Before Emmy Gold: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie

This year’s Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie feature some incredible talent from five very different projects, showcasing the perfect range for audiences. Claire Danes and Sarah Snook will leave you on the edge of your seat with their work in Netflix’s The Beast in Me and Peacock’s All Her Fault, while Sally Field will have you grabbing the nearest box of tissues as you watch Remarkably Bright Creatures. Meanwhile, you will be completely blown away by first-time Emmy nominees Sarah Pidgeon and Carey Mulligan thanks to their performances in Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, which starts off Ryan Murphy’s latest FX anthology, and the second season of Beef. 

Claire Danes as Agatha Wiggs

Nominated For: The Beast in Me

Previous Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series – 1995 for My So-Called Life, Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie – 2010 for Temple Grandin, Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series – 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 for Homeland, Outstanding Drama Series – 2015 and 2016 for Homeland, and Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie – 2023 for Fleishman is in Trouble. 

Hidden Gem: The Essex Serpent

With three Emmy wins for her role in Showtime’s Homeland, Claire Danes has definiteltly left her mark on fans. However, there are many more shows that she can be recognized for, such as Full Circle, Fleishman Is in Trouble, The Essex Serpent, and My So-Called Life. She’s also no stranger to the big screen, starring in Little Women, Romeo + Juliet, Les Misérables, The Hours, The Rainmaker, Stardust, Evening, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, and Temple Grandin. During the holidays, The Family Stone and Home for the Holidays are a must when it comes to getting in the spirit.

As for The Beast in Me, we watch her engage in a complex cat-and-mouse game with Matthew Rhys, who earned a nomination for his performance as Nile Jarvis. However, through Agatha specifically, we see life-changing grief explored after the loss of her son.

Sally Field as Tova Sullivan

Nominated For: Remarkably Bright Creatures

Previous Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series – 1977 for Sybil, Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or Special – 1995 for A Woman Of Independent Means, Outstanding Miniseries – 1995 for A Woman Of Independent Means, Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie – 2000 for A Cooler Climate, Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series – 2001 and 2003 for ER, and Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series – 2007, 2008, and 2009 for Brothers & Sisters. 

Hidden Gem: Spoiler Alert

Sally Field’s three Emmy wins only scratch the surface of her career. In 2023, the actress received the SAG Life Achievement Award at the 29th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Whether you know her for Mrs. Doubtfire, Steel Magnolias, The Amazing Spider-Man, Lincoln, or Brothers & Sisters, her work speaks for itself.

When it comes to Remarkably Bright Creatures, Field serves as the heart of the movie. Based on Shelby Van Pelt’s bestseller, audiences are shown how an unlikely friendship with a giant pacific octopus leads her character to a surprising and healing discovery.

Carey Mulligan as Lindsay

Nominated For: Beef

Previous Nominations: N/A

Hidden Gem: Bleak House

While this is Carey Mulligan’s first Emmy nomination, she has been nominated for four Golden Globes and three Oscars so far. Those notable performances include Maestro, She Said, Promising Young Woman, and An Education.

Beef season 2 focuses on the unraveling marriage between Mulligan and Oscar Isaac’s characters. A younger couple, portrayed by Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton, witness a troubling fight between the two, beginning a series of requests and coercion with the ultimate goal of approval in their elitist club environment. The show has received critical acclaim and earned most of its lead actors a nomination this year.

Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette

Nominated For: Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette

Previous Nominations: N/A

Hidden Gem: The Wilds

Sarah Pidgeon is perhaps best known by her fans for Prime Video’s The Wilds. In 2023, she starred in Hulu’s Tiny Beautiful Things, playing a younger version of Kathryn Hahn’s character. When it comes to the big screen, she brought I Know What You Did Last Summer to a new generation of fans last year, continuing the story while playing a pivotal role alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr.

The way she completely embodied Carolyn Bessette in Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette made her an early frontrunner for award season and will no doubt have many people watching for whatever she does next.

Sarah Snook as Marissa Irvine

Nominated For: All Her Fault

Previous Nominations: Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series 2020, 2022, and 2023 for Succession

Hidden Gem: Run Rabbit Run

While Sarah Snook will always be recognized for her outstanding performance in HBO’s Succession, she has plenty of other credits under her belt. On television, she has also worked on Run Rabbit Run, Soulmates, The Beautiful Lie, The Secret River, and Spirited. Meanwhile, some of her films include The Picture of Dorian Gray, Predestination, Pieces of a Woman, Jessabelle, and The Beanie Bubble.

In All Her Fault, she leads viewers through a twisty mystery, based on Andrea Mara’s novel, where everyone is a suspect. The show keeps you guessing until the very end, but it’s Snook that keeps you engaged as a mother desperate to find out who took her son.