As Emmy nominations continue to pile in, the competition is heating up. With an outstanding genre of TV shows and an incredible selection of actors and actresses, it’s become a guessing game as to who will take home the coveted awards this year.

Hulu’s The Act is considered amongst fans and critics as a contender for an Emmy nomination. The true crime series consisted of one thrilling season with leads Patricia Arquette and Joey King. Actor Calum Worthy gave an unforgettable performance as Nick Godejohn, Gypsy Blanchard’s boyfriend who murdered her mother Dee Dee Blanchard.

The hype around the show, along with the upcoming Emmy nominations, is certainly something Calum is aware of.

“When you’re filming something, you’re hoping people just enjoy it and that someone watches it because you’re in such a bubble. So when you find out that people are actually enjoying it quite a bit, it means a lot, and I think you do exactly what you think you do: You text the cast and say, ‘Oh my God! People are actually liking the show a lot,'” he explained.

The real Nick Godejohn is currently serving a life sentence after being convicted of first-degree murder. In order for Calum to step into Nick’s mindset, he had to pursue research, and even go as far as to haunt himself with dark images and disturbing videos.

“I knew he had a lot of very dark thoughts throughout his life, so I played disturbing videos at night before I went to set, and I’d wake up and they’d still be playing so I’d kind of be haunted by those images,” he explained.

He continued: “Then after we filmed the murder scene, because we filmed it in chronological order, I would have the picture of Dee Dee Blanchard’s crime photos on my phone, and so it’d be the last thing I’d see before I go to bed at night and the first thing I’d see when I woke up, and I’d constantly be haunted by those images.”

The intensity of the character and the change in his presence affected Calum’s day-to-day life.

“I felt like I was pulling away from a lot of family and friends,” said Calum. “I didn’t reach out as much. I was off social media for about five months while we filmed it because it didn’t feel right to be on social media playing such an intense character.”

Emmy nominations will be announced on July 16 at 11:30 AM ET/8: 30 AM PT.