Before Emmy Gold: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

The pool of potential nominees for this year’s Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series was highly competitive with multiple series having multiple major contenders in the category. The White Lotus ended up taking four of the seven slots with three repeat nominees (Natasha Rothwell, Carrie Coon, and Parker Posey) and one first-time nominee (Aimee Lou Wood). Filling out the remaining slots are Patricia Arquette for Severance (her second nod for this performance), Katherine LaNasa for The Pitt (her first career nomination), and Julianne Nicholson for Paradise (also nominated this year for her guest appearance in Hacks).

Patricia Arquette

Nominated For: Severance

Previous Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Medium (2006, 2007), Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie – Escape at Dannemora (2019), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie – The Act (2019, win), Outstanding Drama Series (as producer) – Severance (2022, 2025, pending), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Severance (2022)

Hidden Gem: Holes

It’s hard to find a common thread in Patricia Arquette’s long and storied career as she bounces from genre to genre. We’ve seen her tap into darkness with her Emmy-nominated performance in The Act all the way to the warmth of a mother trying her best in her Academy Award-winning performance in Boyhood. She’s gone down the Lost Highway with David Lynch and explored and empowered the outsiders with Tim Burton in Ed Wood.

Regardless of the role, Arquette imbues her characters with complicated layers and refuses to boil these women down to just one thing. Her fearless plunge into each role has built a dynamic and exciting resume that has kept audiences excited and eager to watch what she’ll do next.

Carrie Coon

Nominated For: The White Lotus

Previous Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie – Fargo (2017), Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – The Gilded Age (2024)

Hidden Gem: Widows

Carrie Coon’s roots are firmly planted in the world of theatre, accumulating an impressive list of credits before she ever graced our screens. Since her breakout television and film roles in The Leftovers and Gone Girl respectively, she’s become a mainstay presence on screen. She’s taken on just about every type of project possible in a plethora of roles, from prestige dramas like The Gilded Age and Fargo (both of which earned her nominations) to the grandiose Marvel Cinematic Universe. Regardless of the size of the role or the type of project, Coon consistently leaves an indelible mark on the work she’s immersed herself in.

Katherin LaNasa

Nominated For: The Pitt

Previous Nominations: First nomination

Hidden Gem: Future Man

Katherine LaNasa lands her first Emmy nomination with The Pitt but she has steadily been appearing on television for over thirty years. LaNasa made guest appearances on heavy-hitting series like 3rd Rock From the Sun, Touched By an Angel, and ER. She landed leading roles in the short-lived Three Sisters, Katy Keene and Truth Be Told. On the film side, LaNasa starred opposite Will Ferrell in The Campaign, Jayne Mansfield’s Car, and Valentine’s Day.

Her stacked resume laid a solid foundation for her most recognizable role yet as Nurse Dana on The Pitt. LaNasa’s firm but gentle presence provides a much needed respite for the other employees in the Pitt as well as audiences on top of crafting a dimensional arc of a woman being pushed to her limit. You miss her when she leaves, are so relieved when she returns to the screen, and root for her well-being.

Julianne Nicholson

Nominated For: Paradise

Previous Nominations: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie – Mare of Easttown (2021, won), Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – Hacks (2025, pending)

Hidden Gem: Janet Planet

Julianne Nicholson is a double nominee this year for two performances that couldn’t be more different. Her fiercely comedic turn as Dance Mom in Hacks unveiled a whole new side of Nicholson swinging for the rafters. Her nomination in this category for Paradise is the polar opposite–frigid, meticulous, and sinister. Nicholson’s 2025 run alone shows her impressive range that has colored her entire career.

Nicholson possesses an unparalleled subtlety with her characters, regardless of the world she inhabits, that forces audiences to lean in and pay close attention. She made her film debut in Curtain Call with James Spader and Michael Caine and has gone on to star in major films such as Kinsey, August: Osage County, and I, Tonya. On the television side, Nicholson’s been a mainstay on several major productions like Ally McBeal and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In 2013, she rose to a new level of critical and public attention with her Emmy-winning work in Mare of Easttown, solidifying herself as a formidable Emmy presence.

Parker Posey

Nominated For: The White Lotus

Previous Nominations: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024)

Hidden Gem: Party Girl

Parker Posey’s played iconic and eccentric characters for well over thirty years, but it wasn’t until 2024 that she achieved her first Emmy nomination with a darkly comedic turn on Mr. & Mrs. Smith. From Mary in Party Girl to Jennifer Jolie in Scream 3 to Meg Swan in Best in Show, Posey always goes for it; she creates characters that are so specific that crackle with electricity. They’re odd and zany, but Posey molds tangible people that feel utterly alive.

Her work as Victoria Ratliff on season three of The White Lotus feels like a sort of culmination of her career. Victoria is a distinct, eccentric character who is constantly throwing memorable one liners for the audience to devour. But Posey conceals something darker beneath Victoria’s Southern drawl, emphasizing why she’s had the longevity she has in her career. Posey is a performer who can reach the highest of comedic heights, while creating space for nuance and depth.

Natasha Rothwell

Nominated For: The White Lotus

Previous Nominations: Outstanding Comedy Series (as producer) – Insecure (2020), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie – The White Lotus (2022)

Hidden Gem: How to Die Alone

Natasha Rothwell has steadily racked up characters who embark on a journey of growth be it Kelli in Insecure or Belinda on The White Lotus. But it’s Mel on How to Die Alone that allows Rothwell to stand firmly in the spotlight as the leading lady she was always meant to be. Although short-lived, How to Die Alone acts as a remarkable showcase of Rothwell’s range as a woman embarking on a journey of redefinition and joy.

You can check out my interview with Natasha Rothwell where we discussed her work as Belinda on season three of The White Lotus here.

Aimee Lou Wood

Nominated For: The White Lotus

Previous Nominations: First nomination

Hidden Gem: Living

Aimee Lou Wood’s work as the doomed Chelsea on season three of The White Lotus made her an instant favorite among fans and took her right to the Emmy stage. A free spirit who is trying to cling to a love she believes in, Chelsea leapt off the screen with Wood’s expert blend of comedic chops and dazzling empathy.

Prior to her onscreen work, Wood graced stages like Chicago’s own Steppenwolf Theatre and the Royal National Theatre in London. She burst into the mainstream with her brilliant and award-winning work on Netflix’s Sex Education as the lovable goofball Aimee. She has since starred opposite Academy Award-nominee Bill Nighy in 2022’s Living, showing off her signature warmth and comedic chops.