The Limited-Series Races Heat Up |
Plenty of people like to say that when it comes to awards, it’s an honor just to be nominated. But let’s be honest: Very few studios, awards strategists, or even talent believe that. The nomination isn’t the win; the win is the win.
I’m Rebecca Ford, and with final Emmy voting kicking off Monday, I’ve taken a closer look at the limited-series categories to see which shows might make it all the way. The conversation has mostly been about how one show, Netflix’s Adolescence, is the very clear front-runner. It’ll almost certainly win best limited series; in the supporting categories, Owen Cooper and Erin Doherty are also looking very good to win for actor and actress, respectively. The show feels like this year’s Baby Reindeer, which neatly swept its categories.
But when we take a closer look at the lead-actor category, things get more complicated. Adolescence cocreator Stephen Graham is nominated for also playing Cooper’s father in the four-episode series. Graham is a prolific actor who has worked for decades, and is very well known in his community. I recently spoke to him about the making of Adolescence and how he’s been helping Cooper navigate his new career. “It is integral not to just create those opportunities for people, but also to nurture them and help them as they navigate their way through this industry,” says Graham. “It’s a difficult, tricky place.” Yet it’s very possible Colin Farrell prevails in this category for his transformative work in The Penguin. He’s already won at the SAG Awards, Critics Choice, and Golden Globes, and he’s, well, Colin Farrell.
In lead actress in a limited series, there’s another tight face-off featuring The Penguin’s Cristin Milioti and Michelle Williams for her work in Dying for Sex. Milioti won the Critics Choice Award earlier this year and is a beloved TV actress. But Williams previously won this category for Fosse/Verdon and is, well, Michelle Williams.
These acting categories have it all this year, from fresh-faced discoveries to big movie stars. The question now is who voters choose to reward (starting Monday). Stay tuned. |