Women auteurs have been dominating and reinventing the television comedy landscape over the last decade and the television industry is much better off for it. Women like Issa Rae, Lena Dunham, Pamela Adlon, Lena Waithe, and duo Abbi Jacobson and Abbi Glazer are creating, writing, executive producing, directing, and often-time starring in their own series, playing by their own rules, and offering audiences unique stories that could pinky be told from their point of view. Aidy Bryant joins this club with her new Hulu comedy Shrill.
With Bryant’s performance, especially in the seasons most talked about episode, “Pool,” where Bryant’s character Annie hits her empowered peak while attending the Fat Babe Pool Party and goes on to post a body-positive article without the knowledge of her boss (John Cameron Mitchell). That episode alone could have a solid chance of a nomination in the Lead Actress category. She’s no stranger to the Emmys, already garnering her first acting nom for Saturday Night Live last year in the Supporting Actress category. Could she pull of a double lead and supporting nomination in 2019 for Shrill and Saturday Night Live?
Possibly, but it could be an uphill battle.
Bryant is relatively new to the Emmy circle to nominate her twice in two major categories that are going to be tough to crack this year. I did extensive research and I couldn’t find anywhere in Emmy history where an actor or actress has been nominated in a lead and supporting race in the same year for the same genre.
The ladies of SNL have been on a role in the last few years with their abilities to gain nominations against their co-stars. Kate McKinnon has won twice (2016, 2017), and Vanessa Bayer and Leslie Jones have been nomination along with Bryant since 2017. The one caveat is voters like to switch it up when comes to the SNL ladies. Only McKinnon and Jones have gotten multiple nominations. Cecily Strong has strong material this year and could leapfrog past Bryant and Jones into the Emmy circle and join McKinnon. That means Bryant’s best chance, if any will be for Shrill in the lead actress category.
I’m going to add Bryant to my early predictions list for lead actress and come back closer to nomination morning, because even though she’s equally deserving of both nominations, I’m not so sure which way the nomination pendulum will swing for Ms. Bryant come July 16.
2019 Emmy nominations will be announced Tuesday, July 16th, get ready for a lot of coverage leading to the final day as potential nominees heat up or cool off.
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