Emmy Predictions 2018: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Last Year’s Winner: Laura Dern, “Big Little Lies”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: FX and HBO have both earned nominations in this category since 2012 (and HBO’s streak dates back to 2003).
Fun Fact: For the first time since “Downton Abbey” made the jump from limited series to drama series in 2013, not a single anthology series (or other franchise) that was nominated the year prior is in contention this year.

It’s the movie stars vs. the TV favorites in a surprisingly competitive Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie race. Penelope Cruz (“American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace”) and Nicole Kidman (“Top of the Lake: China Girl”) are looking to crack in for respected turns in prestige projects; Cruz as the sister of a fashion icon who became a star, Donatella Versace, and Kidman as an Australian mother, Julia, whose story dovetails with Elisabeth Moss’ detective.

Meanwhile, Angela Lansbury — a three-time Oscar nominee and 18-time Emmy nominee — aims for her first statue from the TV Academy for her role in “Little Women.” (No, Jessica Fletcher was never rewarded for “Murder She Wrote.”) Last year’s winner Laura Dern — who has a pair of Oscar nominations herself — is back in the race for “Twin Peaks: The Return.” She’ll be competing against another former Emmy winner Merritt Wever, who took home the trophy in 2013 for “Nurse Jackie” (and hasn’t been back in the race since).

But even with these big names in play, there are plenty more heavyweights vying for slots. Ellen Burstyn hit all the right notes in a tricky performance for “The Tale” (as did Elizabeth Debicki, whose haunting turn leaves a lasting mark) and Jennifer Jason Leigh played a complicated victim over decades of narrative in the Showtime drama, “Patrick Melrose.” Naomi Watts is hoping voters look fondly on David Lynch’s Dougie storyline, and Judith Light hopes members are taken with “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” enough to nominate her and Cruz.

Throw in Julia Ormond (“Howards End”), Anna Paquin (“Alias Grace”), and Sharon Stone (“Mosaic”) — who would be locks in other years — and this competition is looking mighty fierce. Much like the rest of the Emmys, the final tally could come down to which shows are seen, remembered, and beloved; two (or more) nominees from one show aren’t out of the realm of possibility.

Below are IndieWire TV Critic Ben Travers’ predictions for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV Movie (listed in alphabetical order), which will be updated throughout the season. Make sure to keep checking IndieWire for all the latest buzz and highlights from the 2018 race, and read predictions for the rest of the categories, as well.

Predicted Nominees:

Ellen Burstyn, “The Tale”

Penelope Cruz, “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace”

Laura Dern, “Twin Peaks: The Return”

Nicole Kidman, “Top of the Lake: China Girl”

Jennifer Jason Leigh, “Patrick Melrose”

Merritt Wever, “Godless”

Spoilers: Elizabeth Debicki, “The Tale”; Angela Lansbury, “Little Women”; Judith Light, “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace”; Anna Paquin, “Alias Grace”; Naomi Watts, “Twin Peaks: The Return”

In a Perfect World: Julia Ormond, “Howards End”; Julia Garner, “Waco”

Emmy Predictions 2018: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie

Last Year’s Winner: Alexander Skarsgård, “Big Little Lies”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: HBO won this category eight out of nine years between 2003 and 2011. Since then, as the race has gotten more and more competitive, the premium cable network has only won twice in the last six years.
Fun Fact: Only one actor has won multiple times in this category: Beau Bridges, for “The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom” (in 1993) and “The Second Civil War” (in 1997).

Jeff Daniels is aiming to be a double nominee in 2018, as a lead actor in “The Looming Tower” and also in the supporting category for “Godless.” But in which category does the former winner have his best shot? On the one hand, “The Looming Tower” is getting quite the prestige push from Hulu, but “Godless” has proven to be popular and long-lasting. Fans are still buzzing over his one-armed turn as the villainous outlaw Frank Griffin.

