Emmys 2017: Jodie Comer, Lauren Graham, Nicole Kidman, Jessica Lange top Movie / Miniseries actresses
We don’t think this is making much of an understatement at all: The race for Actress in a Miniseries / TV Movie category at the Primetime Emmy Awards this year may be the best in Television Academy history. Just think about the caliber of the people who could be potentially up for a trophy: Jessica Lange, Nicole Kidman, Oprah Winfrey, Susan Sarandon, Lauren Graham, Reese Witherspoon, Idina Menzel, and several others of legendary status. Then, you have the darkhorses, the newcomers or the people who are just starting to find their way.
Not every one of the people listed is in our own personal field of nominees, as we’ve included some of our favorite underdogs and performers who did a fantastic job this past year and are still due more recognition than what they are receiving. Take a look below, and be sure to vote for your favorites in the poll!
How do you vote? It’s easy. Just pick your favorite of the nominees at the bottom of the article, and you can do so however many times you like — you may need to clear the cache first. (Note that if you are visiting on mobile and do not see the poll, you may need to click to view the non-AMP version of the page.) If your favorite is not on our list, be sure to leave us a comment in the box below with your choice. We still want to hear from you!
The 2017 Emmy nominations will be formally announced on July 13. The results of all of our CarterMatt Emmy polls will be formally revealed on July 12 at 9:00 a.m. Pacific. They will officially close in the minutes leading up to that time.
CarterMatt Picks – Actor in a Limited Series / TV Movie
Jodie Comer, The White Princess (Starz) – The British actress, who is still finding a following in America, played incredibly the title role of Lizzie on the Starz limited series this spring. She brought a great deal of grace and vulnerability, but where she perhaps shined best is both reflecting her character’s mindset during the tough decisions, and the strength she showcased in the face of adversity. This was a story in some ways of brutal sacrifice; there is a reason that blood was shown during much of the White Princess key art. If Comer didn’t have a breakthrough role before, this is it.
Carrie Coon, Fargo (FX) – What a spring for Carrie Coon, given that this show and The Leftovers both showed her status as one of the best actresses working. What was also so fantastic about her Fargo role is that there was every bit the humanity in Gloria Burgle that there was in Nora Durst, but it’s projected and played in such a different style. Even though these two shows are airing concurrently, you don’t see one and automatically think of the other.
Lauren Graham, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (Netflix) – One of the best performances by Graham through the entire Gilmore Girls franchise, and she was able to tap into both the nostalgia and the heart of Lorelai while also understanding the natural evolution since she was last seen. With a character like this, new angles are the key — you want her to be the same Lorelai you remember, but also different enough that she still has the capacity to surprise. The amount of care that Graham exhibited here is nothing short of remarkable.
Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies (HBO) – Kidman’s performance as Celeste, a tormented wife trying to find her voice and her place in the midst of an impossible situation, is stuff for the ages. She played so many different extremes, and also understood that she had to be economical at the same time. There were only seven episodes to work with here, so she had to find ways to paint this picture without a rather large canvas. Consider this an unparalleled success for her, like so many others in the cast.
Jessica Lange, Feud: Bette & Joan (FX) – Joan Crawford was a role that Lange put her heart and soul into, and it may be her best performance since she first started working with Ryan Murphy. Somehow, she found a way to make you feel sorry for a woman who, as presented in the series, was effectively awful to almost everyone around her. You understood Joan, even if she wasn’t always the easiest person to understand. She was tormented by what she wanted, but also what Hollywood wanted of her.
Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies (HBO) – Finally, we turn to Witherspoon, whose Madeline was one of the most multi-dimensional and compelling women on TV this year. She’s someone who took on several different roles even within the show — spouse, friend, mother — and made each one of them worthy and consistently stellar. It shouldn’t surprise anyone at this point that Witherspoon is stellar at her craft, but it’s nice to get a reminder here and there.