The 2024 Emmy nominations have rekindled excitement for the Best Comedy Guest Actress category, highlighting a noteworthy trend: the absence of Oscar-winning actresses in this category since 2019. That year, Emma Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”) was nominated alongside eventual winner Jane Lynch (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”). This year, three Academy Award recipients—Olivia Colman and Jamie Lee Curtis (both for “The Bear”) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“Only Murders in the Building”)—are newcomers to this category, vying for the prestigious award.
These Oscar winners face stiff competition from Maya Rudolph, a previous Emmy darling who is aiming for her third win in this category for her role in “Saturday Night Live,” having triumphed in 2020 and 2021. Veteran nominees Kaitlin Olson (“Hacks”) and Kristen Wiig (“Saturday Night Live”) round out the category, with Wiig having lost to Rudolph three years ago.
To better understand this competitive field, here’s a closer look at each nominee. Predictions for this and 30 other Creative Arts Emmy categories can be submitted until September 7.
1.Olivia Colman as Terry (“The Bear”)
Episode: “Forks”
Colman, a previous Oscar winner for “The Favourite” and Emmy winner for “The Crown,” makes her first primetime nomination for a guest performance. In “Forks,” she portrays Terry, a meticulous restaurant owner who offers crucial guidance to her temporary trainee, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), in the episode’s closing scene.
2.Jamie Lee Curtis as Donna Berzatto (“The Bear”)
Episode: “Fishes”
Curtis debuted in “The Bear” shortly after winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Her role as Donna, the alcoholic mother of lead character Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), unfolds during a chaotic Christmas dinner in the series’ only hour-long episode.
3.Kaitlin Olson as D.J. Vance (“Hacks”)
Episode: “The Roast of Deborah Vance”
Olson, recognized by the TV Academy for her role in Quibi’s “Flipped,” receives her second nomination for “Hacks.” In this episode, she plays Deborah Vance’s (Jean Smart) recovering addict daughter, who, after revealing her pregnancy, agrees to roast her mother.
4.Da’Vine Joy Randolph as Donna Williams (“Only Murders in the Building”)
Episode: “Sitzprobe”
Randolph, the Oscar winner for “The Holdovers,” secures her first Emmy nomination in her third season as NYC Detective Williams. In this episode, she interrogates the cast and crew of the musical “Death Rattle” following the mysterious death of its star.
5.Maya Rudolph as herself and various sketch characters (“Saturday Night Live”)
Episode: “Host: Maya Rudolph”
With 14 Emmy nominations to her name, including two this year for “Loot” and “Big Mouth,” Rudolph’s third hosting stint features a Mother’s Day monologue and various characters, including Beyoncé and a coffee spokesperson.
6.Kristen Wiig as herself and various sketch characters (“Saturday Night Live”)
Episode: “Host: Kristen Wiig”
Wiig, who shares a history with Rudolph from their “SNL” tenure, joins the show’s Five-Timers Club as she portrays multiple characters in her hosting role, supported by several uncredited celebrity guests.
As the competition heats up, many “The Bear” fans are hoping for Curtis to take home the award, a sentiment reflected in her strong Gold Derby odds. Although her fellow Oscar winners might present some competition, they are unlikely to overshadow her, particularly given that Randolph may face challenges similar to past Best Supporting Actress winners who lost in their Emmy bids.
Rudolph and Wiig’s multiple nominations may benefit their chances, but Rudolph faces a unique hurdle: no one has ever won this award more than twice for a single show. With “The Bear” potentially sweeping this year’s comedy acting categories, Curtis is considered a frontrunner for the win.
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