Category Analysis - Limited Series Supporting Categories

by Christopher James

Will Golden Globe winner Paul Walter Hauser win the Emmy for his work on Apple TV+'s Black Bird?

Emmy voters spread the wealth quite a bit in the Limited Series/TV Movie section of their ballots. When Abe covered the Drama Supporting races only four shows filled the sixteen (!) available slots. The same Supporting Categories for limited series bring us eight shows with only fourteen slots to fill.

Both Beef and Welcome to Chippendales have three nominated supporting performances. Meanwhile, the following shows have two actors represented between the two categories - Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and Black Bird. These races welcomed in a healthy mix of newcomers (six nominees received their first acting Emmy nomination) alongside three previous Emmy winners. Will the newcomers overthrow the proven winners? Let’s take a look at the categories and their submissions...

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

• Annaleigh Ashford - Welcome to Chippendales - Submission: “February 31” (Episode 6)

• Maria Bello - Beef - Submission: “The Great Fabricator” (Episode 9)

• Claire Danes - Fleishman is in Trouble - Submission: “Me-Time” (Episode 7)

• Juliette Lewis - Welcome to Chippendales - Submission: “Paper is Paper” (Episode 7)

• Camila Morrone - Daisy Jones and the Six - Submission: “Rock 'n' Roll Suicide” (Episode 10)

• Niecy Nash-Betts - Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story - Submission: “Cassandra” (Episode 7)

• Merritt Wever - Tiny Beautiful Things - Submission: “Pilot” (Episode 1)

The odds on favorite heading into the Emmys is Niecy Nash-Betts for her incredible work as Glenda Cleveland, the oft-ignored next door neighbor to Jeffrey Dahmer in Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. She’s the only performer to earn nominations at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards and TV Critics Choice Awards, winning the latter. Niecy Nash-Betts has quite a strong narrative going for herself, as she’s a well-respected character actress with three previous acting nominations and no wins. Plus, Dahmer is tied with Beef as the nomination leader for Limited Series. Still, Nash-Betts isn’t resting on these laurels, as her episode submission, “Cassandra,” allows her a cathartic release of her rage and frustration. It’s a heroic performance, as Glenda finally sees Dahmer arrested and crusades for his conviction. In talking with Al Sharpton, Glenda recounts some of her most harrowing encounters with Dahmer, leading to some high wire moments of tension held together by Niecy Nash-Betts’ impenetrable stare. She is going to be hard to beat.

The only other nominee to have precursor support is three time Emmy winner Claire Danes for Fleishman is in Trouble, where she plays the prickly Rachel Fleishman, who disappears shortly after getting divorced. Her episode submission, “Me Time,” is a knockout, reframing the narrative around Danes’ troubled character. For viewers of the show, it humanizes her character; while for the uninitiated, it tells a complete and cohesive portrait of a woman who crumbles under the weight of her commitments. A therapy scene where Danes screams into the void feels tailor made for Emmys clips. That doesn’t dull the effect of the episode, which steadily builds, communicating the razor’s edge that Rachel walks on, and eventually falls off of.

Beef is tied with Dahmer for most nominations for a limited series this year. However, that won’t likely help Maria Bello triumph over Niecy Nash-Betts. Bello is wonderful and funny as a billionaire benefactor. However, as illustrated in her episode submission, she’s more of a one-note scene stealer, albeit a very effective one. Her memorable moment has less to do with acting and more for what befalls her character as she tries to escape a hostage situation.

Going off of submissions, one of the most surprising is Camila Morrone for Daisy Jones and the Six. Arguably the least famous actress of the group, Morrone surprises as the emotional core to the ending of the show, which managed nine nominations including Outstanding Limited Series. It’s done less through performance and more through narrative trickery. For much of the finale, Morrone gazes into the camera in fabulous 70s frocks, communicating a loving, yet disapproving wife. She’s effective, but hardly awards-worthy. Still, she does get the final moments of the season, which could make fans of the show want to throw votes her way. If she were to win, it would be for a fabulous, tear-inducing wig adjustment alone.

