Some categories are competitive this Emmy season and some categories are not. Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series certainly qualifies as the latter. Assuming there are only five nominees as in 2023 (although six is theoretically possible), the field already has three close to locks in last year’s winner in Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner Ayo Adebiri (“The Bear”), and the 2021 and 2022 winner Jean Smart (“Hacks”). Beyond those talented actors, the race is wide open.
READ MORE: Comedy Series Emmys 2024 Contenders and Predictions
In theory, nine-time Emmy nominee Kristen Wiig should make the cut for “Palm Royale” if you believe Television Academy voters think the series is worthy of their votes (the grumbles have grown louder as the show has progressed). Wiig’s “SNL” co-star and Apple TV+ stablemate, Maya Rudolph, is a five-time Emmy winner and in a weak year could earn her 12th nomination for the second season of “Loot.” That being said, Emmy voters didn’t nominate her the first time around. And then there is Selena Gomez, who has already been overlooked for the first two “Only Murders in the Building” seasons including last year when there were six slots to fill.
Other potential nominees include a two-time nominee in this category, Kaley Cuoco (“Based on a True Story”), Devery Jacobs (“Reservation Dogs”), Natalie Demetriou (“What We Do In The Shadows”), and a potential network hail mary in Rose McIver (“Ghosts”). But beyond the aforementioned three recent winners, the final two (or three) slots in this category are wide open. [Posted May 1]
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LIKELY
Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”
Jean Smart, “Hacks”
Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”
ALMOST THERE
Kristen Wiig, “Palm Royale”
Maya Rudolph, “Loot”
Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the Building”
Devery Jacobs, “Reservation Dogs”
Natalie Demetriou, “What We Do In The Shadows”
Kaley Cuoco, “Based on a True Story”
Rose McIver, “Ghosts”
LONGSHOTS
Sarah Jessica Parker, “And Just Like That”
Sarah Lancashire, “Julia”
Michelle Yeoh, “The Brothers Sun”
Renee Elise Goldsberry, “Girls5Eva”
Sarah Bareilles, “Girls5Eva”
Harriet Dyer, “Colin from Accounts”