Emmy Review: Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Movie
Tuesday, September 8, 2020 at 10:20AM
by Juan Carlos
We now reach this hotly contested category, consisting of Emmy favorites, Oscar winners, and a breakout performer. Aside from Regina King and Cate Blanchett, pundits were trying out several combinations of who would fill the remaining slots, especially with the decrease from six to five nominees. Unbelievable is competing for Limited Series, but neither of its widely predicted leads Merritt Wever or Kaitlyn Dever made it. Previous Emmy winners and nominees that were also in the running but didn't make it included Reese Witherspoon, Michelle Dockery, Helen Mirren, Ellie Kemper, and Aunjanue Ellis.
Without further ado, let's consider the lucky five who were nominated...
Cate Blanchett as Phyllis Schlafly in Mrs. America (FX)
With two Oscar wins and seven nominations under her belt, Cate Blanchett returns to television as she plays the infamous anti-feminist who did everything to stop the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. While the series selects different characters as the central focus of each episode, Blanchett’s character is the unifying element to all of them and positions her as the clear lead of the show. Throughout the show, we see Blanchett trace Schlafly’s rise as the face of anti-feminism to her inevitable fall as America’s ingrained misogyny eventually catches up with her. Ultimately, the question was not if Blanchett could pull this off but how she would pull this off. With all the biopic trappings that could easily give her reason to showboat, Blanchett chooses to attack the character with considerable restraint while still being technically on-point, making her iteration of this person terrifyingly humane. She is not even making us feel sorry for this gender traitor, but she makes us see her pathetic desire to regain agency by fighting for a cause that actually strips her of it. It is a tricky task, triggering empathy in one moment only to be downright repugnant in the next, but Blanchett nails this character.
Shira Haas as Esther Shapiro in Unorthodox (Netflix)
At the center of this captivating Yiddish drama is the wonderful Shira Haas as the woman who escapes her stringent religious community to gain freedom. Haas is a force to be reckoned with, a performer that captures the whirlwind intensity of the story while still understanding the incredible nuance that her character demands. She explores the rebirth of Esther with gripping sincerity and a haunting rawness. With her energy and body language, she manages to depicts the turmoil of actively seeking self-assertion and the internalized constraints that her faith and community has placed on her with beautiful clarity. It is thrilling to see her slowly come out of her shell. Ultimately Haas makes this journey an incredibly cathartic one, while still acing the distinctive specificity of the character’s experience.
Regina King as Angela Abar/Sister Night in Watchmen (HBO)
Emmy favorite Regina King returns to the race as the center of Watchmen’s humongous narrative, a police detective who goes on a path to discover her roots and the deep-seated communal trauma that her history entails. While the show boasts sprawling ambition and scope, King is tasked to ground the narrative in Angela's more subtle internal journey. The last two episodes of this series give her the chance to highlight more details in the character that were not present in the preceding episodes. This means that for the majority of her performance King is reserved and reactive, but nevertheless, she doesn't get lost in the show’s overwhelming vision. The show amps up its more fantastical elements as it goes along, but King does such accomplished work that she's a reassuring presence throughout.
Octavia Spencer as Madam C.J. Walker in Self Made (Netflix)
This Oscar winner gets her first Emmy nomination in this depiction of Madam C.J. Walker, a pioneering Black woman in the world of commerce and entrepreneurship. In this series, we see her rise from a disregarded hard worker to her path to success and all the business and personal problems in between. The series is guilty of being less of a biopic and more of a hagiography, but fortunately, Spencer finds the more visceral, even brutal, moments of emotions in the story. She makes Walker’s delicate navigation of familial drama, business competition, and the systemic problems of sexism and racism felt. We root for Walker because of Spencer's palpable earnestness. We know that Spencer can easily muster charm onscreen, but this character is so much more than that. He portrayal delicate shades this woman despite the show’s broader strokes in its storytelling. This is another reminder that Octavia Spencer deserves to have more leading roles and meatier material to work with.
