Emmys 2017: The dark horse pick to win every major category
Courtesy: HBO
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie
- Judy Davis, Feud: Bette and Joan
- Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
- Jackie Hoffman, Feud: Bette and Joan
- Regina King, American Crime
- Michelle Pfeiffer, The Wizard of Lies
- Shailene Woodley, Big Little Lies
Important disclosure: Big Little Lies is the only of these shows that I’ve seen, making this a hard category to pick. So let’s refer to the odds.
Laura Dern is the favorite here, and again, having only seen Big Little Lies, it makes total sense. She gave a searing and powerful performance as a working mother who feels endlessly outcast for that decision, adding shades of sympathy to a would-be villain — who was at times, very villainous — and gifting the world delightful GIFs in the process.
Who, then, from a series of shows I’ve never seen, should be the dark horse pick? Let’s go with Michelle Pfeiffer for her role as Bernie Madoff’s wife, Ruth, on The Wizard of Lies. By various accounts, it was a heartbreaking and enlightening role she performed with depth and grace. And, well, Regina King and Judy Davis are just as popular picks as Dern and Shailene Woodley, bless her heart, did not quite bring the chops of her co-stars. (Shout out to a residual glow of the show nom though.)
Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie
- Bill Camp, The Night Of
- Alfred Molina, Feud: Bette and Joan
- Alexander Skarsgard, Big Little Lies
- David Thewlis, Fargo
- Stanley Tucci, Feud: Bette and Joan
- Michael K. Williams, The Night Of
Another tough one. We like Alexander Skarsgard as the smart pick — you’ll see we find Big Little Lies to be a smart pick across the board — but the upset is a bit tougher to choose.
Stanley Tucci is a delight in almost every performance he gives and in lieu of major buzz, it’s easy to see him sneaking in as a dark horse for Feud: Bette and Joan. But the same could be said for Michael K. Williams. The lag time between when The Night Of aired and when Emmy voting took place could have hurt his chances, but the caliber of his performance was undeniable.
Ultimately, the edge goes to Michael K. Williams on this one, due to timing bolstering the degree to which it would be an upset.