Thursday, July 17, 2008

Emmy Nominations - Actresses Edition

Hello everyone mB here from A Blog Next Door (do come visit - animationphiles, lit theory junkies and pop culture crazies all wecome!) - I'm part of the coalition to keep TFE up and running while usual showrunner Nathaniel takes a breather. And, what better way to start off my Guest Blogging stint here than to spotlight the wonderful actresses that made the cut for the Emmys?

Even if you didn't catch Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris quipping during the nomination ceremony, just by browsing the nominations here you can see that it reads as an actressexual guide to TV.

First we have the I used to be a movie star but the tube gives me such good roles award (ie. Drama Series Lead Actress Award)
Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters)
Glenn Close
(Damages)
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace)
Kyra Sedwick (The Closer)
and that SVU woman who I will hereafter call 'the woman who stole Mary McDonnell's rightful Emmy nom.'


Then we have the I mainly work in movies but I couldn't turn down such a good TV role award (ie. Guest Actress in a Drama Series)
Ellen Burstyn (Big Love)
Diahann Carroll (Grey's Anatomy)
and Anjelica Huston (Medium) who join TV stars
Sharon Gless (Nip/Tuck)
and SATC's Cynthia Nixon (Law and Order: SVU)


We can't really leave out the Movies will always come first... some just happen to be TV movies, so I do those once in a while award (ie. Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie)
Catherine Keener (An American Crime)
Susan Sarandon (Bernard and Doris)
Dame Judi Dench (Cranford)
Laura Linney (John Addams)
joining Cosby Show alum Phylicia Rashad (A Raisin in the Sun)

Other actresses who made the cut and deserve a mention: the talented Kristin Chenoweth was nommed for her spunky take on Olive Snook in Pushing Daisies (a show that, despite getting two of its thesps nommed and garnering 11 technical noms failed to make the Best Comedy Series lineup - ahh why does 2.5 Men keep getting noticed?!), the multi-hyphenated Tina Fey can add another nomination to her resume with her portrayal of Liz Lemon AND can celebrate her friend's Amy Poehler's groundbreaking SNL nom as a Supporting Actress, Ms Applegate and Ms Parker also made the cut for Comedy Lead and the lovely Ms Laura Dern also made it with her Recount performance as a Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie.

Phew! Okay... there's plenty more. Who were you sad to see missing a nomination (*cough *Marcia Cross *cough*)? And who were you happy to see having their name called out? (*sneeze* Mad Men *sneeze*)

29 comments:

Sam Brooks said...

I find it interesting that An American Crime got released as a TV movie. I remember people predicting Keener for Best Actress way early on last year. Maybe she'll get a shot here. (Against the likes of Dench and Linney. Ahem.)

I miss Marcia Cross too. I think she's long overdue for an Emmy, not just for Desperate Housewives but for Melrose Place! Come on, people. Dr. Kimberly Shaw needs your love.

And doesn't the Best Supporting Actress, Drama shortlist read like a dream? All great actress and no spoilers! Not to name names. (Danner, Heigl.)

And that's my commerant.

NATHANIEL R said...

thanks for posting mB. for what it's worth i'm thrilled for CHENOWITH but puzzled --or i would be puzzled if the EMMYs weren't so dependably dumb -- about how Pushing Daisies gets more than two handfuls of nominations but can't manage to unseat boring repeat nominees in the comedy dept. argh.

also a moment of silence for Jane Krakowski snubbed for the how many times now (ally mcbeal & 30 rock)?

*

no i'm going to need several moments of silence to process that.

don't even get me started on how much I'm hating actors this morning. They must be the problem right (?) in shunning BSG again (the best show on television) ... because it had quite a nice showing in the more behind the scenes nods.

maybe the general membership is just to embarrassed to suddenly realize that other actors can do Shakespearean-great work within genre contexts and yet they've just been phoning it it whenever they've been asked to play anything other than doctors and cops.... cuz you know, the rest is SILLY.

argh.

10 moments of silence i need know.
i'm outtie.

Dame James said...

What did Marcia Cross ever do to piss off the members of the Emmy Academy? It's an absolute crime that she got screwed over yet again. She deserved to win the whole thing this year.

At least Emmy Award-winner Kathy Griffin got two nominations (Outstanding Reality Non-Competition Show and Outstanding Variety or Special, or something along those lines, for Straight to Hell) this year, which somewhat makes up for the Cross, Krakowski, Pushing Daisies, Rose Byrne and Britney Spears snubs.

Cinesnatch said...

The SVU woman is Mariska Hargitay.

The Emmy's must love Christina Applegate.

NATHANIEL R said...

well she is good on samantha who?

mB said...

I totally hadn't even noticed the Krakowski snub! (Despite a gazillion acting and guest acting noms 30 Rock got)

And yes, I know who the SVU woman is, she'll just be She Who Must Not Be Named. Is this petty? Absolutely. Necessary? Of course. :P

Anonymous said...

jesuschrist

What does Pushing Daisies have to do to get a nod?