Kerry Washington as Mia Warren in Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
Still on the hunt for her first Emmy after eight nominations (this is her fourth within the acting categories), Washington plays an artist and single mother who remains an unreadable mystery to her landlady Elena (Reese Witherspoon). Throughout the majority of the show, Mia’s indiscernible exterior keeps Elena on edge. Washington's deliciously uncomfortable chemistry with Witherspoon is the highlight of the series and keeps us on edge as well with the blurry nature of their relationship. It is interesting to see them swing from relaxed friendship to passive-aggressive antagonism within one scene. However, the bigger dramatic moments do not always click, either because of the lack of differentiation in the dramatic notes that she plays or simply because of small acting choices that do not always feel natural. The show’s uneven handling of its intersecting themes give her a lot to work with, but the performance is inconsistently effective. Washington was stronger in her other bid for this category with American Son.
Personal Ranking:
-
Shira Haas - Unorthodox
-
Cate Blanchett - Mrs. America
-
Octavia Spencer - Self-Made
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Regina King - Watchmen
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Kerry Washington - Little Fires Everywhere
Predicted Winner: Regina King - Watchmen
Predicted Spoiler: Shira Haas - Unorthodox
If Regina King could manage to snag three surprise Emmy wins within four years, she will likely win a fourth for this suspected Emmy juggernaut. Cate Blanchett appears to be the viable spoiler given that she's also an Oscar winner and playing a real-life character at that. But I think Haas is the one to watch out for in case of a King loss. The fact that the low profile Unorthodox got an impressive nominations haul signals support for the show.
DRAMA
Actress | Actor | Supp Actress | Supp Actor | Guest Actress | Guest Actor
COMEDY
Actress | Actor | Supp. Actress | Supp Actor | Guest Actress | Guest Actor
LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
TV Movie | Actress | Actor | Supp Actor | Supp Actress
MISC
Costumes, Fantasy | Costumes, Period | Animated Program
Reader Comments (26)
Haas was really good, and I think that if there’s any surprise this year, it will be her. Otherwise, this will be King vs Blanchett. I can voters checking off Blanchett, as a way to reward her great work and her show.
I'm really hoping it's Haas but I think King will take it... unless they feel she's been amply rewarded already (but then, when does Emmy EVER think that. They are known for the all or nothing feeling with performers) and then i'd say a toss up between Cate and Shira.
I can't take this category seriously with the absence of Merritt Wever and Kaitlyn Dever.
Shira Haas for the win.
I love the work, but with all the coverage that the numerous acting categories usually get, it'd be nice to see the Writing and Directing races covered as well. If it doesn't happen in this site, I don't know where it could.
It'll surely be King - and MRS. AMERICA is probably on the verge of a complete shutout.
After watching Little Fires Everywhere my big take away was: is Kerry Washington a good actress? I watched a little bit of Scandal and she was pretty bad in that too.
I think Cate wins, but a Regina win wouldn't surprise me.
Haas is just not happening. It's always been King vs Blanchett (I choose Blanchett in a heartbeat).
Lucky -- we were going to cover that but the nominations are so often similar to the best series (in each category) or with multiple nominees from the same show that we opted not to. But blame me as the contributors were willing. But there were already so many categories i thought it would be overkill (and repetitive given the nominations themselves) but perhaps I erred.
Nathaniel can you tell us if Abe is okay? His absence in his signature series that he does better than anyone else (the others being nine's and Abe being a ten in this respect is not a diss, but when you have access to perfection why not take the rare opportunity?) is unsettling. He hasn't been stricken by Covid or some tragedy. Please let us know, we don't need the extra stress and worry in these times.