There’s still a lot of competition in the best supporting actor race via the limited series and TV movies in competition. Daniels has a few of his peers from “The Looming Tower” coming at him, from Michael Stuhlbarg to Bill Camp (who was nominated in 2017) to Peter Sarsgaard. Stuhlbarg has an early edge — hopefully to make up for his “Fargo” turn being snubbed in 2017 — but two Hulu favorites could end up making the cut. That, or Daniels’ “Godless” co-star Scoot McNairy could snag a nomination, too.

If they don’t bump Daniels, there are plenty of contenders disconnected from the “Newsroom” star, too. Brandon Victor Dixon made quite a mark on audiences in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” as did Bill Pullman in the USA Network thriller “The Sinner.” Edgar Ramirez and Ricky Martin played a couple onscreen in “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace”; could they score joint nominations to match?

They may have to fight off two impressive performances from a couple of HBO films. Jason Ritter may be playing a monster in “The Tale,” but the well-liked actor took a big risk and made the most of it. (Similarly, Hugo Weaving plays a very bad man in “Patrick Melrose,” but will voters look past the character and see the work done to bring his evil to life?) He’s more than deserving, as is Michael Shannon for “Fahrenheit 451.” The Chicago theatre veteran and Oscar-nominated big screen star created a nuanced new take on Captain Beatty.

Below are IndieWire TV Critic Ben Travers’ predictions for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie (listed in alphabetical order), which will be updated throughout the season. Make sure to keep checking IndieWire for all the latest buzz and highlights from the 2018 race, and read predictions for the rest of the categories, as well.

Predicted Nominees:

Jeff Daniels, “Godless”

Brandon Victor Dixon, “Jesus Christ Superstar”

Edgar Ramirez, “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace”

Jason Ritter, “The Tale”

Michael Shannon, “Fahrenheit 451”

Michael Stuhlbarg, “The Looming Tower”

Spoilers: Bill Camp, “The Looming Tower”; John Leguizamo, “Waco”; Ricky Martin, “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace”; Bill Pullman, “The Singger”; Peter Sarsgaard, “The Looming Tower”; Hugo Weaving, “Patrick Melrose”

In a Perfect World: Miguel Ferrer, “Twin Peaks: The Return”; Robert Forster, “Twin Peaks: The Return”; Scoot McNairy, “Godless”; Tobias Menzies, “The Terror”; Tahar Rahim, “The Looming Tower”

Emmy Predictions 2018: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie

Ryan Murphy on Emmy Category Confusion: Let the Creators Decide

Murphy has several shows competing for this year’s awards, including some that will face off against each other for nominations — in particular, “American Horror Story: Cult” and “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” in limited series. His new first-responders hit “9-1-1” is eligible in the drama categories, but broadcast procedurals generally don’t do as well at the awards show.

“I never try and manipulate anything like that,” he said. Murphy is particularly bullish on “Versace,” including “the actors in that, and the crafts people. I think it looked incredible and sounded incredible. At this point for me I just root for my people, I never know where the wind will blow.”

Ryan Murphy on Emmy Category Confusion: Let the Creators Decide

‘American Crime Story: Versace’: Darren Criss and Edgar Ramirez Unpack the Meaning Behind that Mysterious Final Scene

The first time Darren Criss and Edgar Ramirez saw “Alone,” the complicated finale of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” they had no idea how their respective stories would end. For Ramirez, it turns out that Gianni Versace’s last scene came at the very beginning of his journey with the character.

“That was my very first scene in the show,” Ramirez said earlier this week at an “American Crime Story: Versace” screening event at the Directors Guild Theater in West Hollywood. Joined by assorted cast and crew from the entire season, Ramirez and his scene partner Darren Criss both spoke about their reactions to the finale — which they had just seen for the very first time, and were still struggling to process.

In one of the final moments of “Alone,” as federal agents are descending on Andrew Cunanan’s hideout, we trip back to the past, as Versace (Ramirez) and Andrew (Criss) have a conversation on the stage of an empty opera house. After a long discussion about the nature of beauty in the world, Andrew leans in for a kiss. Even when Versace gently declines, the sequence still ends on a note of peace and calm. Immediately shattering that atmosphere, the show snaps to its present, when Andrew fatally shoots himself in the head.

