Emmy FYC: Samira Wiley in "Orange is the New Black"
Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at 3:05PM Team Experience is sharing Dream Emmy nominations this week. Here's Deborah Lipp
Reading the list of eligible Emmy performances is an eye-opening survey of how much good and great TV I’ve seen this year—and how much I’ve missed. How can anyone single out an individual, or a few individuals, from this sea of excellence? There is no doubt that Orange is the New Black is a great show, and my favorite show, but even narrowing the list to performances from that one show is daunting.
But then there is Samira Wiley...
As Poussey Washington, Wiley had to keep the audience centered in her basic humanity and goodness, while still being believable. The performance had to be grounded and relatable and very, very real. All of this was crucial if Season 4, Episode 12, The Animals, was going to work. (SPOILERS AHEAD)
Characters have died on this show before; characters we pitied, and characters we hated. But Poussey’s death was only meaningful if we understood her as innocent, and good, and also complex enough to get under our skin. It’s not an easy task, but Wiley handled it deftly.
Poussey confronting Brooke over her racism, and then falling in love with her. Calling Brooke a “pillow princess”. Being, always, an advocate for decency. None of this is an easy position to hold in the madness of Litchfield, nor is it easy to win the audience’s love in such a huge and complex ensemble. For doing all this, for making us grieve her loss, for bringing soul and love into the heart of the madness that was OITNB season 4, I ask you to consider Samira Wiley as Poussey Washington for Outstanding Supporting Actress In a Drama Series.
Other FYCs
Eva Green in Penny Dreadful
Music for Big Little Lies
Judith Light in Transparent
Master of None for Best Comedy
Comedy Moms in Best Actress
The Americans for Best Drama
Aubrey Plaza in Legion
Justin Theroux in The Leftovers
Difficult People for Best Comedy
Reader Comments (10)
Yeah, if I were to nominate just ONE (Most seasons, I'd actually nominate 2 or 3) OTINB Actress per season?
1: Kate Mulgrew (2: Uzo Aduba. 3: Taylor Schilling.) (Worst in Show S1: Laura Prepon.)
2: Laura Prepon (2: Lorraine Toussaint. 3: Yael Stone.) (Worst in Show S2-5: Taylor Schilling. If I were writing for the show, I'd be looking for somewhere, anywhere, to drop Schilling the first opportunity I got, not trying to push her through this slow-burn back and forth "corruption" plot that is NOT within her talents to sell. She still looks and sounds like the exact same bored rich girl from the start of Season 1 AT ALL TIMES. If this were an animated series? Long term, they needed Grey DeLisle (Mandy from Billy and Mandy, Azula from Avatar: The Last Airbender, Frankie Foster from Foster's Home), but they settled for Amy Poehler (Bessie Higgenbottom, Joy).)
3: Adrienne C. Moore (2: Danielle Brooks. 3: Selenis Leyva.)
4: Taryn Manning (2: Samira Wiley. 3: Blair Brown.)
Danielle Brooks was so good in that scene (the last picture of this article) that I completely ignored all the logic the script wasn't providing. Seriously, there was such a major lacking of detail, that I sincerely believe this scene relies 100% on Brooks' acting. I think this was also the first time I cried over a ficitional character.
Also, if there's someone I'd consider in supporting for season 4 of this show, I'd say Lori Petty. Samira Wiley gives a better performance in "The Handmaid's Tale".
I agree, she was great in OITNB. She was great, playing someone entirely different than Poussey, in The Handmaid's Tale, too. I'm not sure which series I'd nominate her for, but I'd definitely nominate her for one or the other.
I see she has a role in Bigelow's Detroit movie. The cast of that film is huge, but I hope she's able to let her talents shine. It would be great if that led to more film parts.
It's so sad to me that Holllywood has decided that only Uzo Aduba is good on that show. It's fine to give her a prize for the first season but every following season with so many rich performances on that show? insane.
Uzo Aduba plays the show's mascot character Crazy Eyes. When all else overwhelms go for the mascot.
Samira is one good performance of many on that show. Though I agree with others that prefer her work on handmaid's tale. [SPOILER] Her refugee camp scene is better than anything she's ever done before [END SPOILER].
I think both these shows are overrated tbh but oh am I glad they exist, if just for all the actressing going on in both.
Anonny: At least neither of those are as seemingly overpraised as the Kevin Spacey House of Cards. How that frozen mediocrity is still being nominated for Best Drama Series on auto pilot four seasons in baffles.
I agonized over who to pick. I sat on Lori Petty for a good while. I hovered around Lea Delaria -- but only because I have a crush on her. I settled on Samira Wiley because none of the intense emotions that Danielle Brooks expresses are available unless Poussey is someone worth grieving.
Where can I view the full list of eligible performers/shows? There is usually a .pdf on the Emmy website, but I can't fine it this year!
I didn't find Samira good at all in the show. She was cringe-inducing often times.