The Film Experience

Our team is breaking down the top contenders in all the major Emmy races and highlighting some of our favorites over the next few weeks. Today, we’re looking at Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

Ann Dowd ("The Handmaid's Tale") is the only former winner still eligible for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series this year.By: Christopher James

When the Emmys fall in love with a show, they really fall hard. Specifically, Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series can get filled with multiple nominees from a single show. For example, the final season of Game of Thrones in 2019 earned four nominations in this category alone (Gwendoline Christie, Lena Headey, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams). While that show is no longer on the air, The Handmaid’s Tale has also seen a large number of women nominated. Ann Dowd won the category in 2017 and the following women have been nominated for past seasons: Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel and Yvonne Strahovski. Will The Handmaid’s Tale continue to dominate this category, or will another show, like The Crown, take up the most slots?

Helena Bonham Carter could return to this category for her role as Princess Margaret in "The Crown."

The Returning Nominees

It’s always best to start with returning nominees when sizing up an Emmy category. Of the two remaining eligible nominees from last year, Helena Bonham Carter stands the best chance of showing up again for her role as Princess Margaret in The Crown. Season four was not as much of a showcase for Margaret but Bonham Carter always manages to be an incredible screen presence. Her Golden Globe nomination shows that people are still fans of her work this season. Additionally, The Crown is the overall Emmy favorite this year, and Carter will be an easy get for the show’s (presumed) monster nomination haul.

This season of The Handmaid’s Tale has not been tested against any awards precursors, so it is unclear which of the four former nominees will earn favor. Last year, only Samira Wiley earned a nomination, demonstrating long standing love for her character Moira. As one of only two returning players from last year, we should count her in. Similarly, we shouldn’t count out former winner Ann Dowd. The legendary character actress continues to dazzle in the villainous part, and voters have loved to reward her in the past. Yvonne Strahovski gets more and more to do each season and is a fan favorite. If voters have fallen in love with the show again (it’s nomination count dropped last year, including an Elisabeth Moss snub), she may be the show’s third nomination here. Alexis Bledel has had great material in the past, but is more under the radar this season.

The first season of This Is Us brought a nomination for Chrissy Metz in Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Since 2017, Metz has not been back to this category, though Sterling K. Brown keeps showing up in Best Actor. Once someone falls out of Emmy’s good graces, it’s unlikely they make a triumphant return, unless the show is expected to have a big comeback. This Is Us has been waning in nominations year after year, so Metz is unlikely.

If voters are watching "Lovecraft Country," Wunmi Mosaku stands a great chance at an Emmy nomination.

Freshman Series Stars

Two wild cards in this category could not be more different. HBO’s Lovecraft Country earned rave reviews this summer. The genre-defying epic has a host of great performances. In this category, most of the buzz has gone to rising star Wunmi Mosaku, who earned a Critics Choice nomination for her performance. Since the show has earned attention in other awards shows, including the Golden Globes and SAG Ensemble Award, voters are likely watching. If they love it, they may very well nominate Mosaku and possibly previous Emmy nominee Aunjanue Ellis.

Meanwhile, Netflix’s Ratched was met with mixed to negative reviews. Still, Ryan Murphy’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest prequel boasts a star-studded cast and strong viewership numbers. This helped the series earn three Globe nominations including a supporting bid for previous Emmy winner Cynthia Nixon. Her pedigree and starpower will likely get her a nomination in this category. If voters love the show more than critics, former nominee Judy Davis could also sneak in.

It’s no secret that the Emmys become smitten with certain performers. Tatiana Maslany pulled off a surprise win for Orphan Black a few years ago for Best Actress in a Drama Series. The award was surprising not due to the quality of the performance, but because the show never earned more nominations. Still, Maslany’s impressive work spoke for itself. If they are still big fans of hers, they may take notice of her work in HBO’s Perry Mason, which was a fall hit. With Emmy winner Matthew Rhys headlining, the show has pedigree but does it have enough to contend in multiple categories?

Other potential newcomers that could break in this year include Brooke Smith (Big Sky) and Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton).

Gillian Anderson has swept every precursor for her performance as Margaret Thatcher in "The Crown."

Coattails From Emmy Favorites

The frontrunner for the win is surely Gillian Anderson, who tackles the role of Margaret Thatcher in the latest season of The Crown. She won Best Actress at the SAG Awards (beating out her lead co-stars - Olivia Colman and Emma Corwin) and Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice. In many ways, this has become the juggernaut performance of the year; If she can take out lead contenders at SAG, nothing is standing in her way of the Emmy.

Anderson and Helena Bonham Carter aren’t the only people from The Crown vying for a supporting actress nomination. Recent Oscar winning writer/director Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman), who began her career as an actress, earned positive reviews for her role as Camilla Parker Bowles. There has long been an Oscar afterglow effect for actors when it comes to the Emmys. However, there aren’t many cases where a writing win has translated to an acting Emmy nomination. Still, Fennell and The Crown are both hot properties and that's sometimes all you need in an awards race.

We also should not forget Pose, which is in its final season on FX. The drama set in the 80s/90s ballroom scene earned a Drama Series nomination for its first season. That same year, it also won Best Actor for Billy Porter, who plays the ball announcer, Pray Tell. Though Porter and the show have done well, it’s a shame that none of the fabulous trans actresses have received similar accolades. Indya Moore has been a standout, particularly in the early seasons, as Angel, a fashion model. However, this final season hasn’t put her in the spotlight as much. Meanwhile, Dominique Jackson continues to get more to do in the final season. Her Grand Dame, Electra, even gets a whole episode dedicated to her backstory. She could be a dark horse in the category.

PREDICTIONS

Gillian Anderson - The Crown
Helena Bonham Carter - The Crown
Samira Wiley - The Handmaid’s Tale
Ann Dowd - The Handmaid’s Tale
Wunmi Mosaku - Lovecraft Country
Cynthia Nixon - Ratched
Emerald Fennell - The Crown
Tatiana Maslany - Perry Mason

Who are you rooting for in Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series this year?

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