Cinesnatch said...

"She Who Must Not Be Named" is a little excessive for someone who belongs in that category and, no, she didn't steal her nomination away from McDonnell. Try again.

Deborah said...

I'm sad but not surprised that Elisabeth Moss didn't get a nom. Her prosthetic makeup did. Mad Men is heaven for actressexuals. Hello! Christina Hendricks, Elisabeth Moss, Maggie Siff, January Jones, I'm dyin' here!

Anonymous said...

Nath, The SUV woman is Mariska Hargitay and she's by far, the Best thing in Law & Order: SUV. Her tape "Undercover" is fantastic and she has a well deserving nomination and she didn't steal that spot to Mary mcDonnell, in fact, Mary is lucky for being in the top ten. I'm not saying she didn't deserve it because she's a good actress, but BG is for me, one of the most overrated shows in TV!!!... I need to said that

I'm so sad for Marcia Cross and Jane Krakovski (Why the EMMYS hate them?). Unleast we have Amy Poehler.

Oscar_Buzzer08 said...

Congrats to Catherine Keener for An American Crime!! I loved her and Ellen Page's performances in the film.

Anonymous said...

james Henry, britney Spears didn't make the top ten... But I'm sad for Amy Ryan, i thought she did it in Both Categories (Best Guest Actress in Comedy for "The Office" and Drama for "The Wire"), and also, beside my love for "Damages" impact, the Rose Byrne snub is criminal. Great line up in Drama Series (Three Cable Shows)

Around the look for Keener, many people think that EMMY belongs Rashad for "A Raising in the Sun", but I'm glad for Keener, but I still asking me, Maybe "American Crime" was Keener's Oscar Worthy role?

The bad think about Samantha Who? is that show has a great begining, irregular development and bad ending, but unleast christina is fine

RahulB said...

I'm pretty sure Tina Fey's going to win this and cap off the Golden Globe and SAG she already won.

But my god, so many tears for Jane Krakowski.


And laugh all you want, but Britney deserved a slot. :)

The Jaded Armchair Reviewer said...

Oh Mariska. You went from overdue to over-recognized so quickly.

I'm happy for Glenn Close, Audra McDonald, Laura Dern and Anjelica Houston. :)

I didn't realize An American Crime went to TV. Ellen Page in An American Crime is to Julianne Moore in Savage Grace when it comes to looking beautiful in a 60's period flick.

NATHANIEL R said...

anon --- i didn't write this post. You gotta read em to know ;) and i have nothing against this Mariksaalk Hsdkgknsashsgatatatatay person

except the sneaking suspicion that no matter how good she is a police procedural wouldn't require half as much of her as just about all her competitors.

re: Mary McDonnel

i can't think what would possess ANYONE to watch that performance for more than a few episodes and not see total depth and outright magic in it. It took me like 2 whole seasons to even realize that President Roslyn is a horrible fascist. Mary McDonnell is so good and the performance is so deep that I didn't even realize how morally objectionable the character was until i was already always on her side (even though i shouldn't be sometimes!). It's a full person in an impossibly complex situation. Only a really gifted imaginative actor could round out personality wise the way she does in that series.

aint no one working on tv that comes close.

and yes that includes GLENN CLOSE who is also a fine actress but she could do DAMAGES in her sleep... I like the show but it doesn't even need her to play the role consistently (even if she mostly does) since the plot elements and twists and turnarounds are always so buried.... and like 24 and other complex to the point of silly shows they run so deep that they don't even need to make any sense (and neither does the acting so long as its vivid. which it is.

i say poo poo poo to this drama actress list

y'all know that Holly Hunter, for example, is one of my favorite actresses of ALL TIME... i prefer to just about anyone who ever acted save about 30ish people... but even she doesn't deserve the nomination as much as Mary McDonnell does.

adam k. said...

Wow Nat, thanks for that passionate defense. There aren't many of us on your blog who feel the way you do about BSG, but know that I've always got your back.

For my part, I STILL haven't realized that Roslin is a horrible fascist. She's THAT good. Though in fairness, I think part of the reason you didn't realize her fascist tendencies until you already on her side is that she didn't really get that way until after we got used to her as the nice lady she (sometimes) still is. I blame most of the shift on SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS Billy's death - he always kept her honest - though that was predated by her ordering the termination of Sharon's fetus, and the hit on Admiral Cain. Those were pretty harsh.

Anyway. There's still one more chance, for part two of season four. But at this point, I'd almost rather the show never get major Emmy honors, so we can continue to rage on the Emmys for years to come, and BSG can still be "above it."

But OMG. Season 2. WHY didn't Mary McDonnell win the Emmy??? She was just absolutely extraordinary that whole year. I can't imagine ANYONE having a better season on any show at all.

adam k. said...

