Emmys 2024: Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie — Our Dream Nominees!
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Two-time Oscar winner Jodie Foster is orbiting EGOT territory, thanks to her commanding work in True Detective: Night Country, with an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie all but guaranteed. And should she ultimately win — and there’s a very good chance of that happening — it would land Foster her first Emmy statue.
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Coincidentally, another two-time Oscar winner — Jessica Lange, whose 11th hour entrance into the race via HBO’s The Great Lillian Hall caught awards pundits off guard — may prove to be Foster’s biggest competition.
Scroll down to check out all of our Dream Nominees (remember, these aren’t predictions; they’re wish lists) and then tell us if our picks warrant a “Hell, yes!,” “Um, no” or “How could you leave off so-and-so?!”
For the record, 2024 Emmy nominations will be voted on from June 13-24, and unveiled on July 17. The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air on Sunday, Sept. 15, on ABC.
Scroll down for links to our previous Dream Emmy categories:
Outstanding Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees
Outstanding Limited Series — Our Dream Nominees
Jodie Foster, True Detective: Night Country
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: The Oscar winner took on her first regular TV role in a half-century (!) in Season 4 of HBO’s crime anthology… and it was worth the wait. As Alaska police chief Liz Danvers, Foster was a tough nut to crack, snapping at co-workers and keeping everyone at arm’s length. But as the case began to hit home, Danvers let her guard down, and Foster was mesmerizing as she painstakingly revealed the layers of pain beneath Danvers’ hard outer shell. We just hope we don’t have to wait another 50 years for an encore. — Dave Nemetz
Carla Gugino, The Fall of the House of Usher
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Excellent horror projects — and their casts — rarely get their due during awards season. But we’d love to see that change with recognition of Gugino’s captivating work as the Netflix series’ villainous Verna. The multifaceted role allowed Gugino to play several types of characters, slipping seemingly effortlessly into various guises as the otherworldly woman delivered the Usher family members to their fates. C’mon: Who else could pull off Down-to-Earth Bartender, Angry Test Lab Chimpanzee and the literal Masque of the Red Death and make you cheer for each of them? — Kimberly Roots
Jessica Lange, The Great Lillian Hall
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Lange poured her heart and soul into the role of Lillian, a veteran stage performer whose life and career is upended by a dementia diagnosis. While her character came to terms with her condition, the actress expressed a kaleidoscope of emotions through her trembling voice and frightened disposition. As Lillian’s memory loss and hallucinations exacerbated, Lange tragically sold the confusion and horror that crept in, helping blur the line between reality and illusion. Considering her esteemed résumé, it may sound hyperbolic to say the actress was at the top of her game in the HBO film, but that doesn’t make the statement any less true. — Nick Caruso
Elisabeth Moss, The Veil
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Moss played MI6 agent Imogen with a breezy air, giving off the impression that very few of her dangerous missions actually made her sweat. But as the limited series moved toward its conclusion, and Imogen’s worries multiplied, that façade fell — particularly as Moss had Imogen’s usual aplomb crumble during her fight with Adilah. As Imogen started to cry while they discussed the safety of children in their care, Moss’ face showed us exactly how much it pained her character to admit any truth about her past. She blended frustration, grief and Imogen’s ever-calculating intellect into an eminently watchable performance that kept us rapt. — K.R.
Juno Temple, Fargo
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: The plucky Midwestern mom is a well-worn Fargo trope by now, but Temple revitalized the role with her sensational turn as chipper housewife Dot Lyon. The Minnesota mom gave us plenty of “oh yah”s and “you betcha”s — and Temple’s accent was on point, too — but Dot had a secret past as well, and Temple was stunningly vulnerable as Dot first ran from her demons and then bravely turned to face them head-on. Her performance was like one of Dot’s famous biscuits: light and flaky at first… but oh so satisfying. — D.N.
Sofía Vergara, Griselda
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: With her fearless portrayal of real-life cocaine queen Griselda Blanco, Vergara didn’t just alter the public’s perception of her capability as a dramatic actress — she shattered it. Never again to be thought of as simply a comedic powerhouse, the former Modern Family star fully disappeared into her role as the murderous mobster. And the only thing more entertaining than watching Griselda claw her way to the top of Miami’s criminal underworld was watching her completely unravel. It was Vergara’s unwavering commitment and out-of-left-field gravitas that elevated Griselda to a truly rare edge-of-your-seat TV experience. — Andy Swift
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