The Shrinking cast was well represented among the 2025 Emmy nominees. The series picked up seven nominations total, with four going to its actors. Those four are Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Michael Urie and Harrison Ford. The catch is, Ford and Urie are competing in the same category – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. So, when asked about his category-mate, the Brian actor explained why he thinks the Paul actor should win.
Now, both Urie and Ford had outstanding seasons on Shrinking and are equally deserving of their nominations. However, while doing press about it, the Brian actor was asked by the AP about competing against his legendary co-star, in response, he said:
He's going down. [Laughs] No, I mean, I hope he wins. I wanted him to win. I love him so much. I mean, he's such a good actor.
Personally, Harrison Ford’s nomination for playing Paul was one I’d been really hoping for after he was snubbed at the 2023 Emmys. Shrinking marked a new chapter in his career, his first regular role on a TV show, and it allowed us to see a totally different side of him as an actor. It’s a special show, his role in it is incredible, and he deserves the nomination and possible win, as Urie said.
However, Urie deserves it too. Brian became a fan-favorite character in Shrinking Season 2, and he got to show off his skills as a performer even more than he did in Season 1. I mean, that speech he gave multiple times? Those scenes alone make him worthy of the nomination and potentially a trophy.
Although it would seem he really wants the gold to go to his co-star, and I get it. Harrison Ford is 83 years old, and across his entire career, he’s been nominated for one Oscar in 1986 for Witness and one Emmy as of this week for Shrinking. That’s crazy! So, it’s about time he gets the recognition he deserves, and for a role that is absolutely remarkable, as Urie explained:
And I think because he's a movie star, he hasn't always -- he's like an action movie star -- he hasn't always been considered an award-sy actor. But he's really good. He can do things with his eyes and his face that tell ten stories that aren't on the page. I learned so much watching him, watching his process, watching the way that he thinks on camera. You don't know what he's thinking, but you see him thinking, and it's fascinating.
In Shrinking, we get to see so many sides of both Ford and Urie as performers. When it comes to the 1923 actor, I think about the juxtaposition of his tearjerking speech in the finale with the moment of him singing in the car with Jessica Williams’ Gaby. Talk about range! And in Season 2, we’ve gotten to see that for his co-star too, as the Brian actor has gone from the aforementioned fast-talking speech to showing major vulnerability and self-awareness as he goes through the adoption process with his husband.
Truly, both these men are so worthy of their nominations, and I can’t wait to see them at the Emmys on September 14. However, I can safely say that I’m even more excited about seeing them return as Paul and Brian in Season 3 of Shrinking, which we will hopefully be able to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription sooner rather than later.