Haas was fantastic and she almost overcame her show's flaws. King was to reactive to my taste, but I love how physical her performance was. Still, I pray to God Blanchett wins this. Such a tricky character and she pulled it off seemingly with ease. From the top of my head i can recall several scenes that should have sealed it for her (conversation with her gay son, fight with the husband, the very last scene). She truly is one of the greats and deserves to be an Emmy winner.
concerned -- i believe he's back tomorrow. t's only been like one week since his last article.
pawel -- it's funny how sometimes someone's greatness can make people take them for granted and other times it makes people want to hand them rewards and sometimes both things happen but at different times in a career. it might be that everyone feels cate has been rewarded enough at this point. I was initially skeptical about all her praise for this show but by the end i was like "okay, this is a great performance. so cohesive and such a well modulated arc"
owen -- she was SO fantastic in her debut (Our Song) and in a few other early roles that I was sold on greatness but lately, she feels a little too blunt about her acting choices. I did not like her performance in little fires. I didn't understand why she wasn't modulating but just playing full boil right from the first episode.
Haas gives a remarkable performance--flinty, vulnerable, annoying, and inspiring all at once--but I think Blanchett will take this home. Heartbreakingly missing here are deserving performances from Merritt Wever and Kaitlyn Dever from "Unbelievable" and Daisy Edgar-Jones from "Normal People." As for "LIttle Fires Everywhere," that was a soapy mess. Its inclusion in the limited series category is disappointing when it's such an inferior series compared to the other nominees and those that didn't even make it in (NORMAL PEOPLE!)
I vote for the superb Cate Blanchett, awesome in the role.
"it might be that everyone feels cate has been rewarded enough at this point."
Nathaniel - Regina King could reach this point soon as well. She probably is the frontrunner here (particularly if I'm correct that they will reward Mrs. America with Uzo's win), but it's starting to feel like saturation.
The "Watchmen" sweep should sail King to the win pretty easily. The women are usually judged differently than the men in limited genre. Breakthroughs are easier for young male leads (Ahmed, Criss, Jerome). The path to a win will be harder for Haas. In any other year, I'd default to Blanchett, but this is a completely different time now. Washington over Witherspoon was questionable. Wever or Dever should have replaced Spencer. One of those snubbed would have made it in with six nominees before the rules change.
The problem with Octavia Spencer and Kerry Washington is they're both overshadowed by their supporting actresses. In my opinion, Carmen Ejogo and Lexi Underwood are the MVPs of their series.
This category is missing Michaela Coel! Although the release date may have messed up it's eligibility. If it wasn't eligible this year it'll probably be forgotten by the time next year's Emmys roll around, which will be so disappointing. If you haven't watched I May Destroy You yet, PLEASE do so. It's challenging at times but so worth it. Michaela Coel deserves the Phoebe Waller-Bridge Emmy treatment. Awards for everything - acting, writing, drecting, series, etc. Plus supporting nominations for Weruche Opia and Paapa Essiedu.
I'd like to see Cate win this one as she is she truly magnificent in Mrs. America, but we all know that Regina is winning this one. Such a shame really, at least to me.
Thanks for responding, Nat. It's fine! I'm just a greedy reader, I guess ;)
And I support the I May Destroy You recommendation. It's an urgent conversation around necessary themes I hadn't heard before. Not perfect, but ambitious and rewarding. If Fleabag got all that deserved Emmy love, that show should do the same.
I was willing all this time for Blanchet's win until I saw Shira Haas blowed my min in Unorthodox. Still, I think Regina King is taking the gold. I have yet to see Watchmen but it's the perfect political award.
I love King but she has been rewarded enough. Cate for the win!
Phew. Thanks for the update. It would be like several Almost There articles written by somebody Else being posted but not remarked upon. You were probably working too hard and just had an understandable oversight. Remember to take a little time off to b on the topof your game Nathaniel. Love and appreciation, C.R.
Cate Cate Cate for the win.
I hate Phyllis with my guts but it takes a lot of talent and charisma to just root for her a little bit at least domestically. That last scene is astounding really.
But of course yawn another undeserved Regina win at the Emmys I guess.
Caitlyn Dever should have been nominated.
Octavia’s show was so bad I didn’t even finish it (and it’s only four episodes).
Why is King the predicted winner?
I haven't been following the predictions season, explain things to me, please!
All for diversity, but not for the sake of... love Octavia but not sure she needed to be here. Kerry definitely not. The other three earned their spots.