Queer Performances We Think Deserve Emmy Nominations This Year

Nominations for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced today, Thursday, July 12, and in this era of peak TV there are far too many great shows for all of them to get a nod.

But, below is a list of queer series and actors we would love to see get some love from the Television Academy on Thursday morning.

1. The actors of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

Sarah Paulson won an Emmy for her work as Marcia Clark in The People vs. O.J. Simpson, the first season of Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story, and hopefully voters will give some love to the cast of The Assassination of Gianni Versace, who gave some of the best performances of the year. Penelope Cruz, Ricky Martin, Judith Light, and Cody Fern stood out in the cast, but it was Darren Criss who delivered every single episode as Versace’s killer, Andrew Cunanan.

Three is the magic number for limited series. For the past three Emmy ceremonies, the eventual Best Limited Series winner also won three acting trophies and that trend could continue in September with “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.”

“Versace” is the odds-on favorite to win Best Limited Series and our odds are forecasting three acting victories for it as well: Darren Criss in lead actor, and Penelope Cruz and Edgar Ramirez in the supporting races. All of these wins are definitely possible, as voters have shown that if they really like your limited series, they’re more than happy to shower you with multiple statuettes.

That was the case last year with “Big Little Lies,” which ruled the ceremony with five wins, including acting trophies for Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgard and Laura Dern. In 2016, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” cleaned up with five wins as well, with triumphs for Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vanceand Sterling K. Brown. And in 2015, “Olive Kitteridge” earned Emmys for Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins and Bill Murrayas part of its six-trophy haul.

“Olive Kitteridge” was the only one that even had a chance to sweep the four acting categories, but Zoe Kazan lost to Regina King(“American Crime”). “O.J.” did not have a supporting actress contender and “Big Little Lies” didn’t have a leading man. “Versace,” meanwhile, isn’t fielding a lead actress hopeful.

“Versace” is most similar to “Olive Kitteridge” — well-made series that didn’t quite capture the zeitgeist the way “O.J.” and “Big Little Lies” did. Like the HBO mini, “Versace” is also competing in a comparably weaker year unlike “O.J.” and “Big Little Lies,” That could be a good or bad thing: easier for one show to dominate or it could lead to spreading the wealth.

Will ‘Versace’ be the fourth straight limited series to win three acting Emmys?

The 3rd Annual ADTV Coolie Awards Nominations!!!

You voted! We voted! And now it’s time to reveal the 3rd Annual ADTV Coolie Awards nominations! Be sure to check out Awards Daily TV during the Primetime Emmy® Phase 2 nominations starting August 13. You can vote for the winner and help award the Coolie to your favorite show or performer!

Two shows led the 2018 Coolie nominations. Both The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story and The Handmaid’s Tale received six mentions each. On the comedy front, Awards Daily TV favorite Schitt’s Creek receive four nominations, matching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in both series and acting races.

Here are this year’s nominees! Sound off in the comments as usual!

Limited Series

The Alienist
American Horror Story: Cult
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Howards End
Patrick Melrose
Picnic At Hanging Rock
The Sinner

Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose
Kyle MacLachlan, Twin Peaks
Al Pacino, Paterno
Evan Peters, American Horror Story: Cult
Michael Shannon, Waco

Supporting Actress in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Ellen Burstyn, The Tale
Penelope Cruz, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Laura Dern, Twin Peaks
Dakota Fanning, The Alienist
Angela Lansbury, Little Women
Judith Light, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Nicole Kidman, Top of the Lake: China Girl
Naomi Watts, Twin Peaks
Merritt Wever, Godless

Supporting Actor in a Limited Series/TV Movie

Jon Jon Briones, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Jeff Daniels, Godless
Brandon Victor Dixon, Jesus Christ Superstar
Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Jason Ritter, The Tale
Michael Stuhlbarg, The Looming Tower

The 3rd Annual ADTV Coolie Awards Nominations!!!

From ‘Game of Thrones’ to ‘Patrick Melrose,’ predictions for shows that will get Emmys 2018 nominations

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

The second season that focuses on the murder of the designer Gianni Versace is the latest offering in the crime anthology television series. Already a strong contender in Emmyhistory, it is set to come back again in the form a nomination in the limited series category. It might bag various acting nominations, with Darren Criss being nominated for ‘lead actor in a limited series’. Edgar Ramirez as the famous Designer might also be in the running for the best supporting actor nomination.

