Who will win the Emmy for Best Drama Guest Actress? Gold Derby editors Marcus James Dixon, Charles Bright and Riley Chow are convinced Cicely Tyson (“How to Get Away with Murder”) will take home the prize due to her impactful performance, while Rob Licuria (who dubs her “Sassely” Tyson) is banking on a surprise victory by rising star Rachel Brosnahan (“House of Cards”). Watch our new video slugfest at the bottom of this post.
Click here to see the updated list of all 2015 Emmy episode submissions
Last year’s winner as Best Drama Guest Actress was Allison Janney (“Masters of Sex”), and she returns in 2015 to face two of the same rivals: Margo Martindale (“The Americans”) and Diana Rigg (“Game of Thrones”). Three newcomers to this category are Khandi Alexander (“Scandal”), Brosnahan and Tyson.
Tyson plays Ophelia Hartness, the mother of Viola Davis‘ lead character, in her episode submission “Mama’s Here Now.” This is her 12th Emmy nomination with three previous wins.
Official ballot description: “Annalise is wracked with guilt and turns to an unlikely source for help, her mother, Ophelia Hartness.”
Gold Derby odds to win: 2/9
Janney plays Margaret Scully, wife of Beau Bridges‘ gay provost, and submitted “Parallax.” She has two Emmy nominations this year, bringing her career total to 10 with six previous wins.
Official ballot description: “Margaret returns as a woman both sexually awakened and dissatisfied with the marriage that has stolen the last thirty years from her. When Barton tries to make love to her, things go terribly wrong. Barton, despondent, attempts suicide, but Margaret and their daughter Vivian save him.”
Gold Derby odds to win: 12/1
Brosnahan plays doomed presidential pawn Rachel Posner in her entry “Chapter 39.” This is her first Emmy nomination.
Official ballot description: “Stamper tracks down Rachel where she’s working, living in a halfway house, trying to start her new life. Stamper abducts her. She wakes up and pleads for her life, and he ultimately frees her. Driving away, something shifts and Stamper turns around. Cut to dirt being shoveled onto her face.”
Gold Derby odds to win: 25/1
Rigg plays Lady Olenna Tyrell and opted for “The Gift.” This is her eighth Emmy nomination with one previous win.
Official ballot description: “Olenna returns to the capital to aid her granddaughter, the Queen, in the struggle against the jealous Queen Mother. Yet Olenna soon discovers that the most dangerous foe isn’t a rival house, but a man who can’t be bought.”
Gold Derby odds to win: 33/1
Martindale plays KGB handler Claudia and went with “I Am Abassin Zadran.” This is her fourth Emmy nomination with one previous win.
Official ballot description: “Claudia returns to counsel Gabriel. Now that Paige knows the family secret, Gabriel confesses concern regarding the mission. Instead of pressing, Claudia reveals the Centre’s devastation when the last teenage recruit murdered his family. Her faith in the mission remains strong, but the weight of turning Paige weighs on her.”
Gold Derby odds to win: 33/1
Alexander plays Kerry Washington‘s mysterious mother Maya Pope in her Emmy submission “Where the Sun Don’t Shine.” This is her first Emmy nomination.
Official ballot description: “Maya thinks her troubles are over now that Olivia is on the case. She’s shocked when her baby girl orders Fitz and Jake to have Mama Maya charged for murder, terrorism and treason to start.”
Gold Derby odds to win: 50/1
See Dixon’s Emmy predictions here, Licuria’s here, Bright’s here and Chow’s here. Compare their Emmy predix to the overall combined Gold Derby odds and rankings here.
Experts Emmy predictions: All 32 categories
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