Emmy Watch: Lead Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries
Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 8:00AM
Will "Unbelievable" score big with nominations... or will its early release in the eligibility period be a problem?
This year’s Best Actress lineup for limited series and TV movies is populated with a LOT of deserving contenders. This category is no stranger to double nominees from the same project, with four instances occurring in just the past four years. In 2017, there were two sets of nominated actresses from the same shows, and it’s pretty likely that’s going to happen again this time…
The past four years...
There are two undisputed frontrunners this year, and it’s not clear who’s ahead at the moment. Regina King (Watchmen) may have won an Oscar recently, but she’s better known as an Emmy favorite, winning three times out of four consecutive nominations. Even if her genre-heavy series doesn’t go over well with voters, she’s in for sure.
It’s hard to believe that this would mark the first Emmy nomination for two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett (Mrs. America), but that’s simply because she usually makes movies. Her turn as conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly is guaranteed to earn her a place here.
Next up are the two series with twin contenders. Merritt Wever (Unbelievable) is already a two-time Emmy winner, and she’ll get a boost from her concurrent role on Run, which wraps this weekend. Her costar Kaitlyn Dever (Unbelievable) is much younger (23), but this category cited Joey King, who is even younger than her (20), last year, and Dever managed to score mentions from the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Award. Her portrayal of a sexual assault survivor is indeed excellent, and she’ll probably be rewarded for it. Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington (Little Fires Everywhere) are both recent nominees in this category, and their investment in the creation of their project should amplify their chances. It’s also worth noting that Washington is also eligible for American Son, a likely nominee for Best TV Movie. Witherspoon could also contend for her leading roles in two different drama series, the second season of Big Little Lies and The Morning Show.
Other Possibilities?
Shira Haas definitely deserves a nomination for "Unorthodox"
If there’s room for anyone beyond these six, I and readers of this site would be thrilled to see Israeli actress Shira Haas (Unorthodox) contend for her astounding turn as a young woman fleeing her ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Another possibility is Zoe Kazan (The Plot Against America), who would probably be a frontrunner in a weaker year. Helen Mirren (Catherine the Great), who earned a Globe nomination for this performance, should never be counted out, mostly because she’s won four prizes in this category alone, and the same is true for Octavia Spencer (Self Made), who has become a regular player at the Oscars this past decade and is obviously an awards favorite.
There are a few past nominees reprising their roles who should be mentioned even if their chances aren’t great. Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs the Reverend) and Judith Light (Transparent Musicale Finale) are two such examples who could benefit if voters feeling nostalgic. Michelle Dockery (Defending Jacob) and Kathryn Hahn (Mrs. Fletcher) have also done great work, but these projects don’t seem to be as popular as the ones that earned them their previous nominations. Readers of this site would also surely be excited to see Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People) break through.
Predictions
- Cate Blanchett, Mrs America
- Kaitlyn Dever, Unbelievable
- Regina King, Watchmen
- Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere
- Merrit Wever, Unbelievable
- Reese Witherspoon, Little Fires Everywhere
Which actresses are you rooting for in this category?
Stay tuned for more Emmy coverage.
ALL DISCUSSIONS THUS FAR
- Best Series, Drama
- Best Actress, Drama
- Best Actor, Drama
- Best Supporting Actress, Drama
- Best Supporting Actor, Drama
- Best Series, Comedy
- Best Actress, Comedy
- Best Actor, Comedy
- Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
- Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
- Best Limited Series
- Best Made for TV Movie
- Best Actress, Movie or Miniseries
- Best Actor, Movie or Miniseries
Reader Comments (31)
I imagine most folks will predict Blanchett or King for the win here...but I suspect Wever pulls the upset.
King is beloved and deserves but I'm really hoping the love for her is strong enough to pull Yahya Abdul-Mateen into supporting actor category as well. They were a perfect duet.
Would be a shame if Haas does not make this list. One of the most memorable performances of the year!
Blanchett is sweeping the award season for this project.
It is stupid to bet against Blanchett. I'm a Merrit Wever voter.
