Anonymous Emmy Ballot: Editor Relates to Issa Rae’s ‘Imperfect’ Character and Roots for Bill Hader’s Killer
Voting continues this week and next for the 2018 Primetime Emmy Awards, and campaigning is back in earnest. More panels are on tap throughout the next two weeks, to sway undecided voters, and even more stunts are in the works: “Stranger Things” star David Harbour, for example, is toplining an event for the show this Saturday at the Hollywood Forever cemetery.
IndieWire reached out to creatives across the industry this year to share their own Emmy ballots, anonymously, and explain why they made their choices. Performers, writers, producers, publicists, executives, and craftspeople from across the industry offered up their answers, and IndieWire will post some of those ballots in the coming days.
In this edition, an editor gives their take on this year’s Emmy race, and her reason behind each pick. It’s clear this person likes complicated characters that you hate to love and love to hate. Read on below:
Outstanding Drama Series
The Americans
The Crown
Game Of Thrones
The Handmaid’s Tale
Stranger Things
This Is Us
Westworld
Because it cuts close to home and yet it’s so well done, you can’t not watch.
Outstanding Comedy Series
Atlanta
Barry
black-ish
Curb Your Enthusiasm
GLOW
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Silicon Valley
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
It’s a well-written series that found the perfect balance between drama and comedy.
Read More:Emmy Predictions 2018 — The 70th Annual Primetime Emmys
Outstanding Limited Series
The Alienist
The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Genius: Picasso
Godless
Patrick Melrose
For a story where we know the ending, they found a smart and engaging way to tell it.
Outstanding Television Movie
Fahrenheit 451
Flint
Paterno
The Tale
USS Callister (Black Mirror)
I didn’t know the story and found myself riveted the entire time.
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Claire Foy/The Crown
Tatiana Maslany/Orphan Black
Elisabeth Moss/The Handmaid’s Tale
Sandra Oh/Killing Eve
Keri Russell/The Americans
Evan Rachel Wood/Westworld
Because it takes tremendous talent to be able to play so many characters and be able to portray each and every one of them in distinct ways. Not a lot of actors are able to do that.
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman/Ozark
Sterling K. Brown/This Is Us
Ed Harris/Westworld
Matthew Rhys/The Americans
Milo Ventimiglia/This Is Us
Jeffrey Wright/Westworld
He’s able to portray emotions with subtle facial expressions and without words.
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Pamela Adlon/Better Things
Rachel Brosnahan/The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Allison Janney/Mom
Issa Rae/Insecure
Tracee Ellis Ross/black-ish
Lily Tomlin/Grace And Frankie
Issa is able to play the role of a girl you can relate to. She’s able to carry off being an imperfect person who makes mistakes but do it in a way that keeps you on her side, even though you know she’s about to do something wrong.
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson/black-ish
Ted Danson/The Good Place
Larry David/Curb Your Enthusiasm
Donald Glover/Atlanta
Bill Hader/Barry
William H. Macy/Shameless
Because he plays this miserable assassin and does it in a way that makes you laugh and root for him. Even though he kills people.
Read More:Full IndieWire Awards Coverage
Lead Actress in a Limited Series/Movie
Jessica Biel/The Sinner
Laura Dern/The Tale
Michelle Dockery/Godless
Edie Falco/Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders
Regina King/Seven Seconds
Sarah Paulson/American Horror Story: Cult
Regina King has a way of bringing intensity to the roles she plays and she has incredible range from drama to comedy. She embodies the characters she plays so you don’t see Regina.
Lead Actor in a Limited Series/Movie
Antonio Banderas/Genius: Picasso
Darren Criss/The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Benedict Cumberbatch/Patrick Melrose
Jeff Daniels/The Looming Tower
John Legend/Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert
Jesse Plemons/USS Callister (Black Mirror)
He was complicated, stubborn, and you rooted for him the entire time. He played this character who wasn’t that likable and brought depth to it so you were behind him all the way.
