Stars from high-profile entries like “Baby Reindeer,” “Fargo,” “True Detective: Night Country” and more are in the running for this year’s Emmy race in best limited series, anthology or tv movie performance. Following last year’s “Beef” dominance, Variety TV editor Michael Schneider and senior features editor Emily Longeretta discuss new challengers in this episode of Variety‘s Awards Circuit video series presented by Paramount+.
Starting off with the outstanding lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie award, Schneider notes the “heavy hitters” in the category, including Jodie Foster in “True Detective: Night Country,” Brie Larson in Apple TV+ series “Lessons in Chemistry,” Sofia Vergara in “Griselda” and more.
Longeretta also nods to Vergara’s performance in the drama miniseries: “I think it’s also really exciting to see Sofia Vergara as Griselda because it is such a transformation physically, but also from anything we’ve seen her do before. I mean, we’re so used to seeing her in a comedic role that this is so different.”
Andrew Scott’s performance in Netflix’s “Ripley,” Matt Bomer in “Fellow Travelers,” Jon Hamm in “Fargo” and David Oyelowo from “Lawman Bass Reeves” are just some of the contenders for nominations in the outstanding lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie award.
Schneider says he thinks Richard Gadd, star of “Baby Reindeer,” could be the front runner for the category, even though the series only broke out within the past couple of months.
“Everyone has talked about ‘Baby Reindeer’ and people are obsessed with the storytelling and the fact that it was a stage play that he turned into a mini series, he stars in it, he’s dealing with his own personal traumas. I think people are really fascinated by that,” Schneider says.
Niecy Nash-Betts won the outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie award last year for her role in “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.” This year sees Kali Reis in “True Detective: Night Country,” Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau in “Baby Reindeer,” Jennifer Jason Leigh in “Fargo,” Sandra Oh in “The Sympathizer” and more as contenders for nominations.
“Killers of the Flower Moon” star Lily Gladstone won the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama earlier this year, and was also nominated for an Oscar for her role in the film. As for Gladstone’s portrayal of cop Cam Bentland in “Under the Bridge,” Longeretta says she can very well see her getting an Emmy nomination.
“She just remains to be in the conversation because she’s so talented,” Longeretta says of Gladstone.
For the supporting actor category, Schneider jokes that Robert Downey Jr. could be the only person nominated in the category for the multitude of characters he plays in “The Sympathizer.”
Contenders for nominations include Joe Keery and Sam Spruell for their roles in “Fargo,” Lewis Pullman for “Lessons in Chemistry” and “True Detective Night Country” actors John Hawkes and Finn Bennett.
Longeretta points to Jonathan Bailey as a frontrunner for the category for his role in “Fellow Travelers”: “I think that there’s a good chance that he will be up there.”