Although the two knew that scene might be used, it came as a surprise to both actors to see that on-screen conversation between their two characters placed where it ended up. For them, it created a sense of ambiguity about whether or not that interaction was meant to have occurred in real life.

“Were we watching one of Andrew’s machinations? Were we watching something that actually happened? I love the way that I wasn’t even sure anymore. And I kinda like that, because it made me think, ‘Is everything I just saw a machination of Andrew’s brain?’ I don’t know,” Criss said. “It was very effective to me because he lived in this nebulous sort of world. Considering how pivotal, whether fictional or non-fictional, that moment would have been, to put it right there at the end of his life was quite powerful to me.”

Added Ramirez, “I think that’s the beauty of good storytelling — that, in the end, it will fill the holes and connect the dots that reality can’t. No one will ever know what went through the heads of Gianni Versace or Andrew Cunanan. No one will ever really know if these two guys ever looked each other in the eye and connected or passed any kind of energy to each other.”

For Criss, the moment also crystalized an idea that he’d had after hearing questions about how many other Andrew moments actually transpired the way they did in real life.

“People constantly ask us, ‘Did that really happen?!’ I don’t know. But that’s irrelevant to me. It actually doesn’t matter to me. It’s the emotional content that we’re providing for this particular narrative. And that’s what hits me harder,” Criss said. “Whether it happened or not, if Andrew had believed that the emotional value of a moment like that happened, whether it was a handshake, a high five, a glance across the room, or a poster on his wall, the emotional content of that scene existed in his brain. It’s what carried him through what we watched these past nine episodes. That’s what’s more important to me.”

Many of the panelists reiterated that for them, the series is a reflection of love in many forms. Whether it was Marilyn Miglin (Judith Light), who returns in the finale for an affecting coda, Versace’s partner Antonio (Ricky Martin), or the memories of lost companions that Ronnie (Max Greenfield) refers to in his passionate interrogation room monologue, that message came through for them just as much as the pain that one young man inflicted twenty years ago.

“You know what really happened? The love between Gianni and Antonio. That really happened. I met people who know and were witnesses of that love. I think that’s what the show brings. We all feel that we know the story, but the reality is that we didn’t know the story,” Ramirez said.

In assembling the rest of the episode, writer Tom Rob Smith wanted to address the kind of reality that Andrew would have created for himself. But a central driving question of this episode came down to why Andrew would decide not to continue his moment of notoriety into a drawn-out court case.

“You’re looking at a man who everyone said is obsessed with fame, why does he not take the showcase of a trial? This is someone who was put on this earth to impress people. That’s what he wanted to do. He lost his money, he lost his looks, he lost the ability to impress people, and he turns to notoriety,” Smith said. “But I think when he gets to this endpoint, I think he’s disgusted with himself. That comes through very strongly in this episode. This is someone who wanted to be loved and who screwed that up so badly that when that news coverage fades, he’s left with this sense of profound shame. That was at the heart of the episode.”

Part of that process involved digging deep into what really happened during the Cunanan manhunt. Key scenes at the Miami Beach marina, the state of Andrew’s hideout, and even the priest’s refusal to take Antonio’s hand at Versace’s funeral all came from verified accounts of the aftermath of the murders.

“We know that the thing with the boat, they found bits of bread and Andrew’s newspaper clippings. We know that he was trying to escape. His dad did say that he rang him. That is all true. The ‘A Name to Be Remembered By’ title is the title that Modesto Cunanan wanted Andrew’s life to be called,” Smith said. “Actually, when you look at it, there were loads of fragments that were absolutely true. The Versace magazines by the head, again, that was real. And the coverage is all archive. We’re just trying to string them together.”

Executive producer Brad Simpson explained that the process of putting together the final episode was something that came at the very end of the process, a more gradual way to piece together the culmination of a season-long reverse approach to understanding the crime.

“It was the hardest episode. It was the only one that we didn’t have a plan at the beginning of how it was going to lay out. I think [Tom] did a brilliant job figuring out exactly how to let you know what’s going on inside Andrew’s hand and surmise what might have been happening,” Simpson said.

