Truth be told, no Emmy category includes more memorable performances of the past year in any medium than Lead Actress in a Limited Series or TV movie. It’s historically rich in incredible work. There’s SAG Award winner Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Queen’s Gambit”), Pennsylvania accent champion Kate Winslet (“Mare of Easttown”), Elisabeth Olsen (“WandaVision”), and Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You”) just to start. But, wait, there’s much more.
Also in the mix is Tessa Thompson (“Sylvie’s Love”), Emmy favorite Nicole Kidman (“The Undoing”), one Oscar away from EGOT Cynthia Erivo (“Genius: Aretha”), impressive newcomer Thuso Mbedu (“Underground Railroad”) and don’t discount sleeper nominee Daniel Brooks (“The Mahalia Jackson Story”). In fact, the only guaranteed nominee is likely Tayor-Joy. None of the other actresses mentioned should consider a nomination a safe bet. And if you’re nominated, does anyone even have a shot at beating the 25-year-old rising star? Yeah, good luck with that one. [Posted May 13]
Likely
Anya Taylor-Joy, “The Queen’s Gambit”
Kate Winslet, “Mare of Easttown”
Elisabeth Olsen, “WandaVision”
Michaela Coel, “I May Destroy You”
Possible
Tessa Thompson, “Sylvie’s Love”
Nicole Kidman, “The Undoing”
Cynthia Erivo, “Genius: Aretha”
Thuso Mbedu, “The Underground Railroad”
Kate Mara, “A Teacher”
Ruth Wilson, “Oslo”
Lydia West, “It’s A Sin”
Danielle Brooks, “The Mahalia Jackson Story”
Editor-at-Large Gregory Ellwood is one of the entertainment industry's most respected journalists and critics. Based in Los Angeles, he's the only current awards expert who previously worked on Oscar campaigns at a major movie studio. Over the years, he has written for the LA Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Vox, among others. He also co-founded the entertainment news site HitFix, which spawned a legion of influential Emmy and WGA Award-winning alumni.
