Some actors have to master a difficult accent or wear an uncomfortable costume to pull off a role. “Genius” stars Geoffrey Rush and Johnny Flynn needed to learn some theoretical physics.
Their roles as the older and younger Albert Einstein, respectively, demanded that they rapidly rattle off complex equations as if delivering lines of casual conversation. (As befits two men playing the same person, they sometimes finished each other’s sentences in an interview with TheWrap.)
“We had to reel off equations and we had no… clue what we were saying,” Flynn said.
National Geographic’s “Genius” portrays both Einstein’s early life as a struggling patent clerk trying to get a teaching job and doctorate, and as an older man who developed the theory of relativity. The second season of the series will focus on another genius, Pablo Picasso.
The anthology’s executive producers include Ron Howard and Brian Glazer.
Emmy Showdown: 46 Actors Competing Against Themselves, From Melissa McCarthy to Jimmy Smits (Photos)
In an already crowded Emmy race, some actors have submitted themselves as many as four times in the same category (we're looking at you, Maya Rudolph) -- which means they can look in the mirror to find what's
Alfonso Herrera, Best Actor in a Drama Series, "Sense8" and "The Exorcist"
Margo Martindale, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, "Sneaky Pete" and "The Americans"
Samira Wiley, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, "Orange Is the New Black" and "The Handmaid's Tale"
Caitlin FitzGerald, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, "Masters of Sex" and "Rectify"
Gianarlo Esposito, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, "The Get Down" and "Better Call Saul"
Rufus Sewell, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, "The Man in the High Castle" and "Victoria"
Sam Palladino, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, "Humans" and "Nashville"
Jimmy Smits, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, "The Get Down" and "24: Legacy"
Terry O'Quinn, Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, "The Blacklist: Redemption," "Patriot" and "Secrets and Lies"
Deon Cole, Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, "Angie Tribeca" and "black-ish"
Ennis Esmer, Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, "Red Oaks" and "You Me Her"
Angela Bassett, Best Supporting Actress in a Movie or Miniseries, "American Horror Story: Roanoke" and "Close to the Enemy"
Michael Kenneth Williams, Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries, "When We Rise" and "The Night Of"
Alfred Molina, Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries, "Close to the Enemy," "Feud: Bette and Joan" and "Sister Cities"
Laura Dern, Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "Last Man on Earth" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Stacie Greenwell, Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "One Mississippi" and "Shameless"
Angela Kinsey, Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "Blunt Talk" and "The Real O'Neals"
Melissa McCarthy, Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "Saturday Night Live" and "Nobodies"
Laurie Metcalf, Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "The Big Bang Theory" and "Portlandia"
Maya Rudolph, Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "Brooklyn Nine Nine," "Documentary Now," "Nobodies" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Cecily Strong, Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "Detroiters" and "Superstore"
Nicole Sullivan, Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, "black-ish," "Girlboss" and "Mom"
Kristen Wiig, Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, " Last Man on Earth," "Nobodies" and "SNL"
Fred Armisen, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Blunt Talk" and "Difficult People"
Ed Begley Jr., Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Blunt Talk" and "Grace and Frankie"
Cedric the Entertainer, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Another Period" and "Master of None"
Daveed Diggs, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "black-ish" and "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"
Nathan Fillion, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Modern Family" and "Brooklyn Nine Nine"
Ryan Hansen, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Teachers" and "The Mindy Project"
Richard Masur, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Transparent" and "Younger"
Ajay Mehta, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "The Good Place" and "Scream Queens"
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Difficult People" and "SNL"
Hayley Joel Osment, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Teachers" and "Silicon Valley"
Chris Pine, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Angie Tribeca" and "SNL"
Jason Schwartzmann, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Blunt Talk" and "Mozart in the Jungle"
Bradley Whitford, Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, "Better Things" and "Mom"
Jane Lynch, Guest Actress in a Drama Series, "Criminal Minds" and "The Good Fight"
Marlee Matlin, Guest Actress in a Drama Series, "Code Black" and "The Magicians"
Raymond J. Berry, Guest Actor in a Drama Series, "Gotham" and "Ray Donovan"
Ron Cephas Jones, Guest Actor in a Drama Series, " The Get Down" and "Mr. Robot"
Matthew Lillard, Guest Actor in a Drama Series, "Bosch" and "Halt and Catch Fire"
Gerald McRaney, Guest Actor in a Drama Series, " House of Cards" and "This Is Us"
Eric Roberts, Guest Actor in a Drama Series, "Code Black" and "Grey's Anatomy"
Peter James Smith, Guest Actor in a Drama Series, "Bosch" and "Colony"
David Strathairn, Guest Actor in a Drama Series, "Billions" and "Z: The Beginning of Everything"
Isaiah Washington, Guest Actor in a Drama Series, "Blue Bloods" and "Bull"
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Some performers this year have more than one shot at a nomination in the same category
In an already crowded Emmy race, some actors have submitted themselves as many as four times in the same category (we're looking at you, Maya Rudolph) -- which means they can look in the mirror to find what's
