Emmy Watch: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Sunday, June 20, 2021 at 8:55AM 
Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple in "Ted Lasso"
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series may actually be the most competitive Emmy category this time. At the very least it's the one with the largest number of high-caliber candidates who deserve a spot. The list of returning possibilities is about as short as in any other category this year. Two-time winner Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live) is angling for her eighth consecutive bid. Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live) was nominated last year, and Aidy Bryant (Saturday Night Live) is a previous honoree who could return again. Though it’s not technically for the same show but for the same role, Laurie Metcalf (The Conners) is a past nominee, and a three-time winner. There’s also Bette Midler (The Politician), who earned her show’s only major nomination last year as a guest and is now eligible here. Let’s go over the rest of the field…
NEW CONTENDERS
I remember watching Ted Lasso and The Flight Attendant and thinking how good the entire casts were and wishing that there was some way for them to be recognized for their work. Fortunately, the popularity of those two shows spells very good odds for the wonderful women from both. From the former, Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple seem like great bets, while Rosie Perez, Zosia Mamet, and Michelle Gomez are all possible for the latter.
Rosie Perez in "The Flight Attendant"
Hannah Einbinder in "Hacks"
Aside from those two shows, I really hope that there’s room for Hannah Einbinder (Hacks). I’d make the argument, as would surely most of our readers, that she’s a lead, but she’s a formidable member of the cast in any case and absolutely deserves an Emmy nomination. Her costar Kaitlin Olson (Hacks) might garner votes, but her role is much less substantial (which is why it’s correctly placed in the supporting category, of course). Martha Plimpton (Genera+ion) is the most familiar face on a show mostly populated by younger actors, and has three Emmy nominations and one trophy already. From other new series, Busy Phillips (Girls5eva) and Paula Pell (Girls5eva) could show up, as could Ashley Park (Emily in Paris).
EXISTING SHOWS
There are a number of actresses from returning series who could earn their first nominations for these roles. Naomi Ackie (Master of None) was a fantastic addition to a third season of Netflix’s relationship dramedy that looked very different, and she has a full episode in which she’s the only featured player. Kathleen Turner (The Kominsky Method) had an expanded part in the final season of her show, and Sarah Baker (The Kominsky Method) would also be a great choice.
Kathleen Turner in "The Kominsky Method"
Saturday Night Live has no shortage of potential new nominees, including Melissa Villaseñor, Chloe Fineman, and Ego Nwodim. Judith Light (The Politician) was an expected nominee last year in the guest category, and she has a solid Emmy track record that could allow her to be included if voters express any enthusiasm for the show. Mary Steenburgen (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist) would be a sentimental choice for a now-cancelled show.
I’d like to put in an official plug for the women of Dickinson, who should be easy choices if voters are actually watching the show. Both Anna Baryshnikov and Ella Hunt are superb, and Jane Krakowski is an Emmy-friendly nominee with five previous bids, for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and 30 Rock. How long do we have to wait for this underrated Apple TV+ show to be rewarded?
Anna Baryshnikov in "Dickinson"
This is the first category we've predicted where we have the benefit of knowing exactly how many nominees there will be since the ballots are now officially out and we can do the math. That number is seven, which will be the lowest count for this category since 2017.
Predictions (alpha order):
- Hannah Einbinder (Hacks)
- Zosia Mamet (The Flight Attendant)
- Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)
- Rosie Perez (The Flight Attendant)
- Cecily Strong (Saturday Night Live)
- Juno Temple (Ted Lasso)
- Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)
Who do you think is out front here in a very competitive race?
more on the upcoming Emmys
- COMEDY
- Actress Comedy
- Actor Comedy
- Supporting Actress, Comedy
- Supporting Actor, Comedy
- DRAMA
- Actress Drama
- Actor Drama
- Supporting Actress, Drama
- Supporting Actor, Drama
- MORE...
- Emmy Ballots
- FYC The Handmaid's Tale
- FYC Marielle Heller, Queen's Gambit
- FYC Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso
- FYC I May Destroy You
- FYC For All Mankind
Reader Comments (26)
Both the Hannahs should be in Lead.