From ‘Game of Thrones’ to ‘Patrick Melrose,’ predictions for shows that will get Emmys 2018 nominations

Television Critics nominations offer a guide for the Emmys and what to watch this summer

INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA
Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve” – BBC America
Darren Criss, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” – FX
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale” – Hulu
Sandra Oh, “Killing Eve” – BBC America
Matthew Rhys, “The Americans” – FX
Keri Russell, “The Americans” – FX

My prediction: Moss. But they all deserve to win.

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIE OR MINISERIES
“Alias Grace” – Netflix
“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” – FX
“Howards End” – Starz
“Patrick Melrose” – Showtime
“The Tale” – HBO
“Twin Peaks: The Return” – Showtime

My prediction: “Versace” didn’t get the audience it deserved.

Television Critics nominations offer a guide for the Emmys and what to watch this summer

Emmys 2018: Predictions and Proclamations, Nominations Edition

Limited Series

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX)
Godless (Netflix)
Howards End (Starz)
The Looming Tower (Hulu)
Twin Peaks: The Return (Showtime)

The first four slots more or less in hand, the wild card here, to my mind, is Godless—a star-studded Western that would seem to scratch the TV Academy’s every itch, yet premiered last fall to relatively little fanfare and hasn’t had a major “For Your Consideration” push from the streaming giant, that I can tell. I’m going to stick with it here, but onyl by a nose: It could easily be leapfrogged by Showtime’s Patrick Melrose, with Emmy golden boy Benedict Cumberbatch, or even Genius: Picasso, with Antonio Banderas as the famed artist.

Lead Actor (Limited Series/TV Movie)

Benedict Cumberbatch, Patrick Melrose (Showtime)
Darren Criss, The Assassination of Gianni Versace (FX)
Jeff Daniels, The Looming Tower (Hulu)
Michael B. Jordan, Fahrenheit 451 (HBO)
Kyle MacLachlan, Twin Peaks: The Return (Showtime)
Al Pacino, Paterno (HBO)

Whew! This category has some big names! Which is how I arrived at a list that doesn’t include Antonio Banderas as Pablo Picasso in Genius (for which Geoffrey Rush nabbed a nomination last year). The only non-supernova on here is Criss, and his frightening, magnetic performance as spree killer Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination of Gianni Versace might be the cream of the crop. (MacLachlan’s multi-character turn in Twin Peaks is sure to give him a run for his money.) I suppose it’s theoretically possible for Daniels’ supporting campaign for Godless to knock him out and allow Banderas to slip in, but I’m not gonna bet the house on it.

Supporting Actor (Limited Series/TV Movie)

Jeff Daniels, Godless (Netflix)
Ricky Martin, The Assassination of Gianni Versace (FX)
Edgar Ramirez, The Assassination of Gianni Versace (FX)
Michael Shannon, Fahrenheit 451 (HBO)
Michael Stuhlbarg, The Looming Tower (Hulu)
Peter Sarsgaard, The Looming Tower (Hulu)

Along with Lead Actor (Drama), this is the list that reflects the biggest shift from my own preferences: Only Ramirez, as a very convincing Gianni Versace, appears on both. I suppose I can’t complain if Michael Shannon or Michael Stuhlbarg(the stalwart character actors of the decade, for my money) win an Emmy, but this category is the ultimate consequence of Emmy voters’ traditional inability to reach deep. Tahar Rahim (The Looming Tower), Alex Lawther (Howards End), Cody Fern and Finn Wittrock (The Assassination of Gianni Versace) are the lesser-known names that immediately come to mind as more deserving than most of the mailed-in performances listed above, but I’m just one lowly, increasingly-despondent-as-this-story-goes-on TV critic.

Outstanding Supporting Actress (Limited Series/TV Movie)

Penelope Cruz, The Assassination Of Gianni Versace (FX)
Laura Dern, Twin Peaks: The Return (Showtime)
Nicole Kidman, Top of the Lake: China Girl (Sundance TV)
Angela Lansbury, Little Women (PBS)
Judith Light, The Assassination Of Gianni Versace (FX)
Merritt Wever, Godless (Netflix)

If my predictions hold, I’ll be thoroughly sad not to see Anna Paquin’s terrifying performance in Alias Grace, or Tracey Ullmann’s devilishly funny one in Howards End, go unacknowledged. But the list above is basically the gay TV critic’s dream field, so: I know when to hold my tongue.

Emmys 2018: Predictions and Proclamations, Nominations Edition

Episode stills of episode 6 of The Assassination of Gianni Versace | 11 July 2018