Fingers crossed for either Tamsin Greig or Harriet Walter in "Belgravia", though that'll most likely never happen.
Do we know yet if Rose Byrne is submitting in Lead or Supporting for Mrs. America? Supporting Actress feels like a bloodbath with the Mrs. America cast alone, and I wondered if Hulu might try and get both Rose and Cate into Lead...
Shira Haas, Zoe Kazan and Daisy Edgar-Jones all feel like passion picks and it kills me that there probably isn't room for the first two especially.
Gawd, female performances on TV have been SUBLIME in the last five years. So varied and interesting. I would be happy for the nominations to include: King, Wever, Baranski, Dever, Haas, Edgar-Jones, and maybe Washington. Also, I LOVED Kelly Macdonald in Giri/Haji, but I think it's ineligible, and her character is more of a Supporting role.
just watched the Kimmy Schmidt movie
and I was so entertained!
That series needs a win so much and they can just honor it after being a movie. EMMYS FOR ELLIE, JANE, AND ESPECIALLY TITUSS!!!
I’m a fan of Regina King from way back (seriously, I remember watching 227 as a kid) and she’s great in Watchmen. But Merritt Wever is phenomenal in Unbelieveable. Toni Collette and Kaitlin Dever also do amazing work, but Wever just blew me away. She’s got my vote.
I will be really awards-upset (what else is new) if name-recognition makes all the difference in this category. Voters should be voting on the performances and I think i can honestly say as a fan of both Reese & Kerry that these performances were not their finest or most nuances hour and if Emmy passes over killer work like Shira Haas and Merrit Wever and Kailtyn Dever and Daisy Edgar-Jones for them it's going to be very disheartening.
Just as with Oscar races you shouldn't automatically get a nomination just for being a household name who stars in a high profile "juicy" role. You should also have to be, you know, great.
I will be really awards-upset (what else is new) if name-recognition makes all the difference in this category. Voters should be voting on the performances and I think i can honestly say as a fan of both Reese & Kerry that these performances were not their finest or most nuances hour and if Emmy passes over killer work like Shira Haas and Merrit Wever and Kailtyn Dever and Daisy Edgar-Jones for them it's going to be very disheartening.
Just as with Oscar races you shouldn't automatically get a nomination just for being a household name who stars in a high profile "juicy" role. You should also have to be, you know, great.
Octavia Spencer's chances will receive a boost, too: Truth Be Told. Actually, I prefer her in Truth.
Is Zoe Kazan definitely going lead? Her scene on the phone with Seldon in Kentucky was the most heartbreaking moment on TV this year.. maybe she’d fare better in supporting..
Haas was absolutely stunning in Unorthodox. I really hope she is in there — at this moment I’d love to see her win.
"There are two undisputed frontrunners this year" - based on what? Articles like this propel closed minded thinking & voting - its not interesting writing.
Wever should probably win. On the other hand, she already has two Emmy Awards, so I kind of hope Dever gets it.
For Canadian actressexuals, Little Fires Everywhere is coming to Amazon Prime on May 22, since we don’t get Hulu here.
If it weren't for Blanchett, I'd be rooting for Zoe Kazan. But Blanchett will justifiably win.
Kaitlyn Dever is my pick because of her performance's strength and that it is her performance that elevates Unbelievable to an award winning series. All of the series stars performances are excellent - but Devers heart wrenching performance is what makes Unbelievable the best entry in its catagory. It's an MVP performance.
I really hope Kazan makes it in. She's a former nominee, and she really delivered week to week in her series.
Haas was amazing. However, I think she'd have a much stronger chance of getting in/winning if netflix had premired her show in the fall, allowing her to gain buzz at the Globes and SAG awards.
Regina King needs to win. She was Ah-MAZE-ing in Watchmen!
The Cate Blanchett buzz is annoying. Mrs America is just a boring show and I feel like we've seen Blanchett do this character in her movies already. I feel she's only a factor because of the release date. If Mrs America came out the same time as Watchmen, I don't see Blanchett being a threat for the win.
