Comedy Guest Actress Emmy predictions now open! Which performers are you picking?

David Buchanan and Chris Beachum
·4 min read
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The Gold Derby predictions center event for the 2023 Emmy Awards has now added the Comedy Guest Actress category. We have compiled lists of nearly 40 eligible performers in each of the four guest acting races that reflect our educated guesses on who will be submitted for consideration. More names will be added in the next few months and when the Television Academy releases this year’s ballots in June. Make your very first selections now!

From last year’s six nominees, both Jane Lynch (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) and Harriet Walter (“Ted Lasso”) are eligible to return. Lynch, of course, won this category back in 2019 for her performance as Midge’s (Rachel Brosnahan) nemesis, standup comedian Sophie Lennon. Laurie Metcalf won last year for a two-episode arc on “Hacks,” which nabbed four of the six guest actress slots last cycle. The HBO Max series will not air new episodes in time to compete this year, leaving plenty of opportunities for established and new shows to break through.

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SEE Taraji P. Henson to guest star on ‘Abbott Elementary’ as Janine’s (Quinta Brunson) mother

Many of last year’s Comedy Series nominees have introduced new, high-profile guests. The second season of “Abbott Elementary” brought on board important characters, including Ayo Edebiri as Janine’s (Quinta Brunson) sister Ayesha and Taraji P. Henson as their mother, Vanetta. “Only Murders in the Building” not only welcomed back Tina Fey, Jane Lynch, and Amy Ryan, but added legend Shirley MacLaine as the mother of murdered Arconia resident Bunny Folger (Jayne Houdyshell). In its third season, “Ted Lasso” adds Becky Ann Baker as Ted’s mother and will also feature last year’s supporting actress nominee Sarah Niles in a guest capacity.

Freshman series also boast many potential nominees with storied histories at the Emmys. Rian Johnson’s “Poker Face” features a true embarrassment of riches in terms of its guest cast, including Emmy winners Ellen Barkin, Cherry Jones, and S. Epatha Merkerson, four-time nominee Judith Light, and two 2023 Oscar nominees: Hong Chau and Stephanie Hsu. Two-time Emmy nominee Wendie Mallick is eligible for not one, but two new series, for a one-off appearance on the revival of “Night Court” and a recurring stint on “Shrinking.” Living legend Marla Gibbs could also make a return to the Emmys for “UnPrisoned.” One shouldn’t count out Oscar-winner Catherine Zeta Jones for “Wednesday” as the iconic character Morticia Addams, either.

SEE Cherry Jones looks to be a rare Emmy triple category/genre threat this year

And, as always, “Saturday Night Live” will have a host of hosts vying for nominations, too, including Quinta Brunson, Jenna Ortega, Keke Palmer, Aubrey Plaza, and Molly Shannon, many of whom could earn multiple nominations this year for other series. The historic sketch variety series has won in this category seven times, most recently for Maya Rudolph.

Below, see the full list of Comedy Guest Actress contenders currently in our prediction center:

Abbott Elementary – Ayo Edebiri
Abbott Elementary – Taraji P. Henson
Abbott Elementary – Lauren Weedman
Barry – Elizabeth Perkins
The Bear – Amy Morton
The Bear – Molly Ringwald
The Conners – Jane Curtin
The Conners – Estelle Parsons
The Conners – Katey Sagal
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Kelly Bishop
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – Jane Lynch
Night Court – Faith Ford
Night Court – Wendie Malick
Only Murders in the Building – Tina Fey
Only Murders in the Building – Jane Lynch
Only Murders in the Building – Shirley MacLaine
Only Murders in the Building – Amy Ryan
Poker Face – Ellen Barkin
Poker Face – Hong Chau
Poker Face – Stephanie Hsu
Poker Face – Cherry Jones
Poker Face – Judith Light
Poker Face – S. Epatha Merkerson
Poker Face – Chloe Sevigny
Reservation Dogs – Megan Mullally
Shrinking – Wendie Malick
Saturday Night Live – Quinta Brunson
Saturday Night Live – Jenna Ortega
Saturday Night Live – Keke Palmer
Saturday Night Live – Aubrey Plaza
Saturday Night Live – Amy Schumer
Saturday Night Live – Molly Shannon
Ted Lasso – Becky Ann Baker
Ted Lasso – Sarah Niles
Ted Lasso – Harriet Walter
Tulsa King – Annabella Sciorra
UnPrisoned – Marla Gibbs
Wednesday – Catherine Zeta-Jones

PREDICT the 2023 Emmy nominations through July 12

Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions of other fans plus our experts and editors for best prediction accuracy scores. See our latest prediction champs. Can you top our esteemed leaderboards next? Always remember to keep your predictions updated because they impact our latest racetrack odds, which terrify Hollywood chiefs and stars. Don’t miss the fun. Speak up and share your huffy opinions in our famous forums where 5,000 showbiz leaders lurk every day to track latest awards buzz. Everybody wants to know: What do you think? Who do you predict and why?

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