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Alexis Bledel/The Handmaid’s Tale
Millie Bobby Brown/Stranger Things
Ann Dowd/The Handmaid’s Tale
Lena Headey/Game Of Thrones
Vanessa Kirby/The Crown
Thandie Newton/Westworld
Yvonne Strahovski/The Handmaid’s Tale
She was able to balance being a tough Madam with being a loving mom in search of her daughter, and being a badass you’d want on your side if you were in a gun fight or sword fight.
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau/Game Of Thrones
Peter Dinklage/Game Of Thrones
Joseph Fiennes/The Handmaid’s Tale
David Harbour/Stranger Things
Mandy Patinkin/Homeland
Matt Smith/The Crown
He brings a feminine and masculine quality to this role that is very interesting. Most actors are one or the other. He is able to deliver both.
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Zazie Beetz/Atlanta
Alex Borstein/The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Aidy Bryant/Saturday Night Live
Betty Gilpin/GLOW
Leslie Jones/Saturday Night Live
Kate McKinnon/Saturday Night Live
Laurie Metcalf/Roseanne
Megan Mullally/Will & Grace
Because she’s hilarious no matter how you slice it.
Read More:IndieWire’s Screen Talk Emmy Edition Podcast
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Louie Anderson/Baskets
Alec Baldwin/Saturday Night Live
Tituss Burgess/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Brian Tyree Henry/Atlanta
Tony Shalhoub/The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Kenan Thompson/Saturday Night Live
Henry Winkler/Barry
Because he portrays Trump so well and is able to bring a little levity to such a depressing political climate.
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Sara Bareilles/Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert
Penélope Cruz/The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Judith Light/The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Adina Porter/American Horror Story: Cult
Merritt Wever/Godless
Letitia Wright/Black Museum (Black Mirror)
She embodied the role brilliantly. Judith Light and Penelope Cruz were both ok but I kept seeing Judith Light and Penelope Cruz rather than the people they were portraying.
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Jeff Daniels/Godless
Brandon Victor Dixon/Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert
John Leguizamo/Waco
Ricky Martin/The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Edgar Ramírez/The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Michael Stuhlbarg/The Looming Tower
Finn Wittrock/The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Because he transformed into Versace.
Outstanding Reality/Competition Program
The Amazing Race
American Ninja Warrior
Project Runway
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
I still love seeing up-and-coming chefs go for their American dream.
Outstanding Structured Reality Program
Antiques Roadshow
Fixer Upper
Lip Sync Battle
Queer Eye
Shark Tank
Who Do You Think You Are?
It’s interesting to see the inventions and the lessons the Sharks give on why they choose to invest in what they do is pretty interesting.
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program
Born This Way
Deadliest Catch
Intervention
Naked And Afraid
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked
United Shades Of America With W. Kamau Bell
There should be more shows like this! Kamau Bell pushes the envelope and asks the hard questions.
Host for a Reality or Reality/Competition Program
W. Kamau Bell/United Shades Of America With W. Kamau Bell
Ellen Degeneres/Ellen’s Game Of Games
RuPaul/RuPaul’s Drag Race
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn/Project Runway
Jane Lynch/Hollywood Game Night
Kamau Bell has put himself out there in order to dig into each story, each community and some of them are more harsh than others but he does a great job in his version of investigative journalism.
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Late Show With James Corden
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
It’s funny, educational, and simply put, well executed.
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
At Home With Amy Sedaris
Drunk History
I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman
Portlandia
Saturday Night Live
Tracey Ullman’s Show
Genius format on making people laugh while learning a bit of history.
Read More:Emmys: Directing and Writing Nominations Still Woefully Lack Female Representation
Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards
60th Annual Grammy Awards
Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert
Night Of Too Many Stars: America Unites For Autism Programs
The Oscars
Didn’t see the other shows.
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
Carol Burnett Show 50th Anniversary Special
Carpool Karaoke Primetime Special 2018
Dave Chappelle: Equanimity
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Presents: The Great American* Puerto Rico (*It’s Complicated)
Steve Martin & Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life
It was well done and funny!
Outstanding Informational Series or Special
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown
Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman
StarTalk With Neil deGrasse Tyson
Vice
Anthony Bourdain introduced us to other parts of the world, different foods, cultures and he did it with swagger!
[Production assistance by Liz Shannon Miller.]
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