Yahoo News Emmys 2024: Lead Actress in a Comedy Series — Our Dream Nominees!
Hacks‘ Jean Smart is the odds-on favorite to snag a third Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy for her career-best work in Max’s dark showbiz satire. However, another realistic scenario finds The Bear‘s Ayo Edebiri — who entered the lead race this year after winning the supporting actress prize back in January — picking up her second consecutive gold statue for the Hulu dramedy’s second season.
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The more pressing question: Did Smart and Edebiri make TVLine’s coveted Dream Emmy cut?
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
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: In the ABC comedy’s third season, school teacher Janine Teagues matured in a beautiful way, with a new job at the district and a more polished look. Throughout her character’s evolution, Brunson shone as Janine embraced her boosted self-confidence. The actress also let the old Janine slip through at times, giving us moments of pure hilarity, like when Janine desperately tried to micro-manage her end-of-year party. Brunson truly finished the season on a high, delivering a flawless lip-sync of Barbara and Melissa’s dialogue at that bash. And her flustered look when Gregory planted a steamy kiss on Janine? Perfection! — Vlada Gelman
Harriet Dyer, Colin From Accounts
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: After seeing her play a high-strung COO on NBC’s American Auto, we’ve loved watching Dyer cut loose as a med student who doesn’t quite have her you-know-what together in this sensational Aussie rom-com. Within the first 25 minutes of Colin From Accounts, Dyer flashes her bare breast and flings human excrement out a bathroom window. To say that she’s delivering one of TV’s most humbling comedic performances would be an understatement. — Ryan Schwartz
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Upstart chef Sydney is essential to the success of Carmy’s restaurant, and Edebiri is just as essential to the success of Hulu’s acclaimed dramedy, offering a thoughtful counterweight to Carmy’s more volatile persona. Edebiri especially shined in Season 2’s third episode, as Sydney searched the city for culinary inspiration, conveying so much creative joy without a word of dialogue. Plus, we met Sydney’s father and learned more about her upbringing, with Edebiri artfully filling in the gaps of Sydney’s complex personality. — Dave Nemetz
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Girls5eva
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Netflix’s girl-group comedy was a rapid-fire laugh riot in Season 3, and Goldsberry’s outrageous turn as self-obsessed diva Wickie was an absolute highlight, rattling off haughty insults and bringing a supremely entitled air to every run-down hotel she entered. Goldsberry also brought a surprising vulnerability to Wickie as she wrestled with long-buried childhood issues — and did we mention the girl can sang? She deserves to hear her name called on Emmy night just as many times as Wickie heard her name called at the 2000 MTV VMAs. (We’re guessing that’s a lot.) — D.N.
Devery Jacobs, Reservation Dogs
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Jacobs was a pro at juggling conflicting emotions and heavy moments in Reservation Dogs‘ final season. Her physicality — from her subtle body language to her escaped smiles when Elora let her guard down — went a long way in helping us understand the character. And while her performance did often lean toward dramatic, she was still a formidable comedic presence whenever the Rez Dogs gang got together. Though the series may have just left us, we’re already counting down to a rewatch of Jacobs’ emotional and grounded work. — Nick Caruso
Diarra Kilpatrick, Diarra From Detroit
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: In BET+’s Diarra From Detroit, writer/actress Kilpatrick plays a soon-to-be-divorced teacher who finds herself in over her head when her Tinder date goes missing. Through the first season’s eight episodes, we watched Kilpatrick nimbly navigate a failed marriage, hone some killer detective skills, and renew old friendships — all while finding her inner strength. But it was Kilpatrick’s razor-sharp comic timing that ushered Diarra to the head of the class. — Diedre Johnson
Edi Patterson, The Righteous Gemstones
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: As the delightfully unhinged Judy Gemstone, Patterson has long been the HBO comedy’s secret weapon, armed with unpredictable line readings and an oddball physicality that make Judy such a watchable weirdo. That held true during Gemstones‘ third season, featuring a Judy more bonkers than ever as she tried to save her marriage from a regrettable affair, while literally saving herself and her family from the Montgomery militia. We’re still laughing over the Episode 4 scene in which Judy tried to shield husband BJ from the knowledge of her affair, making increasingly manic (and hilarious) choices in one of television’s most full-tilt comedic performances. — Rebecca Iannucci
Jean Smart, Hacks
WHY SHE DESERVES A NOD: Smart once again served up huge laughs (and even bigger drama) as Hacks‘ fearless comedian Deborah Vance. Some of the actress’ best Season 3 moments revolved around her character’s darkest fears and insecurities, allowing the TV vet to exude a vulnerability that tugged at our heartstrings. Deborah was one of the year’s most dynamic and fully realized characters thus far, much of which can be attributed to Smart’s fierce turn as a woman whose career tunnel vision costs almost everyone surrounding her. Three seasons in and with no sign of slowing down, the stunning Smart gave us more heart, edge and spunk than ever. — N.C.
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