“We’re dealing with fragments, but when you have ten pieces of a puzzle and they’re all a cathedral, you can kind of work out the rest,” Smith said.

‘American Crime Story: Versace’: Darren Criss and Edgar Ramirez Unpack the Meaning Behind that Mysterious Final Scene

https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/417194901/stream?client_id=N2eHz8D7GtXSl6fTtcGHdSJiS74xqOUI?plead=please-dont-download-this-or-our-lawyers-wont-let-us-host-audio

Problems With the Latest AMERICAN CRIME STORY: Episode 155

Sorry for the delay in posting (technical issues)! But as a special treat, Liz and Ben are joined by Liz’s mother, Janet, to discuss this year’s “American Crime Story” — and figure out why we aren’t as obsessed as we were during the OJ season. | 21 March 2018

*begins at 3:17

‘American Crime Story: Versace’: Listen to the Chilling Track ‘Donatella’ From ‘Mr. Robot’ Composer Mac Quayle — Exclusive

Of all the characters in “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” Donatella Versace doesn’t have the most screentime. But like Penelope Cruz’s distinct portrayal, the score of the FX series lets her linger throughout the story.

“Versace” composer Mac Quayle has effectively used digital scores in other TV series, most notably in “Mr. Robot.” For one of the central Donatella compositions, Quayle makes a haunting mix of electronic hums, distant keys and a surprising crescendo to some haunting strings. It’s a blending of digital and tactile that mirrors the way the rest of this season’s unconventional timeline blends past and future.

“After I had written the score to the first episode I realized the music was essentially Giorgio Moroder scoring ‘Silence of the Lambs’ in an Italian Villa,” Quayle told IndieWire. “From the moment we meet Donatella Versace she is grieving the loss of her brother, and so I wanted her theme to embody that deep sadness.”

For a series working backwards from a tragedy through two men’s individual backstories, the “Versace” score has helped root the emotion in whenever the show’s “present” happens to be. Sometimes it’s in a dreamlike prelude to a nightmare, other times it’s in a sister mourning the loss of a brother with whom she had a contentious, complicated relationship.

The full soundtrack album for “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” will be available on Friday, March 16 in advance of next Wednesday’s finale.

Hear the full exclusive track “Donatella”

‘American Crime Story: Versace’: Listen to the Chilling Track ‘Donatella’ From ‘Mr. Robot’ Composer Mac Quayle — Exclusive

‘American Crime Story: Versace’ Director Matt Bomer on Bringing Three Different Continents to Life Within L.A. City Limits

The penultimate episode of “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” is almost like a checklist of all the challenges a director might face in crafting an episode of TV. For Matt Bomer, that’s exactly why it made for the perfect directorial debut.

“We had two child protagonists in the first couple acts of the episode, so you’re already on child hours. We’re in three different countries, five different cities. Party scenes, trading floor scenes, a period piece,” Bomer told IndieWire. “I was so grateful to be thrown so many challenges my first time directing because I was able to tick off so many boxes of things that I don’t have to worry about any more. Half of it was just getting it done and knowing you can do it and do it on schedule.”

Known for his work in front of the camera, Bomer had other opportunities to direct before but always wanted to wait for the optimum chance to immerse himself in a project. When “American Crime Story” became a possibility, Bomer devised his own personal film school to get himself ready to meet the challenge.

“I was waiting patiently in the wings. Ryan had reached out to me back in December [2016] and asked me to direct. After I passed out and regained consciousness, I said yes and really spent four and a half months on this episode,” Bomer said. “I read over 3,000 pages of books on directing, I shadowed two different directors on the show. I sat down with film and television directors who are friends of mine who were willing to be mentors. I did an intensive at the DGA. I knew the level of artistry that was [happening] on set and I wanted to meet everyone on their level.”

Part of Bomer’s signing up for “American Crime Story” was the chance to fully commit to the task. He was on set for a month of shoots while the show was filming other episodes in the season, affording him the chance to know the full crew before he started.

“I didn’t want that partial directorial experience. I wanted to really immerse myself and approach it like any director would. I wanted to be there for all the scouts. I wanted to be in the room for all the casting. I wanted to be in all the design meetings. I didn’t want to just lean on the director of photography to get me through while I worked with actors,” Bomer said.

For an episode that meant turning L.A. into locations as wide-ranging as San Diego and the Philippines, it was an investment that paid off down the road.

“I had to find three different countries within a Los Angeles area,” Bomer said. “We had an incredible production designer in Jamie Walker McCall. She worked her magic, particularly what she did in the Baliuag shack. That final confrontation between Andrew and his father is a setpiece we talked through that she built. I think her work on that was tremendous.”

The pivotal piece in the “Creator/Destroyer” puzzle is Jon Jon Briones, who plays Andrew Cunanan’s father Modesto, a man whose pathological drive to appease his son lays the groundwork for the rest of the “Versace” saga that came before this. Briones’ reputation as a performer had preceded him on set, with “Versace” star Darren Criss and writer Tom Rob Smith both praising his legendary, long-running work as The Engineer in “Miss Saigon.” Through the audition and right up through the first day of shooting, Bomer knew they had the perfect man to play Modesto.

“We started with that move-out scene early on. He had this guy and he knew this man. We were also shooting this while he was in a Broadway show, so we had to shoot all of his stuff out in six days straight and then he had to fly back to New York,” Bomer said. “That final scene, that ‘Heart of Darkness’/’Apocalypse Now’ confrontation at the end of the episode, that was really when I went, ‘OK, this guy is sensational. He’s got this all mapped out and he knows how to do this.‘”

Building a relationship with the two performers at the heart of the episode was key. Even though Bomer didn’t come in with a predetermined directorial style, he had the advantage of having already seen what Criss was doing with Andrew Cunanan as a character before it came time to show how he got there.

“I had been witness to what Darren was doing on set and had been blown away by it from Day One. I knew how he liked to work. I think a big part of directing is when you’ve got something great, get out of the way. Just set a good frame that tells the story right, stage it right,” Bomer said. “I try to give the actors a lot of information about what the scene’s about by how I stage it. There are also times when it’s a three-page scene between two people and I go, ‘I’m not giving you anything. Let’s rehearse until we get something that’s organic and true and then we’ll shoot that.’ So there’s no one-size-fits-all. You’re always dealing with a different box of crayons, depending on which artist you’re working with in any given scene.”

That preparation meant that even the smaller moments in the episodes, ones on a much simpler scale, had the opportunity to take advantage of everyone’s shorthand.

“One of my favorite things we did was that really quick scene where he puts on the CD and he’s picking out his big reveal outfit for the party. It was a tiny little thing, but we were just vibing creatively with the camera people, with Darren. Everything was coming together at that point. I think we did it in one take,” Bomer said.

That sense of understanding came from collaborating with people that Bomer had previously worked with on other Ryan Murphy projects. Those individuals were part of every step of the “Creator/Destroyer” process, from the on-set crew to the stewards of the post process.

“I was so fortunate because when you’re working with Ryan Murphy, you’re working with the best people in the industry. I’m not talking about episodic. I’m talking about in the industry,” Bomer said. “The camera crew, the production designers. Simon Dennis, the director of photography. Alexis [Martin] Woodall, what she does in post-production, the way she tones these shows is phenomenal. My editor, Shelly Westerman, was a personal hero of mine. She did ‘Velvet Goldmine’ and worked on so many of the films that were really central to my cinematic experience as a young man.”

That editing process shines in the boardroom scenes where Modesto is essentially pitching the American dream to his employers, both before he’s hired and after his penny stock scheme has been sniffed out.

“This is Sidney Lumet-esque style, where these performers are all bringing their A-game. Shelly and I knew we wanted these scenes to live for a long time, not to be this MTV, jump-cutting thing. Stay in masters longer and not chop and chop and chop to distract,” Bomer said. “Particularly in an episode like this, it’s so psychological, you needed to have this creepy drifty feel and live in these moments that are uncomfortable and horrific and scary. Especially when you have performers operating at this level.”

Bomer said he’s back to being patient about any future directing opportunities, but having this finished and released to the world is the first step in keeping those future options open.

“It was all a learning process, but I feel like with anything, discipline can give you freedom. I was so overly prepared because I had the time and the luxury to be overly prepared. The first couple days we finished a bit early and I was able to take some deep breaths,” Bomer said. “I know that there will be a time when I am directing and I’m having to deal with some much harsher realities that you don’t have to deal with when you’re working for Ryan Murphy television. The best thing this gave me was this sense that I can do it.”

‘American Crime Story: Versace’ Director Matt Bomer on Bringing Three Different Continents to Life Within L.A. City Limits

Emmy Predictions 2018: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

dcriss-archive:

Last Year’s Winner: Riz Ahmed, “The Night Of”

Still Eligible

: No.

Hot Streak: Since 1992, at least one actor from an HBO film has been nominated in this category — films, not limited series.

Fun Fact: Benedict Cumberbatch is one nomination away from tying Laurence Olivier for the second-most nominations in the history of this category. Olivier, however, won four out of his six nominations, whereas the best Cumberbatch could hope for is half that.

Can Darren Criss follow in the footsteps of Courtney B. Vance and Cuba Gooding Jr. in “American Crime Story”? Can Benedict Cumberbatch get back in the race without “Sherlock”? Can Kyle MacLachlan earn his first Emmy nomination since “Twin Peaks” first went off the air in 1992?

There are a lot of questions surrounding the category for Best Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie, but one thing already seems certain: HBO has at least one nomination locked up. Barring an unforeseeable catastrophe onscreen and off, Al Pacino is all but assured his fourth Emmy nomination for the film “Paterno.” From the trailer alone, he looks the part, acts the part, and hell, he almost shares a name with the part. (Paterno and Pacino do share a beginning and an end.) Even now, this nomination seems like a sure thing.

It’s also not HBO’s only strong contender. Michael B. Jordan is riding a (never-ending) wave of strong buzz, most recently for his dynamic turn as the villain in “Black Panther.” That love could spillover to his lead role in “Fahrenheit 451”: Jordan is a consistently powerful performer, and people are taking note now more than ever.

These names are just the tip of the iceberg: Antonio Banderas looks to make waves as Pablo Picasso in the second season of “Genius.” Matthew Macfadyen will get a push for the Starz adaptation of “Howard’s End,” as will James Norton in AMC’s “McMafia.” AMC also has Jared Harris in Ridley Scott’s “The Terror,” while Netflix will be backing Jesse Plemons in “Black Mirror” and Peter Sarsgaard in “Wormwood.” Finally, of all the choices available from “Room 104,” here’s hoping HBO gets Philip Baker Hall front and center for “My Love.” His incredible display deserves recognition.

Below are IndieWire TV Critic Ben Travers’ predictions for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie (listed in alphabetical order), which will be updated throughout the season. Make sure to keep checking IndieWire for all the latest buzz and highlights from the 2018 race, and read predictions for the rest of the categories, as well.

Predicted Nominees:

1. Darren Criss, “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”

2. Benedict Cumberbatch, “Patrick Melrose”

3. Michael B. Jordan, “Fahrenheit 451”

4. Antonio Banderas, “Genius: Picasso”

5. Kyle MacLachlan, “Twin Peaks”

6. Al Pacino, “Paterno”

Spoilers: Jeff Daniels, “The Looming Tower”; Matthew Macfadyen, “Howard’s End”; James Norton, “McMafia” Jesse Plemons, “Black Mirror: U.S.S. Callister”

In a Perfect World: Jared Harris, “The Terror”; Philip Baker Hall, “Room 104: My Love”

Emmy Predictions 2018: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

Emmy Predictions 2018: Outstanding Limited Series

Last Year’s Winner: “Big Little Lies”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: Over the past five years, HBO and FX have alternated wins in this category. Since HBO’s “Big Little Lies” won in 2017, it’s FX’s “turn” in 2018.
Fun Fact: The “American Horror Story” franchise has been nominated five times in this category, one short of the record held by “Prime Suspect” — except the PBS series had won three times by this point, and “American Horror Story” has never won.

