8 Potential Golden Globe Nominees We Love

The Oscars may not be happening for another three months, but luckily for us award show junkies, there are many other events to look forward to while we wait. The most important of these, of course, is the Golden Globes, the annual ceremony honoring the best in both movies and TV. The Globes are routinely the most fun awards show of the season, thanks in large part to its open bar and round-table seating. They are also the most unpredictable; as happens every year, the 2014 show already has some definite contenders — Captain Phillips' Tom Hanks and All Is Lost's Robert Redford for film, Scandal's Kerry Washington and Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston for TV, among others —but there are also dozens of other potential acting candidates vying for just a handful of spots. Chances are, many of our favorites won't make the cut come nomination time, but just as likely are some deserving outside contenders managing to sneak into the race.

The actual nominations won't be announced until next week, on Thurs, Dec. 12, but in the meantime, here are eight potential nominees we're rooting for this year (spoiler alert: they probably won't get nominated. But we really, really wish they would):

BEST ACTRESS — MOTION PICTURE DRAMA

Brie Larson — Short Term 12

Short Term 12, a phenomenal little film about a group foster home, deserves nominations in several categories, including Best Picture. Yet despite major critical acclaim, it's unlikely to get noticed, thanks to its small budget and cast of relative unknowns. It's biggest chance, though, is Brie Larson, who was nothing short of incredible as Grace, the film's lead. Her performance was heartfelt and hugely affecting, anchoring the movie and earning it some of its highest praise. In a category that will surely include well-knowns like Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett, there's not much of a shot Larson will get nominated, but perhaps the HFPA will realize what an astonishing job the young actress did in Short Term 12 and give her a spot in one of the show's biggest categories.

BEST ACTOR — MOTION PICTURE DRAMA

Michael B. Jordan — Fruitvale Station

Jordan's name has been murmured for months to be a major contender come awards season, but due to the over-crowded Best Actor category, a nomination is far from definite. Still, it'd be a real shame if the Globes overlooked Jordan, who, in his first major lead role, played the difficult role of the real-life Oscar Grant with confidence and poise. Through his poignant portrayal of Grant, Jordan was the heart of the film, giving the excellent Fruitvale its emotional center.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS — MOTION PICTURE

June Squibb — Nebraska

It's all but definite that Bruce Dern, the star of Alexander Payne's road trip dramedy Nebraska, will get a nod for Best Actor. That's all well and good, but we're rooting for Dern's co-star, June Squibb, to squeeze into the race. As Kate, the exhausted, exasperated wife of a man suffering from dementia, Squibb steals every scene she's in. After years of playing supporting roles that flew under the radar, it's about time that the 84-year-old actress gets the recognition she wholeheartedly deserves.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR — MOTION PICTURE

James Gandolfini — Enough Said

It's too bad the Globes only separate Drama and Comedy for Best Picture and Lead Actors, because otherwise, the late Gandolfini would have a better shot at earning a nomination next week. As it is, he's facing competition including Michael Fassbender and Jared Leto, who gave large performances in even larger movies. Gandolfini's performance in Enough Said, meanwhile, was wonderful because of its subtlety. His role as Albert, a sweet, messy man, was likable and affecting, showing off a vulnerable side of Gandolfini that Sopranos fans never knew, and unfortunately, will never get to see again.

BEST ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA SERIES

Taylor Schilling — Orange Is the New Black

It's all but certain that the Golden Globes will honor Orange Is the New Black, Netflix's hit summer show, in at least a couple categories. It's likely a few of the series' supporting actors, like Taryn Manning or Uzo Aduba, will find themselves nominated, and while we completely support any of the show's amazing cast getting recognized, we're particularly rooting for the series' lead, Taylor Schilling. While Schilling's performance on OITNB is less showy than her co-stars, she inhabits Piper with ease and manages to make her likable — despite her being the least interesting inmate in the jail. It's not easy being the straight man to an ensemble as crazy good as OITNB's, but Schilling does it impressively well. In all likelihood, the Globes will overlook the actress in favor of her costars, but for now, we'll hold out hope.

BEST ACTOR IN A TELEVISION COMEDY SERIES

Nick Offerman — Parks & Recreation

Someone needs to give this man an award before it's too late, because Nick Offerman is one of the best things about Parks and Recreation, and that's saying a lot for a show that includes Amy Poehler, Joe Biden, and a horse named Little Sebastian. As Ron Swanson, Offerman is pitch-perfect, and has managed to turn his character into something of an icon that has reach far beyond the series' viewers. Please, HFPA, give Offerman a nomination; he's been nothing but fantastic for six years and counting.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN SERIES OR MINI-SERIES

Monica Potter — Parenthood

Whether the Globes choose to honor Parenthood star Monica Potter for her cancer storyline last season or her mayoral run this season is besides the point, as long as they give her a nomination. Potter has never been anything less than wonderful as Kristina Braverman on the NBC drama, and it's due time she gets honored with a Globe nomination (or an Emmy nom, for that matter — we're still smarting over that snub.)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN SERIES OR MINI-SERIES

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau — Game of Thrones

All of Thrones' actors deserve Globe nominations, but only a few — Emilia Clarke and Peter Dinklage — are guaranteed to get honored. There are simply too many talented members of the show's ensemble to recognize, but we hope that this year, the Globes choose to fit in Coster-Waldau, who wowed last season as the proud, wounded Jaime Lannister. The actor made an intensely unlikable character a fan favorite, and if that's not deserving of a nomination, we don't know what is.

Images: Cinedigm, The Weinstein Company, Paramount Village, Fox Searchlight, NBC, HBO