Emmy Contenders 2017: Lead Actress in a Drama

Variety Staff

With last year’s winner Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”) ineligible this year, a spot opened for a new victor to be crowned. Odds are on Claire Foy, who won both Golden Globe and SAG awards this year for her portrait of young Queen Elizabeth II in “The Crown.” She could face stiff competition from new contenders Mandy Moore, whose done great work on new show “This Is Us,” and Evan Rachel Wood, who stars as a very human android in “Westworld.” Also debuting this year was “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a showcase for Elisabeth Moss’ talent. With seven previous noms, Moss has never won. Likely to repeat their nominations from last year are Viola Davis (“How to Get Away With Murder”) and Claire Danes (“Homeland”) both of whom have won for their characters before. Robin Wright (“House of Cards”), Taraji P. Henson (“Empire”) and Keri Russell (“The Americans”) were all nominated last year as well, and have never won for their roles. Henson also has the bonus of coming off the hit movie “Hidden Figures.” New to the race is Christine Baranski, who was nominated six times for supporting actress for her role as lawyer Diane Lockhart on “The Good Wife” and now finds herself taking the lead in its spinoff “The Good Fight.”

Frontrunners

Christine Baranski
“The Good Fight”
Claire Danes
“Homeland”
Viola Davis
“How to Get Away with Murder”
Claire Foy
“The Crown”
Taraji P. Henson
“Empire”
Mandy Moore
“This Is Us”
Elisabeth Moss
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
Keri Russell
“The Americans”
Evan Rachel Wood
“Westworld”
Robin Wright
“House of Cards”

On the Bubble

Shiri Appleby
Unreal
Carrie Coon
The Leftovers
Katherine Langford
13 Reasons Why
Jennifer Lopez
Shades of Blue
Brit Marling
The OA
Ruth Negga
Preacher
Christina Ricci
Z: The Beginning of Everything
Taylor Schilling
Orange Is the New Black
Jurnee Smollett-Bell
Underground
Kerry Washington
Scandal
Rutina Wesley
Queen Sugar

Dark Horses

Melissa Benoist
Supergirl
Kylie Bunbury
Pitch
Lizzy Caplan
Masters of Sex
Jenna Coleman
Victoria
Merle Dandridge
Greenleaf
Alexa Davalos
Man in the High Castle
Michelle Dockery
Good Behavior
Eva Green
Penny Dreadful
Mariska Hargitay
Law & Order: SVU
Keeley Hawes
The Durrells in Corfu
Queen Latifah
Star
Tea Leoni
Madam Secretary
Michelle Monaghan
The Path
Ellen Pompeo
Grey’s Anatomy
Ruth Wilson
The Affair

Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter