When “Miami Vice” star Philip Michael Thomas coined the term “EGOT” in 1984—code for a performer who’s won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award—nobody could have known just how desirable that milestone would become. Here’s a list of some of the most exciting performers working in television today, from relative newbies to industry vets, who may have the chance to add an “E” to their acting accolades thanks to their recent Emmy-worthy performances.
Jonathan Bailey
“Fellow Travelers”
As we await Bailey’s big-screen musical pivot in Jon M. Chu’s first installment of “Wicked,” let’s not forget his deeply moving performance on this Showtime limited series from Ron Nyswaner. Bailey stars as Tim Laughlin, a congressional staffer involved in a love-hate affair with his older, devious paramour (Matt Bomer). Come for the steamy spectacle; stay for Bailey’s decades-spanning portrayal of a man who evolves from wide-eyed innocent to wise activist.
Liza Colón-Zayas
“The Bear”
Supporting performances rarely soar as high as the two standout moments Colón-Zayas delivers as budding chef Tina Marrero on Season 2 of Christopher Storer’s FX sensation—one a quietly exuberant reaction to a promotion, the other during a heart-rending karaoke outing. Among the array of extraordinary talents both new and familiar who appear on the show’s galvanizing sophomore season, Colón-Zayas’ work remains strikingly poignant.
Maya Erskine
“Mr. & Mrs. Smith”
This Emmy-nominated “PEN15” co-creator has never been in the running as an actor, but her career-enhancing work on Donald Glover and Francesca Sloane’s action comedy could change that. As Jane Smith, one half of the titular team of married assassins, Erskine’s chemistry with Glover is nothing short of scorching. She’s firing on all cylinders (pun intended), making Jane a romantic foil for the ages.
Courtesy Hulu
Dakota Fanning
“Ripley”
In contrast to Gwyneth Paltrow’s famously Hitchcockian performance in the 1999 film adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” Fanning’s take on Marge Sherwood is far cooler and much more inscrutable. The delicate dance between Marge and con man Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott) becomes increasingly taut and alluring as Steven Zaillian’s ravishing Netflix miniseries progresses.
Colin Farrell
“Sugar”
Fresh off his Oscar nomination for Martin McDonagh’s “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Farrell trades his lilting Irish brogue for the raspy tones of Marlowe-esque L.A. private eye John Sugar. On Mark Protosevich’s Apple TV+ drama, Farrell expertly blends leading-man prowess with a marvelous attention to character. California looks good on this always-surprising actor.
Jodie Foster
“True Detective: Night Country”
Speaking of recent Oscar nominees, Foster’s performance on this HBO thriller feels like a perfect meld of her two Academy Award–winning roles (in Jonathan Kaplan’s “The Accused” and Jonathan Demme’s “The Silence of the Lambs”): Like Sarah Tobias and Clarice Starling before her, steely sleuth Liz Danvers is acidic, brusque, achingly vulnerable, and unfailingly real. Though this is sadly Foster’s only season on Issa López’s anthology series, her work will be remembered for the ages.
Courtesy HBO
Lily Gladstone
“Under the Bridge”
Gladstone was this close to besting Emma Stone for leading actress honors at this year’s Academy Awards. But her riveting work on Quinn Shephard’s true crime miniseries proves that we’ve only scratched the surface of her abundant acting gifts. As Cam Betland, a Canadian police officer haunted by the death of a Canadian teen circa 1997, Gladstone commands the small screen as fervently as she did the big one.
Selena Gomez
“Only Murders in the Building”
OK, Emmy nominators: It’s high time to include Gomez for her underrated contribution to John Hoffman and Steve Martin’s Hulu hit. Sure, she’s been nominated as a producer for the series; but without her wry performance as amateur sleuth Mabel Mora, there wouldn’t be a show. Martin and Martin Short are comic legends worthy of all the hardware there is; but “Only Murders” lives and dies by Gomez’s delicious deadpan and her sparkling rapport with these gentlemen.
Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Aaron Pierre
“Genius: MLK/X”
Harrison and Pierre are two of the most versatile young actors working today; on Jeff Stetson’s ambitious bio-series, they seamlessly take on the twin legacies of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Their performances almost made us forget the likes of Denzel Washington, David Oyelowo, and the many other great actors who have portrayed these men before—no easy feat.
Devery Jacobs
“Reservation Dogs”
Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi’s FX series is one of the best comedies to never have received a major Emmy nomination—and that goes double for Jacobs. Now, the show has one last shot at the glory; and considering Jacobs has never been less than astonishing as Elora Danan Postoak, the de facto leader of the show’s central friend group, nominating her for best actress in a comedy is one of the best ways to shake up the race. And thanks to the departure of category mainstays Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) and Christina Applegate (“Dead to Me”), the field is wide open.
Aja Naomi King
“Lessons in Chemistry”
King’s role as caring, cautious, activist Harriet Sloane on Lee Eisenberg’s Apple TV+ limited series could have been merely ornamental to the story of a food scientist (Brie Larson) battling chauvinism in the 1960s. But King’s interpretation turns the character into something richer and more impactful. Her performance highlights the plight of Black women in the era—not just their white counterparts.
Courtesy Apple TV+
Greta Lee
“The Morning Show”
This gifted actor didn’t earn an Oscar nomination for her glorious work in Celine Song’s “Past Lives.” But Jay Carson and Kerry Ehrin’s “The Morning Show” clearly knew what it had when it beefed up her character’s storyline on its third season. She plays news division president Stella Bak, who’s struggling to revitalize a failing daytime show, all while dealing with her unfavorable history with an Elon Musk–like megalomaniac (Jon Hamm). Lee’s deeply felt perform-ance proves the show should really have three female leads.
Lesley Manville
“The Crown”
Princess Margaret has always been the reliable backbone of Peter Morgan’s Netflix series about the British monarchy; but others who have played the role rarely brought the utter gravitas that Manville does to the show’s final season. The can-do-anything actor delivers a remarkable performance on an episode that showcases Margaret in her deteriorating years. The stirring life force Manville brings to her portrayal is worthy of its very own jubilee.
Anna Sawai
“Shōgun”
This hit adaptation of James Clavell’s lauded 1975 novel unveils a gallery of exciting new faces. And many of them are right on that Emmy bubble—none more so than Sawai as adept translator Toda Mariko. The former girl-group performer communicates volumes with mere glances; her work on Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks’ series seriously slays.
Courtesy FX
Emma Stone
“The Curse”
Stone won her second Oscar only a few months ago for her accomplished work in Yorgos Lanthimos’ fantastical “Poor Things”; but her salty-scary turn on Nathan Fielder and Benny Safdie’s surreal dramedy is next-level. As one half of a craven married couple who host a home-renovation show, Stone elevates her portrayal of insecure privilege to the level of art.
Lisa Ann Walter
“Abbott Elementary”
Isn’t it about time the Emmys gave Ms. Melissa Schemmenti some love? Walter has been a reliable supporting player for three years, and her character finally came into her own this season thanks to her bold assertions of independence in the dating world—not to mention her growing friendship with Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Barbara Howard. Walter is one of the most valuable performers on Quinta Brunson’s ABC comedy, keeping the show’s joys essential.
This story originally appeared in the June 6 issue of Backstage Magazine.
