27 July 1999
Emmy’s 51st - The Performers - THE COMMENTARY
By Joseph Planta
This is the second part of our look at those eligible for an Emmy nomination in the acting and performance categories. As I said in the first part, this has been a dismal season, but the acting is of considerable note.
LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES is one of the most interesting categories, because there are multiple nominees, some from the same show. NYPD Blue, for example can boost the acting of 3 leads: Dennis Franz, who’s won 3 Emmys already, Jimmy Smits, who bowed out early in the season, but still could score a nod, and Rick Schroder who’s entrance into this show has been seamless and boosted the ratings a bit. If we can consider Smits, then we can consider George Clooney of ER, but it’s a safer bet that his fellow doc Anthony Edwards will get a nod. Sam Waterston could get a nod for his work on Law & Order, he failed to get a nod last year, but he did score one two years ago. His co-star Benjamin Bratt could also be honored, he won’t be back in the fall. David Duchovny is a safe bet, The X-Files star has gotten nominations in the past, and this year will be no exception. So from the dribble above, Franz, Schroder, Edwards and these two: Dylan McDermott of The Practice, his show stunned the industry when it won the Best Drama crown, but he went unnominated and the other is James Gandolfin of The Sopranos. He’s popular with critics and with those in the TV biz, so they will for sure pat him on the back.
In the LEAD ACTRESS DRAMA category, Roma Downey of Touched By An Angel, Christine Lahti of Chicago Hope, Gillian Anderson of The X-Files, and Juliana Margulies of ER, were nominated last year and this year they’ll repeat. Keri Russell of Felicity, Sarah Michelle Geller of Buffy and Lorraine Bracco of The Sopranos will vie for the fifth spot.
With Jerry Seinfeld and Garry Shandling out of the running, LEAD ACTOR COMEDY, will be an interesting race. Kelsey Grammer will always have a ticket to the Emmys and this year so will John Lithgow of 3rd Rock From The Sun. That show is getting stale, but his achievements are upstanding. Michael J. Fox is virtually a shoe-in, and his recent health problems will certainly add to his favor. Scratch Tim Allen off the list, and David Spade. That leaves: The boys from Sports Night, Peter Krause and Josh Charles and Paul Rieser of Mad About You. There’s been a heavy backlash against that show, so Pauly won’t be listed. One man that always gets attention, but never gets a nomination is Ray Romano. Everybody loves Everybody Loves Raymond, but not enough to give him a best actor nod. This could be his year. Also, Eric Macormack of Will and Grace is a favorite.
The LEAD ACTRESS COMEDY is a full list of possibilities this year. If it’ll be Ray Romano’s year, then it’s got to mean a nomination for his co-star Patricia Heaton. A favorite of mine has to be Felicity Huffman of Sports Night, read The Commentary on that show and you’ll know why. Jenna Elfman scored last year with a nomination and could do the same this year. Helen Hunt has 3 Emmy’s and she’s got a nod locked up. Last year Calista Flockhart got a nomination for Ally McBeal and she, like Hunt will repeat. Others with a chance include Pat Richardson of Home Improvement, Fran Drescher for The Nanny, Kirstie Alley for Veronica’s Closet, Brooke Shields for Suddenly Susan and Christina Applegate for Jesse.
I won’t go into great detail for the Miniseries or Movie nods, but those of note in the lead categories include: George C. Scott for Inherit The Wind, Noah Wyle and Anthony Michael Hall for Pirates of Silicon Valley, Stanley Tucci for Winchell, Gena Rowlands for Grace and Glorie, Diahann Carroll and Ruby Dee for Having Our Say, Laura Dern and Stockard Channing for The Baby Dance, and Helen Mirren for The Passion of Ayn Rand. I’ve left out the unknowns who played both Joan of Arc and Cleopatra. They’ll still be unknowns even after the get nods. (Leelee Sobieski played Joan and Leonor Varela played Cleo.)
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An archive of Joseph Planta's previous columns can be found by clicking HERE .