2015 Emmys: Why Emmy Rossum, Gina Rodriguez, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris deserve Comedy Actress nods

The field of Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards this year is an especially interesting one, and we say that even with the knowledge that there are many competitive categories this time around. While in the Comedy Actor field it feels like Jeffrey Tambor is far in the lead, here we feel like we’re looking at a race between a few candidates, and then maybe one or two darkhorses who could come through if there is some sort of a split vote.

Without any further ado, let’s get into our personal picks now for this category; as always, you can vote for our own favorite in the poll below, or write them in under the comments!

Our nominees

Anna Faris, “Mom” (CBS) – Faris probably does not get the credit she deserves for the series, whether that be due to a wide array of other comedies out there or Allison Janney consistently getting so much buzz for the show. Either way, a nomination definitely feels merited at this point, though we say this with the knowledge that she is a longshot.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep” (HBO) – Yes, we are very aware that Louis-Dreyfus is in some ways now the predictable nominee that is on almost every list. Still, how are you going to argue with it? While Selina Meyer may not exactly be the most likable person in human history, she is definitely compelling and Julia is fantastic in this part. While she’s been surrounded by great writers, it is more than just writing to deliver two of the most iconic TV characters of the past several decades.

Amy Poehler, “Parks and Recreation” (NBC) – How does Amy not win an Emmy for Leslie Knope? This is the position that we’re in this year. If she doesn’t get one this year, she never will for the show. Yet, there are some other really great candidates. We at least expect her to be one of the frontrunners, and if she missed out, it will probably be close.

Gina Rodriguez, “Jane the Virgin” (The CW) – Early this year, she brought The CW their first Golden Globe ever. Can she also get an Emmy? Gina is naturally funny, but we feel like it is the earnestness and relatability that she brings to her title character that really allows her to stand out. Her series itself is strong, but she lifts it to a whole other level.

Emmy Rossum, “Shameless” (Showtime) – Probably the year’s biggest darkhorse. Rossum is consistently great as Fiona, a character who you really want to root for, even if you sometimes wonder if she really wants to root for herself. The reason we give so much of the credit to the woman who has Emmy in her very name is because she somehow continues to make this character so popular and compelling, even while you know that Fiona often gets in her own way.

Constance Wu, “Fresh off the Boat” (ABC) – Another big underdog this year, but a truly deserving one. Wu has brought so much life and fun into a series that so many were torn about as to whether or not it would find an audience. Luckily, it has! Wu is unfortunately still a longshot of winning, mostly because Emmy voters in particular often tend to snub first-year comedies unless they have an enormous star on board from the beginning.

Honorable mentions – Ellie Kemper (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), Ilana Glazer (“Broad City”), Mindy Kaling (“The Mindy Project”)