Emmy inside track: The race for best comedy actress
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Five of the six 2010 Emmy nominees for best comedy actress are likely to be nominated again: Toni Collette (‘United States of Tara’), Tina Fey (‘30 Rock’), Lea Michele (‘Glee’), Amy Poehler (‘Parks and Recreation’) and last year’s winner, Edie Falco (‘Nurse Jackie’). That sixth slot was held last year by Julia Louis-Dreyfus for the now-cancelled ‘New Adventures of Old Christine.’ Who’ll nab it next: Laura Linney (‘The Big C’), Courteney Cox (‘Cougar Town’), Patricia Heaton (‘The Middle’), Wendie Malick (‘Hot in Cleveland’) or Mary-Louise Parker (‘Weeds’)?
Our forum moderators have just updated their predictions, which rank the contenders by likelihood of winning. Three of them are betting on Linney to win: Marcus Dixon, Rob Licuria and Matt Noble. Three are backing recent champ Falco: Chris Beachum, Darrin Dortch and Matthew Cormier. Beachum and Licuria explain their views in the webcam slugfest below.
Personally, I think Linney’s got this in the bag because of the strong emotional wallop of the pilot episode of ‘The Big C’ as her character wrestles with cancer and a dying marriage. Remember how Emmy winners are selected –- by about 50 or 60 judges viewing a sample episode submitted by each nominee. None of Linney’s rivals has an episode with as much oomph.
Also, check out our handicapping of the Emmy races for best drama series, lead drama actor, supporting comedy actor and supporting comedy actress.
-- Tom O’Neil
LEAD COMEDY ACTRESS | Beachum | Cormier | Dixon | Dortch | Licuria | Noble |
| Toni Collette, ‘United States of Tara’ | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | |
| Courteney Cox, ‘Cougar Town’ | 6 | |||||
| Edie Falco, ‘Nurse Jackie’ | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Tina Fey, ‘30 Rock’ | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
| Patricia Heaton, ‘The Middle’ | 6 | |||||
| Laura Linney, ‘The Big C’ | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Wendie Malick, ‘Hot in Cleveland’ | 6 | |||||
| Lea Michele, ‘Glee’ | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | |
| Mary-Louise Parker, ‘Weeds’ | 6 | |||||
| Amy Poehler, ‘Parks and Recreation’ | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
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