back as his wife, and he agrees. But when Kate discovers that Hal and President Penn (Allison Janney) secretly had the sub's weapon retrieved before the meeting and used her suggestion as cover, she confronts him — and Hal, alarmed, tells Penn that Kate has figured it out.
Emmy history: This is Sewell's second nomination; he was previously nominated for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2019).

Noah Wyle (The Pitt) Noah Wyle in The PittHBO Max

Episode: "9:00 P.M."
Character: Dr. Michael "Robby" Robinavitch
Recap: Robby learns that Al-Hashimi's (Sepideh Moafi) seizures, thought to be under control, have returned, and tells her she has to disclose the condition and step back from work. He and Abbot (Shawn Hatosy) later perform an emergency C-section to save a mother and baby after a botched freebirth. As the shift winds down, both Abbot and Langdon (Patrick Ball) urge Robby to get help for himself; Robby ends up holding an abandoned newborn, reassuring the baby, and himself, that everything will be okay.
Emmy history: This is Wyle's 10th nomination; he previously won as both a producer and actor for The Pitt (2025), and was nominated for E.R. (1995-99).

The Emmys, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, will be handed out Sept. 14 at the Peacock Theater.