Emmys 2018: The Best Moments From Best Supporting Drama Actor & Actress Nominees (VIDEO)
Continuing our look at this year’s Emmys 2018 nominees, we’re looking back at some of the best performances from those who earned Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama nods.
This year, there are multiple nominees from shows like The Handmaid’s Tale, Stranger Things, and Game of Thrones. In these supporting role categories, the drama actresses outnumber the actors as seven women — three of which are from The Handmaid’s Tale — make the list in comparison the the six men in the actor category.
Take a look at some of their best scenes below. This is going to be a more difficult decision than we even imagined!
Outstanding Supporting Actor
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones
In his seventh season as Jaime Lannister on Thrones, Coster-Waldau used the story to his advantage. In this scene, Jaime takes a stand against Cersei and leaves King’s Landing to fight, and Coster-Waldau delivers an emotional, yet reserved performance.
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
A two-time Emmy winner for his role as Tyrion Lannister, Dinklage‘s presence in this category is no surprise — he’s also been nominated for every season. In the moment above, the banter between Tyrion and Daenerys about her successor shows his range as things begin light-hearted and turn dark when mortality enters the conversation.
Joseph Fiennes, The Handmaid’s Tale
With his role as Commander Waterford on Season 2 of Handmaid’s Tale, Fiennes earned his first Emmy nomination via an inarguably chilling performance. The actor displayed Waterford’s patriarchal extremism with an angry quietude especially in the scene above where he punishes wife Serena (Yvonne Strahovski) for forging his permission on documents.
David Harbour, Stranger Things
Harbour‘s Chief Hopper continues to be a fan favorite among viewers of Netflix’s popular series, and his nomination proves he’s also a favorite among Emmy voters. During the show’s second season, fans saw some seriously touching moments for the police officer, like the scene above where he speaks candidly to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), who has become a daughter-of-sorts to him.
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
In the penultimate season of Showtime’s Homeland, Mandy Patinkin brought viewers more great moments as Saul Berenson. This year marks his fourth Emmy nomination for the role, but could he finally win? Patinkin sure knows how to leave a mark with his words, as with the above tense conversation between Saul and Claire Danes‘ Carrie.
Matt Smith, The Crown
It’s hard enough playing a fictional character, but Matt Smith had no issues playing real-life royalty with finesse in Season 2 of The Crown. The actor’s best scenes didn’t always include dialogue, as a single look from Prince Philip conveyed plenty. In the scene above, those looks are on full display in one of the season’s more tense moments as Elizabeth (Claire Foy) to declares him a prince.
Outstanding Supporting Actress
Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid’s Tale
Rory Gilmore no more, Bledel abandoned her former innocence for this complex role as exiled handmaid Emily. The actress, who scored an Emmy for the same role but as Best Guest Star last year, could take home gold once again especially for her scene above with Ann Dowd‘s Aunt Lydia.
Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things
The youngest actress in this category, Brown has continued to show her skillset in the role of Eleven. In Season 2, viewers were treated to a wider vocabulary and range of emotions from the character. In fact, her best scenes were between her and fellow nominee David Harbour, including the one above.
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
In Season 2, Ann Dowd shifted her usually brutal portrayal of Aunt Lydia slightly. The 2017 Emmy winner offered a softer and more humane side in her scene above with fellow nominee Elisabeth Moss as Offred/June. And because of her fresh approach, Dowd has just as much of a chance to take the trophy home again.
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
As Cersei Lannister, Headey gave viewers a riveting performance once again (this is her fourth nomination for the role). In the scene above, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) tells Cersei about the Wights, and at first, she’s doubtful. But Headey is able to shift into displaying fear towards the end when she agrees to a temporary truce among the families to defeat this army of the dead.
Vanessa Kirby, The Crown
In the second season of the Netflix series, Kirby wowed audiences as Princess Margaret. Her heartbroken sister to Foy’s Elizabeth allowed the actress to display raw emotion and outrage, and the scene above is no exception.
Thandie Newton, Westworld
Nominated once again for her role as Maeve in HBO’s Westworld, Newton wowed audiences with an even more elevated performance in Season 2. Among the many great moments was Maeve’s long-awaited reunion with her “daughter,” as seen above.
Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid’s Tale
Strahovski’s performance as Serena in Season 2 surprised viewers. Fans knew her character to be strict and rule-abiding, but they saw that slowly break down this year. In the scene above, her genuine tears as she lets a child of Gilead go was one of her best.
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