The "what will be nominated at the Emmys?" conversation continues. Today: Best Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Last year, this category was upended in a major way, with just one of the six eligible previous nominees – winner Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) returning to the lineup. 2020, then, could be a good chance for any of the booted five to rejoin the race, as three of last year’s nominees won’t be back. Past winners Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) will have to wait for new series to bring them back since those shows have ended, and Natasha Lyonne (Russian Doll) will probably return whenever her show does, which won’t be this season. It’s fair to assume that the other three nominees will be back: Brosnahan, Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek), whose show just aired its series finale and who is definitely the fan favorite (of this site), and Christina Applegate (Dead to Me), whose second season will in fact arrive on time for Emmy consideration…
The past four years:
The two contenders left off last year whose shows are still buzzing are Pamela Adlon (Better Things) and Issa Rae (Insecure), both of whose series are currently airing their latest episodes. The timing can't hurt.
It’s definitely possible that Allison Janney (Mom), Tracie Ellis Ross (Black-ish), and either Lily Tomlin or Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) could earn a return nomination, but there’s nothing to suggest any new attention will be paid to them this year. In the same way that costar Eric McCormack might be welcomed back to the race for the show’s real final season, Debra Messing (Will & Grace) could too. She netted five bids and one win between 2000 and 2006, and she got a Golden Globe nomination in 2019 for the series’ latest iteration.
The likeliest newbie to be nominated in this category is two-time Emmy winner Merritt Wever (Run), whose show just premiered a week ago. I would have put Golden Globe nominee Kirsten Dunst (On Becoming a God in Central Florida) as a strong contender, but her show has been ruled a drama and will compete in those races instead. I’d absolutely love to see Daisy Haggard (Breeders) as a nominee, but I think that’s wishful thinking for a low-profile show. Other possibilities include Awkwafina (Awkwafina is Nora from Queens), Jane Levy (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist), and Zoe Kravitz (High Fidelity), but I don’t think any of them can muster enough support for their shows.
We also can't rule out two actresses who haven’t been nominated before despite their shows earning other major bids. Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me), who I believe would do better if she switched to the supporting race, wasn’t listed alongside costar Applegate last year, but is a likelier addition this year. Kristen Bell (The Good Place), didn’t manage a bid for the first three seasons of her show, but its swan song might mean that she can join costar Ted Danson as a nominee.
So, where does this leave us? While there are actually a solid number of contenders, this particular year doesn't appear to be all that volatile. But maybe we’ll get a surprise or two!
Predictions:
- Pamela Adlon (Better Things
- Christina Applegate (Dead to Me)
- Rachel Brosnahan (Marvelous Mrs Maisel)
- Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me)
- Catherine O'Hara (Schitt’s Creek)
- Merrit Wever (Run)
Which actresss do you think will make the cut for 2020?
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