Heading into the 2024 Emmy Awards, “Abbott Elementary” cast mates Janelle James and Sheryl Lee Ralph are generally expected to face off in the Best Comedy Supporting Actress category for the third year in a row. According to Gold Derby’s racetrack odds, there is also a strong chance of them meeting their first direct challenge from their “Abbott” colleague, Lisa Ann Walter. This would make the ABC series only the fourth recipient of triple bids in this category.
An additional nine “Abbott Elementary” cast members are entered in four of the remaining five comedy performance races (save lead actor). This includes reigning lead actress winner Quinta Brunson and supporting male trio William Stanford Davis, Chris Perfetti, and Tyler James Williams. Based on these submissions, the show could follow “Ted Lasso” (2022) as the second comedy series to ever concurrently achieve triple nominations in both possible supporting categories.
The first instance of a single series taking up three comedy supporting actress slots occurred in 2004 – almost two full decades after the corresponding male category had seen its first such case. Those who set this precedent were “Sex and the City” performers Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis, the first two of whom had already gone head-to-head here in 2002 and 2003. The pair were preceded by 10 others who earned their dual bids in this category as early as 1959.
The second show to triple dip here was “Saturday Night Live,” which in fact produced three different nominee trios in as many years. The sole constant contender was Kate McKinnon, who was joined by Vanessa Bayer and Leslie Jones in 2017, Jones and Aidy Bryant in 2018, and Bryant and Cecily Strong in 2021.
As previously mentioned, “Ted Lasso” became the latest program on this exclusive roster when Sarah Niles, Juno Temple, and Hannah Waddingham all vied for the 2022 prize against eventual victor Ralph. The only winners to emerge from any of this category’s five nominee trios were Nixon and McKinnon (2017).
There being fewer than 161 entrants on this year’s comedy supporting actress ballot means there are just six nomination slots up for grabs, whereas the last half dozen lineups consisted of at least seven names each. “Abbott Elementary” is one of 22 shows with three or more submissions on this particular ballot, with some of the others being “The Bear,” “Palm Royale,” and “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
At this point, Ralph, James, and Walter are respectively ranked third, fifth, and 10th on our odds-based comedy supporting actress list. Rounding out our predicted top six are Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks,” first), Meryl Streep (“Only Murders in the Building,” second), and “The Bear” duo Abby Elliott (fourth) and Liza Colón-Zayas (sixth).
PREDICT the 2024 Emmy nominations through July 17
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