Having seen all of the shows mentioned here, I would agree that Cate Blanchett and Merritt Weaver are the frontrunners for this category. Cate deserves it more in my opinion as she has delivered a more powerful performance. The way she uses her eyes to convey a gamut of emotions is beyond words.
I do hope Shira Haas and Kaitlyn Dever would be nominated over Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon. Little Fires Everywhere was just a mess and not well-written. There wasn’t one character worth rooting for, unless of course that was the intention of the writer.
As for Regina King, she is well-loved, so I doubt that she won’t be nominated. But a win? Let’s get real.
@sophie, Mrs. America is boring, really? When I read the synopsis of the show, I thought it would be, but I was just glad that I continued watching. Not only was it gripping and entertaining, it’s a story that deserves to be told, especially for people who are not knowledgeable about the history behind women’s right. I am one of them.
Cate doing the character in her other movies - totally disagree. Somehow she always plays strong female characters that we think she is playing the same role. We forget the nuances in her performances, As Phylis, she comes off as a very strong woman, but you can feel and see the vulnerability, the insecurity behind that powerful persona. I say it’s a magnificent performance.
"As for Regina King, she is well-loved, so I doubt that she won’t be nominated. But a win? Let’s get real."
People weren't predicting her to win two years ago and look how that played out.
do women get rewarded for playing unlikeable characters? playing pure evil might torpedo cate blanchett's chances
advantage: wever
I hope voters ignore the Witherspoon/Washington hype and make room for THE performance of the year: Aunjanue Ellis as Dr. Mattie Moss Clark in The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel.
People weren't predicting her to win two years ago and look how that played out.
King's Emmy popularity isn't invincible (Laura Dern for Big Little Lies) and she's definitely not a more enticing prospect over Cate Blanchett. Heck the Globes and SAG ignored her for Watchman already. She's not going to pull some odd upset.
@/3rtful Globe and SAG nominations came out before Watchmen was officially considered a limited series, so she was placed in a more competitive drama series category. She might have gotten in otherwise, and Emmy voters like her much more than those two groups.
@artful SAG didn't even nominate King for the If Beale Street Could Talk, yet she still won the Oscar. King specialises in winning the "big" prizes without sweeping or even being nominated some placed (and it's already been explained she was in the far more crowded drama category at those places before Watchmen was moved to mini-series).
King has won 3 Emmys already without a single SAG nomination for those performances or a single Golden Globe win. The Emmys LOVE King, and don"t really give a damn if she's been acknowledged by other awards group. You think a group that loves her that much would miss the opportunity to reward what's clearly her crowning achievement and most popular performance in mainsteam circles in Watchmen? A bit of wishful thinking going on. King has proved she doesn't need much of a precursor run to win multiple Emmys. She's already at an advantage compared to her previous Emmy wins having won the Best Actress Award at the Critics Choice for Watchmen (over a much tougher Drama actress field than the mini-series field. King beat Jodie Comer for Killing Eve, the reignning Emmy and BAFTA champ. She beat Olivia Colman, the reigning Golden Globe champ. So King was competitive to win even in the far more competitive drama actress category).
It's not like Blanchett is some wide favorite either. If you look at the odds at Goldderby, Watchmen is the favorite to win mini-series and Jean Smart is the favorite to win Supporting Actresses.Blanchett is the only current favourite for her show to win anything, so obviously her stardom/name value is helping her alot. But King is second favorite with close odds, and her show is a wide favorite to win mini-series and Emmy loves her. I wouldn't even call it an upset if King won. I think Blanchett is being slightly overpredicted because she's a prestigious (two-time Oscar winner) movie star coming down to do TV for the first time in her career. It's not like her show is come cultural phenomenon that will sweep the board (like Big Litttle Lies).
If Mrs America was made into a movie, Blanchett would have been a strong contender to win a third Oscar
Blanchett is magnificent in Mrs America. All the small details and nuances of the Phyllis character is amazing to watch. I also think this is the strongest ensemble in a limited series I have seen in a long time. Not since The Wire has the casting been that top notch