By: Bill Cushing – July, 2024
The Primetime Emmy nominations will be announced on July 17th and every year I like to review the past year in TV and give my list of who I would like to see recognized. It’s always tough to remember all the great work every year, and not everyone can be nominated. The actors that I mention here are the ones that people just might forget, not the ones that are shoo-ins for a nomination. So, here’s my Emmy Wish List…
Hanna Einbender (Hacks) – ‘Hacks’ had arguably its best season this year, and Hannah Einbender is one of the reasons why. She gave a wonderful performance as Ava just getting better and better as the season went on. Her character really displayed a whole array of emotions this season. Ava experiences heartbreak, anger, vulnerability, and eventually arrogance and shines with every single one. She has always been overshadowed by the great Jean Smart, but not this year. This year it was her doing the overshadowing.
Ramon Rodriguez (Will Trent) -Week after week this season, Ramon Rodriguez’s work as the title character of ‘Will Trent’ displayed how good of an actor he can be. Will’s gradual revelation of his long dormant childhood trauma, the years of guilt that came pouring out of him as he remembered his part in the death of his foster mother and his emotional breakdown that followed left us riveted. Rodriguez deserves recognition for his work.
Ben Mendelsohn (The New Look) – An excellent, and underseen limited series about how Christian Dior, Coco Chanel and their contemporaries navigated the horrors of World War II and launched modern fashion, had some really excellent performances. None better than Mendelsohn as Dior. His work stood out among a stellar cast and deserves a nomination.
Daniel Oyelowo (Lawmen: Bass Reeves) – In the severely underrated ‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’ Daniel Oyelowo played the first Black deputy US Marshal and was tasked with tracking down lots of outlaws that were also Black. His portrayal of Reeve’s unease at this prospect while also trying to get home to his family safely at the end of every assignment was mesmerizing.
Brie Larson (Lessons in Chemistry) – It may seem odd that an Oscar winner could be forgotten at awards time, but that could be what is going to happen with Brie Larson and her incredible performance in ‘Lessons in Chemistry.’ Larson brought a lot of heart and soul to her role as Elizabeth Zott. It’s clearly her best work since her Oscar winning work in the film ‘Room.’ The series aired 9 months ago though so it may not be fresh in voters’ minds.
Walton Goggins (The Righteous Gemstones) – Walton Goggins has turned in some great work over the years. From his early work on ‘The Shield’ and ‘Justified’ through his comedic turns on shows like ‘The Unicorn’ and ‘Vice Principals.’ But his hilarious performance as evangelist Baby Billy Freeman might just be his best.
Kristen Wiig (Palm Royale) – Known primarily for her work on Saturday Night Live, Kristen Wiig turns in one of the best performances of the year with a great turn as an aspiring socialite in 1969 Palm Beach. With a cast that includes award winning actresses like Laura Dern, Allison Janney, and Carol Burnett, Wiig outshines them all. She should get a nomination.
Callum Turner (Masters of the Air) – Callum Turner’s role as Bucky Egan in Apple’s drama series about the hero fighter pilots of World War II, was the best in a whole cast full of great performances. He steals the show from Oscar nominees Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan, playing Egan with cockiness and defiance that then gets reshaped into a much more resigned and compassionate role as he watches many of his friends and comrades lose their lives in the war.
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