Outlander – Emmy Watch: The chances for Sophie Skelton, Lauren Lyle
For today’s article, we’re taking a closer look at the category of Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — one that is actually going to feature a pair of Outlander contenders in Sophie Skelton and Lauren Lyle. Both of them are immensely talented, but how great are the chances for each one of them to secure a nod? Let’s talk it through here.
The competition – The Supporting Actress category is stacked as always! There are a few performers you can go ahead and consider locks — Meryl Streep from Big Little Lies, Helena Bonham Carter from The Crown, and Julia Garner from Ozark. We don’t envision any situation where those three are not on the majority of ballots. From there, other notable contenders include Thandie Newton of Westworld, Rhea Seehorn from Better Call Saul, Laura Dern (also from Big Little Lies), and Sarah Snook from Succession. A lot of these names are going to be familiar to voters and longstanding TV fans.
The case for nominations – Fantastic moments from start to finish. Skelton was brilliant both in the premiere and later on working alongside Ed Speleers. She brings so much passion to Brianna as well as steadfast determination. You can easily see the character as the daughter of Jamie and Claire and that’s critically important. Lyle’s standout moment came late in the season, where you saw the full transformation of Marsali from someone who fought Claire to someone who would fight for Claire. It was a beautiful showcase of character growth.
What’s going against it? – Lyle in particular is still somewhat a fresh face, and easily could be overlooked for a lot of bigger names. Skelton has slightly more name recognition now, but having her face off against legends like Dern and Streep is a real challenge. Episode submission is going to be key for both actresses having a show at a nomination, but we can’t even say for sure that voters are going to be venturing outside of some of their standard favorites this year.
Does either Sophie or Lauren have a chance? – One thing we do want to make clear is that the two are not hurting each other’s chances by both being on the ballot. It’s a total falsity. Big Little Lies is a great example of how you can love multiple performers from the same show and still vote for them. Sophie may have a slightly better chance at a nod, but both are probably facing an uphill battle given the competition and also the limitations put upon this particular campaign season. We feel like Caitriona Balfe has the best overall chances for a nomination, followed by Sam Heughan and maybe the show itself.
Do you think Sophie Skelton, Lauren Lyle, or both of them should get an Supporting Actress in a Drama Series nod for Outlander?
Then be sure to share in the comments! Meanwhile, stick around for some other coverage.
Photo: Starz