Apple TV’s new limited series, “Franklin,” takes an entertaining look at Benjamin Franklin and, in the hands of Oscar winner Michael Douglas, the man is one of the most watchable people on TV this year. However, Douglas isn’t the only actor to do deliver the goods in this series. British teenager Noah Jupe matches the veteran beat for beat in his role as William Temple Franklin, the grandson of Franklin who served as his secretary during the diplomatic mission in France.
That Jupe manages to hold his own against the sheer might and talent of Douglas is impressive. Lesser actors would have vanished and been forgotten in the face of Douglas’ tour de force performance but Jupe stands tall and proves himself to be his equal. Critics have cited Jupe’s performance as one of the most exciting things about the limited series.
Carly Lane (Collider) noted: “Jupe has the task of depicting the same character through eight long, pivotal years, and rises to meet that challenge with seemingly little struggle. The Temple at the end of the series is a far cry from the one we’re first introduced to… the series is at its best when Douglas and Jupe are on-screen.”
Ben Gibbons (Screen Rant) observed: “Another standout performance that needs to be acknowledged is Noah Jupe (‘A Quiet Place’), who plays Franklin’s grandson, Temple. Jupe is tasked with delivering an enormous amount of growth and change, as the series begins with him playing a 16-year-old boy who aids his grandfather as a secretary and ends with a 25-year-old man who has forged his own path, which Jupe masterfully performs.”
Manuel Betancourt (The A.V. Club) opined: “‘Franklin’ is most thrilling as a coming-of-age tale, with Jupe handily stepping into the role of Temple, who comes into his own.”
As a result, Jupe is in with a great chance of earning his first-ever Emmy nomination. There is plenty of competition in the Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor category this year, including recent Oscar winner Robert Downey Jr. (“The Sympathizer”), Lewis Pullman (“Lessons in Chemistry”), and Jonathan Bailey (“Fellow Travelers”).
A nomination for Jupe would make total sense, however. The young thespian has impressed in major turns in the likes of “Honey Boy,” “A Quiet Place,” and “The Undoing.” In the latter, Jupe kept pace with Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman. A nomination here would be the logical next step in the development of his career.
This category is a great one for those seeking their first nominations with the likes of Joseph Lee (“Beef”), Young Mazino (“Beef”), Steve Zahn (“The White Lotus”), Jake Lacy (“The White Lotus”), Murray Bartlett (“The White Lotus”), and Paapu Essiedu (“I May Destroy You”) all doing so.
Young actors tend to do well in this category, too, with Mazino, Will Poulter (“Dopesick”), and Thomas Brodie-Sangster (“The Queen’s Gambit”) all earning nominations.
And playing a real person is always a good way to be nominated. Richard Jenkins (“Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”), Seth Rogen (“Pam & Tommy”), Jim Parsons (“Hollywood”), and “Hamilton” trio Anthony Ramos, Jonathan Groff, and Daveed Diggs all earned bids in this category for portraying real people.
Voters are also drawn to thespians who play key figures in American political history in this category. Examples include Ramos as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton in “Hamilton,” Diggs as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson in “Hamilton,” Ed Harris as John McCain in “Game Change,” Tom Wilkinson as Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. in “The Kennedys,” Len Cariou as Franklin D. Roosevelt in “Into the Storm,” Stephen Dillane as Thomas Jefferson in “John Adams,” David Morse as George Washington in “John Adams,” and Wilkinson as Franklin in “John Adams.”
Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?