The nominees are:
CATE BLANCHETT as Phyllis Schlafly in Mrs. America (FX on Hulu)
KAITLYN DEVER as Marie Adler in Unbelievable (Netflix)
KRISTINE FROSETH as Alaska Young in Looking For Alaska (Hulu)
KERRY WASHINGTON as Mia Warren in Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
MERRITT WEVER as Detective Karen Duvall in Unbelievable (Netflix)
REESE WITHERSPOON as Elena Richardson in Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu)
And the Winner Is...
CATE BLANCHETT
Mrs. America (FX on Hulu)
This was a STACKED category but also a fairly easily decision because I think Cate Blanchett may have given the performance of the year. There's nothing easy about playing a lead character based on a real life figure and seen as a villain by not only many other characters on the show but also by at least half the audience. And yet, being the lead, she also had to be somewhat sympathetic at times even if we weren't supposed to be sympathetic to her views. But Blanchett could do it all. Her Phyllis Schlafly went so far beyond a good impression (though it was that too). Blanchett walked that balancing line so carefully. Never once did I agree with what her character was doing and yet by the very end, I felt sorry for the character especially in the final minutes of the limited series. Blanchett could convey so much with just her facial expressions or her eyes. It's a masterful and memorable performance.
Thoughts on the Rest of the Nominees:
As I mentioned, this was a stacked category with several actresses who would have been shoo-ins among a lesser field. The two veteran stars of Little Fires Everywhere were excellent and perfect foils for each other. Reese Witherspoon took a role that was similar to her Big Little Lies role but added more depth to the character and was very strong in the finale. Kerry Washington brought a ton of depth to her role and expertly conveyed her character's complicated past in the present setting. Similarly, there were two standout female leads in Unbelievable. Kaitlyn Dever was a revelation in the very difficult role of a rape victim and she very powerfully conveyed the brokenness in her character from that horrific event. Merritt Wever was in more of a standard role as a detective but brought a tremendous amount of depth and care to the character. Finally, Kristine Froseth may be a surprise here but I thought her turn as the title character in Looking for Alaska was the best thing about that limited series as she played the tortured soul well.
Tomorrow: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series!
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