The Film Experience

By Juan Carlos Ojano

Leading up to the nominations, much of the discussion surrounding this category is about how many and who among the Mrs. America stars would get in. It says a lot when Emmy favorite Sarah Paulson and previous nominees Elizabeth Banks and Rose Byrne could not even score a nomination, despite prominent roles in the show. Outside of that limited series Patti LuPone, Rosie O’Donnell, Cherry Jones, and Winona Ryder were just some of the names floated leading up to the nominations announcement that didn't . Without any further ado, let’s review the performances that were nominated...

Uzo Aduba as Shirley Chisholm in Mrs. America (FX)
Submission: “Shirley"

As the first of the three women from this series, Emmy winner Aduba plays this remarkable politician who becomes the first black politician to run for a party nomination for President. In this episode, Chisholm is in the middle of fighting huge hurdles, namely racial and gender bias, in her quest to get the said nomination. Her goal is questioned left and right: men and women, black and white. Aduba gets incredibly juicy material in this episode, navigating this world where odds are obviously stacked against her while still maintaining her resolve to shake up the system. It is a truly striking thing to witness her shift from strong-willed determination to acceptance of defeat, the painful realization to the necessary composure in accepting the outcome, all encapsulated in this emotional hour of television. She also gets to show really subtle work in body language that says a lot about this character despite her reserve. She gets one genuinely rousing speech during a convention that serves as the highlight of this episode.

Toni Collette as Grace Rasmussen in Unbelievable (Netflix)
Submission: “Episode 6”

Toni Collette can do no wrong. In this episode, the stakes of the serial rapist investigation continues to increase, with false leads making her even more tense. This gives Collette a lot of opportunities to demonstrate precise character work while maintaining her workmanlike attitude in her job. With slow progress and a failed undercover work putting her on the edge, Collette expertly handles an angrily cutting speech during a work meeting. Finally finding the necessity to articulate her pent-up frustration and urgency in finding the culprit, Collette located the intensity of the moment within her character’s (and the show’s) emotional restraint. Later, she picks up on that with a conversation with her colleague (the questionably un-nominated Merritt Wever). Starting with an apology and ending with a witty banter, Collette has tremendous chemistry with Wever that makes the whole work relationship (and the series in general) more dynamic and engaging. This performance is a testament to Collette’s capability to turn a potentially unshowy character to a masterful showcase in commanding professional grit.

Margo Martindale as Bella Abzug in Mrs. America (FX)
Submission: “Bella”

Another Emmy favorite, Martindale submits the seventh episode of this series. We find Bella recently losing her Senate run in 1976 while the women around her are starting to lose morale due to the anti-ERA’s recent activities. What surprises about this performance is that Martindale could have gone loud with this performance, and it still would have worked. However, Martindale imbues her character’s longstanding determination with suggested weariness that age and politics have brought onto her. Note the difference in her confrontations with her colleagues with her one-time encounter with the anti-ERA women. In the former, the question of losing her radical views puts her in a push and pull between offense and defense. In the latter, she handles the moment almost like a sneak attack: her amiable expressions pull the anti-ERA women in until she corners them with a serious blow. Martindale knows precisely how to use dialogue to convey shifting power dynamics.

Jean Smart as Laurie Blake in Watchmen (HBO)
Submission: “She was Killed by Space Junk”

Smart returns to the Emmy race with this Emmy juggernaut as a feisty FBI agent. This is a smart submission from this nominee (and yes, pun completely intended). Starting off with an enigmatic phone call leading to the arrest of a vigilante, the episode immediately puts Laurie Blake front and center in this episode. Smart lives up to that challenge by providing a well-calibrated performance that sees her display a careful calculation underneath the seeming abandon. The three phone calls that she has in this episode embody Smart’s ability to reveal so much about Laurie while still preserving the mystery of her character that serves as a cliffhanger for what is about to come. While she does not get any big emotional scenes (something that this series does not do a lot), Smart’s strongest asset is weaponizing sharp wit and cynical humor in doing her job as her character slowly becomes integrated in the central plot of the series.

Holland Taylor as Ellen Kincaid in Hollywood (Netflix)
Submission: “Jump”

In her portrayal of a compassionate acting coach, Taylor finds the much-needed humanity to augment the show’s bombastic depiction of the studio system. She aces her character’s blossoming assertion in work and romance that is cleverly plotted in this episode. Two scenes stand out. The first one is her working lunch with Avis Amberg (LuPone). Her bashful reaction to the possibility of striking up a romance with her colleague Dick Samuels (the wonderful Joe Mantello) is a joyous scene that sees Taylor play the nervous excitement very well. Her second highlight is even more dynamic. In inviting Dick for a working dinner, we see her delicately navigate work and seduction and all the subtle notes in between. It is heartbreaking to see: lust is not just the driving force, but the genuine desire for deeper connection. Her delivery of “Have I just ruined what we have?” with a trembling voice and glassy eyes is enough to show her skillful handling of that moment. What a lovely semi-surprise inclusion in this lineup.

Tracey Ullman as Betty Friedan in Mrs. America (FX)
Submission: “Betty”

And the last woman from Mrs. America is another longtime Emmy favorite. In this episode, Ullman plays the spunky feminist icon who goes into a debate with the notorious Phyllis Schlaffly (Cate Blanchett). Before that climactic scene, we already see this hallmark of the feminist movement past her prime. Ullman modulates those moments of seeming irritation with weariness. A less skilled performer might give a one-note performance out of this character, but Ullman shades this character with longevity and passion. With a hoarse voice and fatigued posture and facial expressions, Ullman clearly illustrates this woman. This leads to the debate with Schlaffly. In that moment, Blanchett and Ullman deftly execute verbal warfare with contrasting styles. The result is a thrilling moment in actressing that beautifully escalates, leading to Friedan’s symbolic defeat. The aftermath is heartbreaking, with Friedan reassessing her place in the movement. The episode gives Ullman much to do and she does not disappoint. Yet again, another solid contender from this show.

Personal Ranking:

Toni Collette - Unbelievable
Uzo Aduba - Mrs. America
Holland Taylor - Hollywood
Tracey Ullman - Mrs. America
Margo Martindale - Mrs. America
Jean Smart - Watchmen

Predicted Winner: Toni Collette - Unbelievable

Predicted Spoiler: Jean Smart - Watchmen