Last year, Sheryl Lee Ralph winning the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy was the highlight of the night. This year competition is tougher with two past winners whose shows are ending.
We will update this article throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2023 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting takes place from June 15 to June 26, with the official Emmy nominations announced Wednesday, July 12. The Creative Arts Emmy Awards will be presented over two consecutive nights on Saturday, September 9 and Sunday, September 10, with an edited presentation of the ceremonies to be broadcast on FXX at a later date. Finally, the 75th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards take place on Monday, September 18, and air live on FOX at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.
The State of the Race
If there was a breakout star of last year’s Emmys telecast, it was Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series winner Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”) who brought the house down with her a capella rendition of Dianne Reeves’ “Endangered Species,” and then gave a barn burner of an acceptance speech.
Many prognosticators actually had Janelle James, her co-star on the ABC sitcom, pegged to be the one to best the 2021 winner of the category, Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”), but since then it became routine at winter TV awards for Ralph to receive another trophy and mesmerize the audience with her thoughtful words. Expect all three women to be right back at the Emmys this year along with their co-stars Lisa Ann Walter (“Abbott Elementary”) and Juno Temple (“Ted Lasso”), as both shows are entering the TV awards season with more eyes on them.
In addition to this being the last Emmy season for “Ted Lasso,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” is also ending, meaning two-time winner Alex Borstein could earn one more Emmy in this category for her turn as Susie Myerson on the Amazon Prime Video comedy. Her co-star Marin Hinkle also stands a chance of getting another nomination for her work on the Amy Sherman-Palladino-helmed series.
As far as newcomers go, the main one to watch is “The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri, who actually won at the Independent Spirit Awards in March nominated against Ralph in a very competitive Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series category that was gender neutral and included shows of various genres. The young actress also has a role in the Sundance hit “Theater Camp” and stars in “Bottoms,” which just premiered to rave reviews at SXSW, so 2023 is shaping up to be her year.
Lastly, it has been a banner season for “Saturday Night Live” star Ego Nwodim, who got a great showcase via the viral sketch “Lisa From Temecula.” With Kate McKinnon leaving the NBC staple last season, there is more space for recent departee Cecily Strong and the hard-working impressionist Chloe Fineman to be representative for the show in this category as well.
Current Contenders (In Alphabetical Order):
Zazie Beetz, “Atlanta” (FX)
Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon Prime Video)
Liza Colón-Zayas, “The Bear” (FX)
Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear” (Hulu)
Chloe Fineman, “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Sarah Goldberg, “Barry” (HBO)
Marin Hinkle, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon Prime Video)
Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Ego Nwodim, “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Cecily Strong, “Saturday Night Live” (NBC)
Juno Temple, “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+)
Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+)
Lisa Ann Walter, “Abbott Elementary” (ABC)
Jessica Williams, “Shrinking” (Apple TV+)
More Comedy Category Predictions:
Outstanding Comedy Series
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
To see IndieWire’s full set of predictions for the 75th Emmy Awards click here.
Last Year’s Winner: Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
Still Eligible: Yes.
Hot Streak: Last year was Sheryl Lee Ralph’s first Emmy win for “Abbott Elementary,” so no streak yet, but if she did win again, she would become the first Black actress to win this category twice.
Notable Ineligible Series: Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks” (Season 3 was not eligible)
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