Emmys 2016: Kirsten Dunst, Sarah Lancashire, Lily James top Limited Series / TV Movie Actress picks

Are the Emmys more competitive than ever in the Limited Series / TV Movie categories right now? If we had to wager a guess, we’d argue that the answer here is “yes” a million times over. Just take a look at the entire field, and also some of the great actresses who didn’t make our Best Actress in a Limited series / TV Movie field this time. You’ve got people like Felicity Huffman and huge names with star power like Lady Gaga. There are many arguments you can make for various people, and there have been times before where the nomination has been almost de-facto.

Below, you can see our personal picks for the six most worthy artists in this field; as we’ve been doing all throughout the month of June, we’re also attaching a poll for you to chime in with your own thoughts! Results will be announced on July 13, which is the day before the actual nominations are announced by the Emmys themselves.

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series / TV Movie – CarterMatt Picks

Kirsten Dunst, “Fargo” (FX) – We were not quite sure admittedly what to make of Kirsten when we first heard that she was set to appear on “Fargo” this past season, and then, we saw her and she completely blew us away. In a sea of excellent performances on the series she may have been the best, and she brought so many different layers and traits to an ambitious woman, but also someone who found herself in an unprecedented situation.

Sarah Lancashire, “Happy Valley” (Netflix) – Given that this show is far from as happy as suggested in the title, we imagine that playing someone like Catherine has to take its toll. Yet, Lancashire never lets that show, as she took on this role with the same emotional utility belt during season 2 than she did in season 1. How she handles grief is especially extraordinary; there are times where you think that she will push it to the limit and bring her power to another level, but then she holds enough back to ground her in reality.

Lily James, “War and Peace” (Lifetime) – It is a little bit random that the Leo Tolstoy adaptation aired on Lifetime in America after being on in BBC One in the United Kingdom, but we will just accept that as is. Rather than focusing much on network, how about instead acknowledging James for the performance of her career in Natasha? This is an extremely different character to play, one torn by love, obligation for the time, and ultimately frayed innocent. You got all of that through watching her onscreen, and also a quiet determination to go along with it.

Sarah Paulson, “The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story” (FX) – Paulson and Dunst will more than likely be the two favorites here, and we are going to have a really tough time calling them. Sarah as Marcia Clark was stellar almost beyond words, from the mannerisms to the fight-back in court to even the hints at a possible romance with Christopher Darden. Paulson brought a time capsule of Clark to the show, and everyone around her benefited.

Lili Taylor, “American Crime” (ABC) – One of the strengths of this show is in so many ways, you could nominate either Taylor or Felicity Huffman and make a strong case either way. We just feel like season 2 especially was a tremendous showcase of her craft, and this would be the ideal opportunity for her to get some much-deserved credit for Anne Blaine.

Shanice Williams, “The Wiz Live” (NBC) – We’re not entirely sure precisely what her odds are of actually getting a nomination, but she was the heart and soul of really the first one of these live musicals to get rave reviews. Her presence was an inspiration to those around her, and what a nice storybook ending a nomination here would be to the entire journey that she has been on from the moment she was cast.