The only double-nominated show in this category is Welcome to Chippendales. The Hulu miniseries scored mixed reviews and only received acting nominations and a stray Costume Design nomination. This signals low support for the show. Of the two nominees, Annaleigh Ashford gets more of a chance to steal scenes. Ashford is best when she tries to seduce her husband, Somen “Steve” Banerjee (Kumail Nanjiani). Unfortunately, most of her scenes across both episodes are playing Disapproving Wife™. Meanwhile, Juliette Lewis is in less of her submission, but at least gets some fun moments to party with Murray Bartlett’s Nick De Noia, before screaming and mourning a great loss. Neither make enough of a substantial impact to be real threats for a win, much less deal with potential vote splitting.

Lastly, never count out Merritt Wever. Her surprise win for Nurse Jackie continues to be one of the most shocking Emmy moments, prompting her to give a famously short speech. Since then, Wever once again performed an upset, winning this category in 2018 for Godless. Unfortunately, her nomination for Tiny Beautiful Things is arguably the least substantial of the bunch, as she’s only featured in three scenes (barely) as the memory of our lead character’s dead mother. She’s impactful, but it’s likely not enough to nab her a third Emmy.

If it’s a race between Niecy Nash-Betts and Claire Danes, both my money and my vote would go to Niecy Nash-Betts. However, let’s not ignore a Wever, Bello or even Morrone upset.

Prediction

1. Niecy Nash-Betts - Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

2. Claire Danes - Fleishman is in Trouble

3. Merritt Wever - Tiny Beautiful Things

4. Camila Morrone - Daisy Jones and the Six

5. Maria Bello - Beef

6. Juliette Lewis Welcome to Chippendales

7. Annaleigh Ashford - Welcome to Chippendales

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

• Murray Bartlett - Welcome to Chippendales - Submission: “Leeches” (Episode 5)

• Paul Walter Hauser - Black Bird - Submission: “You Promised” (Episode 6)

• Richard Jenkins - Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story - Submission: “Lionel” (Episode 8)

• Joseph Lee - Beef - Submission: “The Drama of Original Choice” (Episode 8)

• Ray Liotta - Black Bird - Submission: “Hard to Mouth” (Episode 3)

• Young Mazino - Beef - Submission: “Just Not at the Same Time” (Episode 4)

• Jesse Plemons - Love and Death - Submission: “Do No Evil” (Episode 4)

Paul Walter Hauser enters this race with two high profile wins for Black Bird under his belt from the Golden Globes and the TV Critics Choice Awards, in addition to a SAG Awards nomination. It makes sense. The role is chock full of awards bait material, as Paul Walter Hauser dons a creepily high voice to play a sinister, duplicitous serial killer. In the submitted finale, Hauser goes toe to toe with our hero, undercover convict James Keene (Taron Egerton), in a war of wills and reading one another. It takes a lot of skill to effectively unnerve an audience the way Hauser does, even if it is often showy for showy sake. That should only make it easier for him to win.

He may face some internal competition from fellow Black Bird nominee Ray Liotta, who is mostly a sentimental choice. Liotta is a strong presence, particularly in his episode submission. Early signs of his character’s stroke are visible as he visits his son in jail and, absentmindedly, blows his son’s cover. Liotta is uncharacteristically overcome with emotion. It’s a new side to an actor typically known for playing a macho mafia man. However, this is ultimately a posthumous nomination honoring an actor who was always reliable, but didn’t often factor into the awards conversation.

The biggest challenger for Paul Walter Hauser is Richard Jenkins in Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. As the Father of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, Jenkins walks a tricky tightrope as his character grapples with guilt, while also trying to weasel his way towards a second act. His episode submission centers his character, Lionel Dahmer. Jenkins doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of a broken man, dramatizing how Lionel is constantly confronted with the choice to lash out and play the victim or take responsibility for his son’s heinous actions. This nuanced performance elevates an episode that can often feel jarring and exploitive.

