Note: While all of these categories technically
involve TV movies none of major categories of any kind have any acting,
directing or writing nominees. However for this category alone I'm going to
make an exception as there's a good argument one of the contenders would
qualify under that logic.
While this category isn't as strong as
the high quality has been over the last decade it nevertheless has numerous
formidable contenders who gave superb performances. That said, as with Best Actor,
there is a clear frontrunner in this category pretty much since last January.
And I think few would argue with her winning.
Here we go.
Cate Blanchett, Disclaimer. For
Playing: Catherine,
who discovers a novel by a reclusive writer has eerie parallels to a real life
incident in her childhood. Pro: Blanchett spent most of the early months
of 2025 making the awards show circuit for her brilliant work in Alfonso
Cuaron's Disclaimer. This show was considered one of the earlier
contenders to dominate this category and a large part of that reason was
Blanchett's official Peak TV debut, playing an accomplished editor who finds
that the most recent novel written by a
publisher bares unmistakable similarities to an incident in her child. This was
one of the more restrained performances compared to so many others this past
year but it showed the continued majesty of one of the greatest actresses
whoever lived. Con: Like many observers I was stunned that Disclaimer
wasn't nominated for Best Limited Series and that the show as a whole did
very poorly with the Emmys: Blanchett's nomination is the only major one the
entire series received. With no real buzz to speak of any remote chance
Blanchett had of winning probably died the day of the nominations.
Meghan Fahy, Sirens. For
Playing: Devin, who
comes to upstate New York to get her sister to take care of her ailing father
only to find herself in the bizarre world of the Kells. Pro: Fahy's
nomination in this category was by far the biggest shock of the entire Limited
Series group, perhaps even of the Emmy nominations itself. But having watched
the entire brilliant show in a single week, I can assure you that the Emmys absolutely
made the right call. From the moment she carries an edible arrangement for
nearly twelve hours in order to throw in her sister's face, she is the voice of
sanity in the world of the ultra-wealthy Kell family than Simone has gotten
involved in. While the surreal nature of Sirens suggests that there is
something supernatural going on for once everything we see has a rational
explanation. And in a cast of exceptionally talented actresses and actors, Fahy
managed to stand out with her dirty wardrobe, her really sexual performance and
her gift for saying the wrong thing and the wrong time. It was the second superb
performance Fahy gave in the 2024-2025 season (her first was in The Perfect
Couple) and now officially establishes her as one of the great actresses in
television. I was personally happy that Fahy was nominated before I saw Sirens.
Now once again my faith in the Emmys is restored. Hey, hey. Con: Considering
that people thought it was more likely that Fahy's co-star Julianne Moore would
be nominated than Fahy, I think it's safe to say that even fans of Sirens were
shocked by Fahy being here. Realistically she doesn't have a chance.
Rashida Jones, Black Mirror. For
Playing: Amanda, who
after a medical emergency is signed up for a high tech system that will keep
her alive but begins to destroy who she is. Pro: Only in a more bizarre world than this could
it be possible that this is Rashida Jones first nomination for acting in her
entire career. She's been acting in TV since Boston public, starred for
two seasons in The Office before moving to Pawnee Indiana, played Angie
Tribeca – there's something more devious
at work then Rivermind that this is her first nomination. She's also, I should
add, the first actor connected to Black Mirror to receive an Emmy nomination,
which is more remarkable. And it helps her stance that 'Common People' the
first episode of the current season is by far one of the best episodes of what
even fans acknowledge was an uneven season. But that's how Jones has been her
entire career: always capable of taking even the most middling material and
mining gold from it; when she's given a gem like this, there's no way she can't
knock it out of the park. Con: One of her fellow co-stars from the
current season of Black Mirror is almost certainly going to win – and of
course, it's not going to be for 'Beyond Infinity'
Cristin Milioti, The Penguin EXPERTS
PICK, MY PICK. For Playing: Sofia
Falcone, released from Arkham Asylum and determined to take over her role as
the had of Gotham's most notorious crime family. Pro: It says a lot that
even with Colin Farrell giving one of the greatest performances of his entire
career, the consensus was that Milioti's performance was one of the most
outstanding of 2024. And having watched every minute I agree with that
assessment. Every second Milioti was onscreen, even when she was sharing it
with Farrell, you could not look aware from her. Her work in the incredible Cent'Anni
episode – when we learned just how Sofia ended up in Arkham, having been framed
by her father for his crimes, denounced by everyone in her family save her brother,
and was subject to the most horrific torture of body and soul – was arguably
the highwater mark for The Penguin and ended with an image that would do
credit to the writers of Breaking Bad. Yet at every level our sympathies
were with Sofia as we saw her realize – with a clarity no one does in Gotham –
the vicious cycle she was a part of that and that she was a monster herself.
The final episode was a genuine tragedy as we saw with a real possibility of escape
only to have it crushed by Oz that shows what a true monster he was as he
forced her to endure a fate worse than death. Milioti has already won the
Critics Choice Award and the Astra in this category; the fact that she followed
this by recreating her iconic role in Black Mirror – which also earned
her a prize from the Astras – makes clear her versatility. Nothing can stand
her way. Con: I honestly can't think of one. There's never been a moment
since February that Milioti didn't have a lock on this at Gold Derby and no
one's close to her now.
Michelle Williams, Dying for Sex. For
Playing: Molly,
determined to have an orgasm with another person before she dies of terminal
cancer. Pro: I know it's a cliché to use the phrase "Michelle
Williams as you've never seen her before" but how else can I describe her
work as she plays Molly a woman who reacts to recurrence of cancer by leaving
her apartment to get diet soda and decides that she wants to spend her last
days going on a sexual journey? And by the way, all of this is one of the funniest
performances I've seen this year? Williams is utterly hysterical, whether
she's masturbating to Keanu Reeves in Speed online, hooking up with
strangers on Tinder, deciding to punch her neighbor in the crotch while talking
dirty to him, deciding to spend her last days having sex in her hospital bed
(while an angry orderly keeps looking on) and going through her last days
having a hallucination of penises while playing jigsaw puzzles. Williams is a
joy every minute she's onscreen and under other circumstances I would total
consider her the favorite. Con: Williams already has an Emmy in this
category to her credit for her work in Fosse/Verdon. I think she'll do
much better in some of the end of year awards (Golden Globes, SAG etc.) but this
month she's going to come up empty-handed and I think she's fine with that.
PREDICTION: Milioti takes the prize she's basically
had locked up since November.
Tomorrow I deal with Outstanding
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series. This may be the best collection of
nominees in this category and though there is an overwhelming frontrunner, I'd
argue that there's a better case for at least one of them.
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