Five networks (at least) have two legitimate contenders in this category, and no limited series has yet to emerge as a sure thing. FX, which consistently makes a strong showing here, will have “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” and “American Horror Story: Cult.” Both projects are produced by Ryan Murphy, and both franchises have stellar track records with the TV Academy (with “American Crime Story” the more dominant of late). But “Versace” has slipped a bit in terms of critical adoration and cultural impact, while “Cult” faced some particularly scathing reviews.

Perhaps two Netflix offerings can take one (or both) of their slots. “Godless” was a low-key hit for the streaming giant, and it’s also got the critics’ pick, “Alias Grace.” The latter could ride a wave of Margaret Atwood adoration, especially after the author’s adaptation of “The Handmaid’s Tale” did so well in 2017.

But let’s not forget the premium networks: Starz has a couple of notable miniseries in “The Girlfriend Experience” Season 2, the acclaimed anthology series, and Kenneth Lonnergan’s adaptation of “Howard’s End.” Meanwhile, Showtime is hoping the “Twin Peaks” love from last summer can last into this one, and, if not, Benedict Cumberbatch’s “Patrick Melrose” will catch fire in the here and now. And AMC is offering up “McMafia” as its next glossy, globe-trotting miniseries (a la “The Night Manager”), as well as Ridley Scott’s “The Terror.”

Finally, following the success of “Mr. Robot” at the Emmys, USA Network is pushing two limited series for gold: “The Sinner” and “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.” The former was Jessica Biel’s buzzy summer hit, and the latter is a not-so-subtle attempt to capitalize off all the “American Crime Story” love with USA’s own true crime show.

But that’s not all: In the peak TV age, there’s always more contenders, and Hulu has a big one of its own. “The Looming Tower” stars an Emmy winner (Jeff Daniels, repping his second show in the category) and comes from an Oscar winner (Alex Gibney), two-time nominee (Dan Futterman), and a Pulitzer Prize-winner (Lawrence Wright). Toss in a stellar cast, strong reviews, and a significant premise, and Hulu could have another original program competing for the top slot (you know, besides that little Elisabeth Moss show).

Below are IndieWire TV Critic Ben Travers’ predictions for Outstanding Limited Series (listed in alphabetical order), which will be updated throughout the season. Make sure to keep checking IndieWire for all the latest buzz and highlights from the 2018 race, and read predictions for the rest of the categories, as well.

Predicted Nominees:

“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”

“Genius: Picasso”

“Godless”

“Howard’s End”

“The Looming Tower”

“Twin Peaks”

Spoilers: “Alias Grace,” “American Horror Story: Cult,” “McMafia,” “Patrick Melrose,” “The Sinner,” “The Terror,” “Unsolved: The Murders of Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G.”

In a Perfect World: “The Girlfriend Experience”

Emmy Predictions 2018: Outstanding Limited Series

Ricky Martin and Edgar Ramirez on Challenging Homophobia With ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’

According to Edgar Ramirez and Ricky Martin, the fact that they’re playing partners Gianni Versace and Antonio D’Amico in the FX limited series “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” was “destiny.”

At the Television Critics Association Winter press tour, the pair told IndieWire that before “American Crime Story” executive producer Ryan Murphy invited Ramirez to star as the titular designer, the two were already acquainted. In fact, the day that Ramirez got the role officially, he and Martin had plans to do a gallery tour together in Los Angeles. “I entered the first gallery and said ‘Ricky, I’m sorry I’m late, I was just finalizing this call, I’m doing Gianni Versace.’ He was the first person I told,” he said.

“I was very happy for him,” Martin added. “Weeks later, Ryan called me and he tells me ‘I want to talk to you,’ he said. ‘Let’s have dinner.’ So I hang up the phone and I call Edgar, ‘Guess who I’m having dinner with tonight?‘”

Ramirez jumped in: “And I immediately said ‘Ryan Murphy, right? You’re going to be Antonio.’”

“He said it immediately,” Martin confirmed.

Ramirez continued: “You see all these elements of fate, of destiny?”