Ego Nwodim Has been great this season, and felt like a real breakout this year. As good as Kate, Aidy, and Cecily are, I think she was the best this year.
Einbender going supporting feels very Rose Bryce for damages. However, I still can’t tell if I don’t like her performance or, much like Hannah Horvath, I don’t like her. It’s probably the latter, which would make her a great nominee.
Hannah Einbinder is perhaps THE lead of Hacks, so a supporting placement is ridiculous. Both ladies should be in the lead category, where I think Einbinder would’ve stood a good chance at being nominated (and where I think Smart is winning).
Kathleen Turner is terrific in The Kominsky Method. She revives that true and immediate contagious joy opposite Michael Douglas. Emmy recognition would be great.
However, Abe is probably right to omit Turner from the list of probable nominees. Last year Turner was terrific in Best TV Movie nominee These Ole Bones as an isolated, elderly mountain woman. Emmy voters snubbed her.
Turner’s reputation for outspoken opinions, difficulty with fellow actors, and that lawsuit for defamation she lost for lying about Nicholas Cage in her memoir certainly contributes to her failure to be celebrated for her work.
Whaaaat? They won't nominate/award Kathleen Turner? Cancel this toxic award right now!
Definitely Juno Temple. She was also fantastic in the first season of Dirty John.
Both Hannah's.
Zosia Mamet.
Rosie Perez.
Haven't watched Kominsky yet, but I am intrigued to see Kathleen Turner in it.
No Kathleen Turner? FUCK YOU!!!!!!
Love the Kathleen Turner love here. I think the supporting work of the women of "Love, Victor" deserve recognition, particularly Ana Ortiz, who is great in the role of a multi-faceted mother. As much as I love "Hacks," Einbender is a lead and her role is also tricky. It's Smart's show all the way. Olsen would my personal choice in supporting. Her piano playing was the biggest laugh getter of entire season. Finally, the underrated Michaela Watkins would be a fantastic choice for the cancelled "The Unicorn." In a solid cast, she always shined.
Even though i know that it will never happen, I would love for Gabby Dennis from A Black Lady Sketch Show to sneak in. She was great in season 1, but the true MVP of season 2. That sketch Gel It Like It Is, is award worthy by itself.
I doubt it happens but I love Kaitlin Olson's work on Hacks so much. I'd love to see her nominated. Hannah E. is the lead on Hacks so the idea of her getting nominated here is irksome (I'm another devoted viewer of that show who doesn't like that character). And while I kind of run hot and cold on the SNL cast filling up slots in these categories, I love Cecily Strong and hope she gets another nomination for her final season.
Pulling for Sarah Baker and Paul Reiser for Kominsky Method.
Loved Michelle Gomes in The Flight Attendant. That was supposed to be a one note villain role but she surprised me.
Some weirdly aggressive comments here.
I think Hannah Einbinder is great in Hacks, and would've been a great Lead nomination, but it'll be a little sour to see her in this category at the cost of one of the many deserving Supporting players.
The two Ted Lasso and SNL ladies feel pretty safe, for the last three spots I'm predicting Einbinder, Mamet (an easy highlight of The Flight Attendant to me) and Naomi Ackie for Master of None, another co-lead role of her season.
Not predicting Perez feels counter-intuitive, and Paula Pell/Busy Philipps would both not surprise me for Girls5eva.
I suspect Waddingham runs away with this. Einbinder is terrific but LOL at the category placement.
Insane to pretend that Kathleen Turner won't make it with her storyline in Kominsky
This should be Rosie's walking away.
Really hoping for both Hannah and Juno to get those nominees for Ted Lasso. They're fantastic.
Lula -- but awards bodies have always been cruel to Kathleen. So who knows.
Hacks elements ranked:
1. Jean Smart
2. Kaitlin Olson
3. Hannah Einbender
4. The writing
5. Everything else
It's not a good show—but Jean Smart is great in it. Unfortunately the praise has been so uniform (no one wants to talk about how lacking the writing/directing is!) that it has no motivation to improve.
This. And it explains a lot of things fans can never understand.
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