We will update this article throughout the season, along with all our predictions, so make sure to keep checking IndieWire for the latest news from the 2025 Emmys race. The nomination round of voting takes place from June 12 to June 23, with the official Emmy nominations announced Tuesday, July 15. Afterwards, final voting commences on August 18 and ends the night of August 27. The 77th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are set to take place on Sunday, September 14, and air live on CBS at 8:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT.
The State of the Race
Can only one episode win a performer an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie? That’s one of the main questions for the category this year, and one could argue both sides. With only four episodes, “Adolescence” is running the Limited Series conversation much in the same way fellow British Netflix series “Baby Reindeer” did last year.
But while the star of that series, Jessica Gunning, had a whole lot of runway to show off her talents, the actress that got the best showcase in “Adolescence,” Erin Doherty, only shows up for a quarter of the series.
While seeing her opposite newcomer Owen Cooper in a tour de force performance has been a breakout moment for “The Crown” alum, the landscape for this category is still filled with some laudable performances that may be too hard to ignore.
For instance, “Dying for Sex” star Jenny Slate is in a similar position, where her co-star Michelle Williams is one of the frontrunners for the Lead Actress in a Limited Series category, and by being her primary scene partner, voters will likely view what has been Slate’s biggest and best role in years (she has mostly worked in animation and character actress roles since 2017.)
There are also full ensembles offering more than one Supporting Actress contender, many of which are fellow Netflix shows. Arguably the strongest would be “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” which features Chloe Sevigny and Ari Graynor opposite performances by Javier Bardem, Nicholas Alexander Chavez, and Cooper Koch, who are expected to also receive Emmy nominations. Season 1 of the Netflix anthology series, which was focused on Jeffrey Dahmer, also earned star Niecy Nash-Betts an Emmy in this category.
“Zero Day” did not reach the level of critical or commercial success that Netflix may have expected, given its starry cast, but to hear that neither Joan Allen nor Angela Bassett has won a Primetime Emmy for one of their performances (the latter just has one for narration,) may add some momentum to their campaigns. And Netflix has been tight-lipped about “Sirens,” but the series from the creator of “Maid” should offer another contender in this category once it premieres in May.
But to go back even earlier on the calendar, not only are Lesley Manville and Leila George impressive supporting players in the Apple TV+ series “Disclaimer,” the show also got a fall festival run akin to what Oscar contenders receive. Should that literary adaptation from Alfonso Cuarón catch a second wind, there should be room in this category for them as well.
Same goes for the other streamers, whether it is Hulu touting Imogen Faith Reid in “Good American Family,” which is an incredibly difficult first role to pull off, or the upcoming “The Better Sister” starring Elizabeth Banks on Amazon Prime Video. And “The Penguin” was a huge success for HBO, with plenty members of the supporting cast to latch onto. That said, there are likely less submissions overall for the Limited Series categories this year, meaning less room for worthy performances to make the cut.
Current Contenders (In Alphabetical Order):
Joan Allen, “Zero Day” (Netflix)
Elizabeth Banks, “The Better Sister” (Prime Video)
Angela Bassett, “Zero Day” (Netflix)
Erin Doherty, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
Leila George, “Disclaimer” (Apple TV+)
Betty Gilpin, “Three Women” (Starz)
Ari Graynor, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (Netflix)
Taraji P. Henson, “Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist” (Peacock)
Deirdre O’Connell, “The Penguin” (HBO)
Lesley Manville, “Disclaimer” (Apple TV+)
Imogen Faith Reid, “Good American Family” (Hulu)
Chloe Sevigny, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” (Netflix)
Jenny Slate, “Dying for Sex” (FX)
Sissy Spacek, “Dying for Sex” (FX)
Christine Tremarco, “Adolescence” (Netflix)
More Limited Series and TV Movie Category Predictions:
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Outstanding TV Movie
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie
View IndieWire’s full set of predictions for the 77th Emmy Awards.
Last Year’s Winner: Jessica Gunning, “Baby Reindeer”
Still Eligible: No.
Hot Streak: Obviously, the Limited Series categories see a very small amount of actors returning to roles, but on the network side, if a Netflix star wins this year, it would be the third year in a row that a performance from a Netflix series won the Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series Emmy.
Notable Ineligible Series: Danielle Deadwyler, “Carry-On” (the film was not submitted for Emmys consideration); Fiona Shaw, “Echo Valley” (the film will not air in time to be eligible); Emilia Jones, Thuso Mbedu, and Alison Oliver, “Task” (the season will not air in time to be eligible); Brittany Snow, Natalie Morales, and Deirdre O’Connell, “The Beast in Me” (the season will not air in time to be eligible); Betty Gilpin, “Death by Lightning” (the season will not air in time to be eligible).
