Emmys 2018: Lead Actress, Comedy — Dream Nominees
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ALISON BRIE, GLOW
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: In terms the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling would appreciate, Brie delivered a knockout. Were it not for her alternately fierce and fragile performance, we might've written off as pathetic Ruth Wilder, the desperate actress who slept with her bestie's husband in Netflix's '80s-set dramedy. Instead, we couldn't help but see among the character's flaws her potential — and picture Brie's name among those of this year's Emmy contenders.
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CATHERINE O'HARA, SCHITT'S CREEK
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: What the Mona Lisa is to da Vinci, Moira Rose is to O'Hara. In fact, the formidable funny lady has made such a masterpiece of the soap star-turned-socialite-turned-pauper that she doesn't just deserve a nod, she deserves a bunch, in categories ranging from Most Intriguingly Impossible-to-Place Accent to Funniest Depiction of Self-Absorption. No wonder Moira began Season 4 convinced she'd killed a man: Every week, her portrayer slays us!
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ISSA RAE, INSECURE
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: In Season 2 of the magnificently messy HBO dramedy that she co-created, Rae not only captured the pathos and regret of her namesake character's ugly breakup with Lawrence, she did it while also making us laugh our asses off at her awkward-as-hell attempt to become a ho. To overlook the actress for a second time, Emmy voters would have to be not just dumb but dumb extra.
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JUSTINA MACHADO, ONE DAY AT A TIME
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: The Netflix sitcom has allowed Machado to show her range as both a comedienne and a dramatic actress, which made this Dream Emmy pick a no-brainer. One need only look at her work in the outstanding "Hello, Penelope" (in which the character's depression came to a head) or the heart-wrenching Season 2 finale (where she delivered an impassioned six-minute monologue to her comatose mother that made us laugh and cry) to understand why she deserves to be recognized by the TV Academy.
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RACHEL BLOOM, CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: It's simply nuts that the multi-talented Bloom hasn't already been recognized by the Emmys for her utterly charming work as hopeless romantic Rebecca Bunch. And she soared to new heights in Season 3 of The CW's musical rom-com, as Rebecca went full-on Fatal Attraction on her beloved ex Josh Chan, and then hit rock bottom and bravely asked for help with her own mental health struggles. Oh, and did we mention Bloom sings and dances each week?
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RACHEL BROSNAHAN, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Marvelous? Pshaw. "Mesmerizing" is the adjective we'd apply to Brosnahan's tour-de-fierce comedy turn in Amy Sherman-Palladino's stunningly ambitious period comedy. The actress had so many standout moments during the Amazon series' breakout first season, but, for our money, it all comes back to the pilot's rip-roaring climax, with Brosnahan's Midge suffering a post-breakup meltdown that slowly morphed into a rousing standup routine. Wanna see what a star looks like when it's first born? Rewatch that scene.