Martin wasn’t actively looking for a part like that of Versace’s longtime lover — or any part, really. “I was completely caught by surprise,” he said. “I had no idea. I was just moving to LA, of course always in my mind I was like, ‘If I’m going to do some acting, I would love to be surrounded by the right cast and great directors and great producers’ — and I gotta be careful with what I wish for, because everything happened. Yes, I’ve had the opportunity to do television series in the past in America and theater. But this is very significant and very important.”

“The Assassination of Gianni Versace” tracks (backward) the events leading up to the murder of the famous designer by the unbalanced Andrew Cunanan (played by Darren Criss). The reverse approach reflects a unique elegance and growing horror that’s quite different from the previous installment of “American Crime Story,” the Emmy-winning “The People vs. O.J. Simpson,” reflecting the change in writers. While “The People v. O.J. Simpson” was overseen by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, “Versace’s” scripts were driven by British writer Tom Rob Smith, whose 2015 BBC miniseries “London Spy” was a critical favorite.

Ramirez noted that Smith’s approach to “Versace,” ultimately, “really resonates with the Greek tragedies. So it really feels like you’re reading and watching a big Greek tragedy.”

Beginning the film with the death scene was an intense choice for Ramirez and Martin — especially given that they shot it right where it happened, on the front steps of Gianni Versace’s Miami home.

“My favorite days were shooting in the villa in Miami — there were very significant scenes of course, when I find his body and when the FBI is drilling Antonio to take information from him,” Martin said. “It was very powerful, very intense, draining. And I would go back to a hotel every night…Coming back to L.A. and being able to get in your car and go to the set was easier.”

“It was easier,” Ramirez agreed, “but it was great that we were lucky enough to start off in Miami so we could bring all their energy and all that mood with us to Los Angeles. It was great for everyone, not only the cast but everyone, to experience that and feel the colors and textures of the house, because that house represents everything that Gianni wanted in his life. That house was somehow the apotheosis of what he wanted his legacy to be. It’s a physical manifestation of what he had in his brain.”

The full scope of Versace’s brain is something that, having reached the midpoint of the season, we’ve now come to understand far better than before. After five episodes, we’ve witnessed not just Versace’s death, but more and more of his life. For viewers who weren’t familiar with Versace, it’s a fascinating exposure to his personal journey. Meanwhile, for those who did know the name, it’s a fascinating challenge to their understanding of who he was as a persona.

In Ramirez’s words, “The thing is, life and work for Gianni was the same. In terms of the relationship Gianni and Antonio had, they were love partners but they were also work partners…They were workaholics.”

This goes against the perceptions many associate with the House of Versace. “What comes to your mind first, also part of the legend and also part of the misrepresentation, is the parties and the sexuality and the alleged orgies and all these things that are part of the legend, and not the work,” Ramirez said. “[He was] a guy that would actually go to bed rather early and wake up very early as well, because he was more of a craftsman than this big celebrity that lived this larger-than-life existence.”

And that aspect, plus the way in which “Versace” delves into showcasing his abilities as a designer, only heightens the tragedy of the story — a great talent whose life was ended, in part, due to the fact the authorities didn’t take the manhunt for Andrew Cunanan seriously.

Said Martin, “One of the reasons I definitely said yes is because behind the story, there’s so much injustice in so many aspects. for example the fact that it’s not how he was killed, it’s why he was killed and why did we allow it happen. This guy was not hiding, he went on a killing spree, he was living in Miami Beach. He was on the list of the most wanted by the FBI, but he wasn’t caught. So they were looking the other way. They were looking the other way because it was a gay man killing gay people.”

“It didn’t represent a public threat at the time,” Ramirez said.

“So what I’m saying about this is,” Martin continued, “it’s important to bring some light to anything my community is going through.”

“I think [homophobia] is the underlying theme of the whole series, of the whole show,” Ramirez said. “Homophobia and how this death could’ve been prevented…I think that Ryan and his team, we’re so lucky to be part of them now. They’ve been so clever and keen to identify stories that are both dramatically gripping and at the same time they speak about the zeitgeist. They speak about greater subjects of humanity that are going on in society.”

Ricky Martin and Edgar Ramirez on Challenging Homophobia With ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’