And btw, I can attest that many actors do in fact have horrible taste. My acting teacher in college actually gave a shout-out to Crash the day after the '06 oscars, saying it was worth sitting through the whole show just to see Crash get it. I was floored.

Anonymous said...

Eh. They're okay. I won't be crying for Jane Krakowski, because 30 Rock ain't exactly lacking in nominations. Pushing Daisies should have been on the Comedy shortlist, I absolutely agree, especially over 2.5 Men (ugh, always ugh) and Entourage (which I still love, but isn't the greatest).

Amy Ryan was robbed for Guest Actress in a Comedy. I liked her much better on The Office than in Gone Baby Gone - and I loved her in Gone Baby Gone!

Marcia Cross was badly robbed too. So was, yes, Mary McDonnell (though, sorry, Glenn beats her), but if you were expecting the Emmys to actually recognize BSG at this point you're silly. Oh, and poor John Krasinski, snubbed three years in a row. Too bad he plays a normal guy in a category that always ends up being "wacky sidekick!!!!".

Let's let Steve Carell or Alec Baldwin win this year, please?

Anonymous said...

Nathaniel, actually Tina Fey received four nominations for this years Emmy.

Michael B. said...

Speaking of Marcia Cross who was overdue, I think that Eva Longoria is just as deserving. These two woman put Desperate Housewives into the Comedy side. Ugh. I'm pissed that they were snubbed! But yeah for snubbing Grey's Anatomy in Drama but not its best actors (Chandra Wilson and Sandra Oh...) but Ellen Pompeo is also very over due for a nomination.

Anonymous said...

I really don't know why they hate Marcia Cross...

Who I have to sleep with to get the freaking Emmy for Cross?

adam k. said...

Didn't Alec Baldwin win the Emmy last year? Or am I think of the golden globe? Or am I just making it up?

Who won the comedy actor emmy last year? I know it wasn't Carrell, but also was no longer Tony Shaloub (thank the gods). I just can't remember who it was. I thought it was Baldwin.

Anonymous said...

adam K., alec Baldwin won the Golden Globe last year, but Ricky Gervais won the EMMY for "Extras"

adam k. said...

Oh, that's right. I remember expecting Baldwin or Carrell, and being surprised, but not unpleasantly so. Good on them for honoring Extras. But hopefully this year, it's Baldwin or Carrell.

I'm sooo over Steve Carrell not having an Emmy.

Anonymous said...

Most irritating ommissions:
* The Wire missing out on a Drama nod (I figured they'd finally wake up this year)
* Eva Longoria Parker - endlessly snubbed; endlessly deserving
* Mary McDonnell - see various above comments and ditto

Most thrilling inclusions:
* Anything and everything for Cranford, and if Dame Eileen Atkins doesn't walk that supporting actress miniseries gong, I'm emigrating to a different planet. Probably.

Rob

Glenn said...

I saw the episode Hargitay submitted and it's pretty obvious why she got nominated. I personally wouldn't nominate her (but then I don't watch Battlestar Galactica and Saving Grace doesn't air down here), but her performance was more deserving of a nomination than a lot of them. Basically anything to do with Two and a Half Men is criminal.

Of the nominees I'm happiest for Kyra Sedgwick, Rachel Griffiths (even though I don't watch her show anymore), Vanessa Williams, Neil Patrick Harris and all the love for Dexter, which is probably the best show on TV right now apart from my personal fave The Closer.

And I don't watch SNL, but has a cast member ever been nominated for a major acting award like Poehler?

BTW, was anybody else traumatised by the layout of the nominations? You'd think they'd put the major categories at the top to be a bit easier, no.

Also, about the Pushing Daisies thing (it's not on here yet) I'd point out that two years ago (I think) that Earl show with Jason Lee won best writing and best directing for a comedy yet wasn't even nominated for Best Comedy. How can something be the best written and best directed, yet not even be one of the five best shows?

Glenn said...

BTW, does anybody (did anybody ever) watch Monk? Cause, seriously...

Alex Constantin said...

ACTUALLY, the general word is that Mariska didn't replace Mary McD, but JEANNE TRIPPLEHORN. This based on the voting system and all that 50-50 thing.

It's believed that Mary McD did poorly on the Popular Vote (there were 11 semi-finalists, she came maybe 10th or 11th), so it didn't really matter that she was GREAT or not in the episode, because she didn't stand any solid chance.

I've heard Tripplehorn had a knock-out episode (opposite Ellen Burstyn), did better on the popular vote and also made Top 10 last year

John T said...

I personally would have cut Sedgwick instead of Hargitay based solely on the episodes they submitted-Hargitay's was a tour de force, and also Emmy catnip. All-in-all, though, I'm hoping that Close takes the trophy now.

However, the only category I'm really going to be caring about is Chenoweth. If she wins, I'll be happy.