As good as both men are, the nominations for Beef actors Joseph Lee and Young Mazino are mostly signs of widespread support for the show. This has nothing to do with the quality of the performances. In particular, Young Mazino submitted incredibly well. His episode finds the puppy dog Paul following Amy (Ali Wong) to Vegas. While he mines the character’s naivety for comedy, there is some pathos to his performance as a boy who wants to be loved and taken seriously. Joseph Lee is used throughout the series as comic relief, but his submission gives him a few dramatic scenes to play with. Still, it’s likely not enough for a win.

Sometimes, all a performer needs is momentum to carry them through to a win. Following an Emmy win for The White Lotus, Murray Bartlett contends twice this year - Supporting Actor for Welcome to Chippendales and Guest Actor for The Last of Us. If he were to win this year, the latter would likely be where it happens. Bartlett’s trademark charms are on full display in Welcome to Chippendales, but he’s not asked to stretch himself or show any new facets of his persona.

The most random nomination of the supporting categories is Jesse Plemons for HBO’s Love and Death. This is not meant to slander Plemons, who gives an interesting performance as a mild-mannered husband who finds that his wife was murdered while on a business trip. He refrains from devolving into hysterics, preferring to try and keep it together, only letting the seams show in moments. However, he’s the only nominee for the show, which was positioned as an awards contender. 

At the end of the day, it comes down to a serial killer versus the Father of a serial killer. Paul Walter Hauser will likely prevail, but my vote would go to Richard Jenkins or Young Mazino for Beef. Mazino could win if Beef goes on a sweep, but it would be a pretty large upset. There could also be an outside chance Ray Liotta gets a career posthumous win.

Prediction

1. Paul Walter Hauser - Black Bird

2. Richard Jenkins - Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

3. Young Mazino - Beef

4. Ray Liotta - Black Bird

5. Murray Bartlett - Welcome to Chippendales

6. Jesse Plemons - Love and Death

7. Joseph Lee - Beef

Who do you want to win the Limited/TV Movie Supporting categories at the Emmys? Let us know in the comments below.

Comments

[thevoid99]

It would be cool for Paul Walter Hauser to win an Emmy and hopefully get some revenge at an AEW show by going after the Man Who is Fond of Slapping Nutz who Broke 1000 guitars in his career but Never Drew a Dime!

[Peggy Sue]

Anyone but Hauser. One of the worst performances I've seen in a while.

[NathanielB]

Longform supporting actress is such an interesting category, with the two Chippendales actresses big surprises and seeming to have fun with what they've got, Wever in a quieter performance who should win just to deliver another offbeat speech, Morrone a pleasant surprise who'd make for a deserving win, long overdue Bello breaking through in the top limited series, and then Nash-Betts v. Danes in the battle that's been brewing for months. Nash-Betts is overdue and is the most sympathetic character in a problematic story, while Danes really shines in one episode that aired very late in 2022 (which is likely why she didn't get the same precursor love) and is beloved by the Television Academy. It's hard to get a read on the reception for 2022 performances in mid-2023 without the actors themselves campaigning for awards to be bestowed in 2024, but I have a hunch Danes will win this one and Nash-Betts will get another chance some other year.

Meanwhile, supporting actor feels locked for PWH, but I'd really like to see the late great Liotta MacNicol him for the prize. Jenkins and Bartlett were better in their more recent winning projects and there doesn't appear to be that much supporting for their performances this time around. If Beef sweeps, Manzino could be brought along for the ride the way Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was for Watchmen a few years ago, but I suspect Hauser ultimately manages to win here.

[charlea]

For Supporting Actress, it will really be sad if Claire Danes loses for the performance of the year. Her work was really that stunning. This race should not be close at all.

For Supporting Actor, I would probably vote for Young Mozino although I haven’t seen all the nominees. He was really good and frankly I’d like to see him in some Judd Apatow comedies or something like that. And compared with his costar Joseph Lee should only help because of how…unimpressive Lee was. If they needed to nominate two actors from Beef, the other should have been Justin H. Min. Really surprised to see Lee nominated over Min.