Outlander – Emmy Watch: Will season 5 lead to Caitriona Balfe nod?
For today’s article, we’re taking a closer look at the category of Actress in a Drama Series in an attempt to see if this will finally be the year for Caitriona Balfe to get a little bit of Emmy love as Claire Fraser. While she’s received a number of Golden Globe nominations over the years, this has long been the one that eluded her … and it’s really time for that to change.
The competition – Is this the most stacked field ever for Drama Actress? We think there’s a legitimate case for it. Here are just some of the contenders — Olivia Colman (The Crown), Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh (Killing Eve), Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston (The Morning Show), Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies), Viola Davis (the final season of How to Get Away with Murder), Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale), Zendaya (Euphoria), and Claire Danes (the final season of Homeland). These are all performers who would be considered locks in other years.
The case for it – Balfe’s performance in the season 5 finale is probably her strongest single-episode presentation since “Faith” back in season 2. It was painful, powerful, harrowing, and showcased the full range of emotion she has access to as a performer. It was difficult to watch due to the reality of Claire’s crisis, and Caitriona delivered a master-class of feeling, from her struggle to her attempts at recovery. Some of her best work came when very little dialogue was said, which is often one of the best ways to see a performer’s greatness.
What’s going against it? – We think the attention around her performance is there, as the praise for the finale especially was near-universal. We even think that the episode aired at perfect time when it should be fresh in voters’ minds. It’s really just all about the field this year, and with a more subdued Emmy campaign this year due to the global health crisis, it’s a little bit harder for networks and studios to market. Some voters may just fall back on bigger names or newer, “trendier” shows.
Does Caitriona have a chance? – We do think she’s got the best chance of any performer on Outlander this year … but it’s far from a guarantee. It feels like Colman’s for-sure a lock and at least one of the Killing Eve and The Morning Show performers will each be there. It’s mostly going to be about if there’s enough room for someone in Balfe who would be considered a darkhorse contender to win the actual award. It should happen, but there is no guarantee that it will.
Do you think Caitriona Balfe should get an Actor in a Drama Series nod for Outlander?
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Photo: Starz