Drama Push, Sarah Goldberg in Lead

AMC has “The Audacity” to mount Emmy ambitions.

The freshman drama series from creator Jonathan Glatzer is gearing up for a major Emmys push, Variety has learned exclusively, submitting in the drama categories. The series will position its two leads, Billy Magnussen and Sarah Goldberg, for consideration as lead actor and lead actress, respectively. Co-stars Zach Galifianakis, Simon Helberg, Rob Corddry, Meaghan Rath, Paul Adelstein and Lucy Punch will all vie for supporting acting consideration in their respective races.

Already renewed for a second season, “The Audacity” follows Duncan Park (Magnussen), a self-appointed “inventor of the future” and tech CEO, and his therapist, JoAnne (Goldberg), who blackmails him into participating in white-collar crimes.

Alison Herman, chief TV critic for Variety, compared the series to a “more straightforward spoof” of “Silicon Valley” and praising the acting, writing in her review: “The leads are not movie stars slumming it for an all-but-guaranteed Emmy nomination, but TV veterans who’ve worked their way up the call sheet and earned a spot at the top.”

Magnussen, best known for his scene-stealing roles in projects such as the comedy “Game Night,” plays a volatile tech disruptor and could land his first major Emmy nomination in a competitive lead drama actor field.

Goldberg, who picked up a sole career Emmy nom for her work as Sally Reed, the aspiring actor and love interest of a hitman on HBO’s dark comedy “Barry” in 2019, is making her transition into leading lady status, aiming to break into a crowded category that could include heavyweights such as Rhea Seehorn (“Pluribus”) and Zendaya (“Euphoria”). Her portrayal of JoAnne — a therapist with a controlled exterior masking a chaotic interior — blends wit with intensity, a combination that could appeal to members of the TV Academy’s performers peer group.

Galifianakis could also be a notable supporting contender following standout work on Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” Season 4. In “The Audacity,” he plays Carl Bardolph, a client of JoAnne, in a performance some early observers have singled out as a potential dark-horse Emmy bid. Galifianakis has earned six Emmy nominations in his career, winning twice for outstanding short-form live-action entertainment program for his series “Between Two Ferns,” including his interviews with President Barack Obama and Brad Pitt. Among his noms are two for acting: guest comedy actor for “Saturday Night Live” in 2011 and lead comedy actor for “Baskets.”

Helberg is also a familiar face, given his run as Howard Wolowitz on CBS’ award-winning “The Big Bang Theory.” This will be one of two entries for himself this year, with the other being in the guest comedy actor category for his role on Peacock’s “Poker Face.”

Glatzer is a three-time Emmy-nominated producer in the drama series category, earning recognition for AMC’s “Better Call Saul” in 2017 and twice for HBO’s “Succession” in 2019 and 2020, winning for the latter.

More official Emmy category submissions for “The Audacity” will be announced at a later date. The Emmy Awards timeline begins with nomination-round voting from June 11-22, with nominations announced on July 8.

Season 1 of “The Audacity” consists of eight episodes and airs Sundays on AMC and AMC+.