Emmys 2019: Lead Actress, Limited Series — Dream Nominees
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AMY ADAMS, SHARP OBJECTS
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Adams' portrayal of Camille Preaker was a lot like Wind Gap, Missouri in the summertime: slowly simmering until it reaches its boiling point. As Camille investigated a series of disturbing events in her hometown, she was forced to confront the horrors of her own upbringing, and Adams was so captivating as the character unraveled. Sharp Objects was, in large part, a cautionary tale of how repressed anger can take a toll on a woman — and it was completely fascinating to watch Camille's quiet rage unfold.
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AUNJANUE ELLIS, WHEN THEY SEE US
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Ellis' performance as Sharonne Salaam made one thing clear: If the police, the media and even Donald Trump want to get her son, they're going to have to come for her first. After Yusef was brought to the police station, Ellis fiercely stormed in and berated the prosecutor for her improper interrogation tactics. Later, her haughty indifference toward the other mothers and attorneys expressed the belief that her son is different, and she portrayed Sharonne with the focus of a woman who has no time for pleasantries or distractions. Ellis has been a scene-stealing supporting actress for years, but her turn as a woman who fears for her son's wellbeing should win her not only praise, but an Emmy nod, too.
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CARLA GUGINO, THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Gugino was so captivating as the horror series' central earth mother/unhinged supernatural conduit, it's hard to imagine another actress who could convey Olivia's warmth and madness to equal effect. Throw in all the times the house used Liv's image to mess with the Crain kids' minds (so evil and creepy!), as well as the monologue in the hallway after the freak storm (so sad and adrift!), and you've got an idea of how integral Gugino was to making the drama so scary good.
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JOEY KING, THE ACT
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: King didn't just play the role of Gypsy Blanchard, she inhabited it. Vanishing beneath a buzz cut and Coke-bottle glasses, and altering her voice to match the childlike pitch of her real-life character — the victim of a mother with Munchausen syndrome by proxy — the actress made our hearts race and stomachs churn as Gypsy discovered her age, her sexuality and, ultimately, her cunning. King was so sickeningly good, in fact, that we suspect her Dream Emmy nomination might become a reality.
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MICHELLE WILLIAMS, FOSSE/VERDON
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: After watching Williams' masterful work in FX's showbiz miniseries, we kind of wished the series had just been called Verdon. She brought the spirit of Broadway legend Gwen Verdon back to life, adopting a breathy voice and a girlish demeanor to play a woman who's used to plastering on a smile and acting like everything's just fine. But her life wasn't always a cabaret, and Williams allowed us to see the sadness and self-doubt creep into the corners of Verdon's ever-present grin, too.
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PATRICIA ARQUETTE, ESCAPE AT DANNEMORA
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: The Oscar winner famously gained forty pounds to play frumpy prison employee Tilly Mitchell in Showtime's prison-break miniseries, but her transformation was much more than just skin deep. She took a woman who could've been played as a punchline and got us to sympathize with her, showing us how badly Tilly craved a little excitement in her drab life, and she fearlessly exposed Tilly's numerous flaws as well, crafting a character who wasn't exactly lovable, but was never less than riveting.