At this year’s Emmys, reigning Best Comedy Actress champ Jean Smart (“Hacks”) could follow in the footsteps of Candice Bergen (“Murphy Brown”) and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep”) by winning again for her show’s second season. This time, however, she faces a strong challenge from another former victor who also plays a stand-up comic: Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”).
After defeating them in 2021, Smart may have to go up against both Kaley Cuoco (“The Flight Attendant”) and Tracee Ellis Ross (“Black-ish”) again this year. Her other two previous competitors, Aidy Bryant (“Shrill”) and Allison Janney (“Mom”), are out of the running since their shows ended before last June.
Also back in the mix this year is 2004 winner Sarah Jessica Parker, who reprised her “Sex and the City” role of Carrie Bradshaw on “And Just Like That.” Past nominees who could score bids this year are Pamela Adlon (“Better Things”), Natasha Lyonne (“Russian Doll”), Issa Rae (“Insecure”), and “Grace and Frankie” duo Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.
Actresses seeking recognition for new comedy series include Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), Selena Gomez (“Only Murders in the Building”), and Sarah Lancashire (“Julia”).
Scroll through our photo gallery of 2022 Emmy predictions for Lead Actress (Comedy Series).
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Jean Smart, ‘Hacks’ – Season 2
Image Credit: Jake Giles Netter/HBO Max Network: HBO Max
Role: Deborah Vance, a veteran stand-up comic whose Las Vegas residency has just concluded.
Emmys history:
Won for Season 1 (2021) -
Rachel Brosnahan, ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ – Season 4
Image Credit: Amazon Network: Amazon
Role: Midge Maisel, a 1950s housewife-turned-comedian.
Emmys history:
Won for Season 1 (2018)
Nominated for Seasons 2-3 (2019-2020) -
Kaley Cuoco, ‘The Flight Attendant’ – Season 2
Image Credit: Jennifer Rose Clasen/HBO Max Network: HBO Max
Role: Cassie Bowden, a hard-drinking flight attendant who becomes a murder suspect.
Emmys history:
Nominated for Season 1 (2021) -
Issa Rae, ‘Insecure’ – Season 5
Image Credit: Merle Wallace/HBO Network: HBO
Role: Issa Dee, a millennial woman whose awkward personality makes love and life difficult.
Emmys history:
Nominated for Seasons 2 and 4 (2018 and 2020) -
Quinta Brunson, ‘Abbott Elementary’ – Season 1
Image Credit: ABC Network: ABC
Role: Janine Teagues, a second grade teacher working at a Philadelphia public school.
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Selena Gomez, ‘Only Murders in the Building’ – Season 1
Image Credit: Hulu Network: Hulu
Role: Mabel Mora, an apartment renovator who teams with two of the building’s residents to solve a murder.
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Sarah Lancashire, ‘Julia’ – Season 1
Image Credit: Seacia Pavao/HBO Max Network: HBO Max
Role: Julia Child, the pioneering celebrity chef whose career took off after she published “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.”
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Elle Fanning, ‘The Great’ – Season 2
Image Credit: Hulu Network: Hulu
Role: Catherine II, the wife of Peter III who eventually succeeds him as empress of Russia.
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Natasha Lyonne, ‘Russian Doll’ – Season 2
Image Credit: Netflix Network: Netflix
Role: Nadia Vulvokov, a woman who has recently escaped a time loop in which she repeatedly died.
Emmys history:
Nominated for Season 1 (2019) -
Sandra Oh, ‘The Chair’ – Season 1
Image Credit: Eliza Morse/Netflix Network: Netflix
Role: Ji-Yoon Kim, the newly appointed English department chair at a fictional New England university.
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Tracee Ellis Ross, ‘Black-ish’ – Season 8
Image Credit: ABC Network: ABC
Role: Rainbow Johnson, a biracial mother of five who tries to help her children take pride in their mixed heritage.
Emmys history:
Nominated for Season 2-4 and 6-7 (2016-2018, 2020-2021) -
Pamela Adlon, ‘Better Things’ – Season 5
Image Credit: FX Network: FX
Role: Sam Fox, an actress and single mother of three daughters.
Emmys history:
Nominated for Seasons 1-2 (2017-2018) -
Maya Erskine, ‘PEN15’ – Season 2
Image Credit: Hulu Network: Hulu
Role: Maya Ishii-Peters, a seventh-grader navigating the horrors of middle school in the early 2000s.
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Anna Konkle, ‘PEN15’ – Season 2
Image Credit: Hulu Network: Hulu
Role: Anna Kone, a seventh-grader navigating the horrors of middle school in the early 2000s.
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Rose Byrne, ‘Physical’ – Season 1
Image Credit: Apple TV+ Network: Apple TV+
Role: Sheila Rubin, a Californian who attempts to find herself by becoming involved in the 1980s aerobics craze.
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Sarah Jessica Parker, ‘And Just Like That’ – Season 1
Image Credit: HBO Max Network: HBO Max
Role: Carrie Bradshaw, a lifestyle writer reeling from the sudden death of her husband.
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Courtney Cox, ‘Shining Vale’ – Season 1
Image Credit: Starz Network: Starz
Role: Pat Phelps, a depressed novelist who moves with her family to a seemingly haunted small town.
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Robin Thede, ‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’ – Season 3
Image Credit: HBO Network: HBO
Role: Various
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Hailee Steinfeld, ‘Dickinson’ – Season 3
Image Credit: Apple TV+ Network: Apple TV+
Role: Emily Dickinson, the 19th century American poet whose life experiences influenced her eccentric writing.
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Amy Schumer, ‘Life & Beth’ – Season 1
Image Credit: Scott McDermott/Hulu Network: Hulu
Role: Beth, a woman who reflects on her choices as her life begins to fall apart.
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Lily Tomlin, ‘Grace and Frankie’ – Season 7
Image Credit: Netflix Network: Netflix
Role: Frankie Bergstein, a free-spirited artist who recently started life anew after her husband left her for his male business partner.
Emmys history:
Nominated for Seasons 1-4 (2015-2018) -
Natasia Demetriou, ‘What We Do in the Shadows’ – Season 3
Image Credit: FX Network: FX
Role: Nadja, a centuries-old Greek vampire living in modern-day New York.
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Jane Fonda, ‘Grace and Frankie’ – Season 7
Image Credit: Netflix Network: Netflix
Role: Grace Hanson, a straightlaced businesswoman who recently started life anew after her husband left her for his male business partner.
Emmys history:
Nominated for Season 3 (2017) -
Tiffany Haddish, ‘The Afterparty’ – Season 1
Image Credit: Apple TV+ Network: Apple TV+
Role: Danner, a detective investigating a death that occurred at a high school reunion afterparty.
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Lily Collins, ‘Emily in Paris’ – Season 2
Image Credit: Netflix Network: Netflix
Role: Emily Cooper, a young American marketing executive working in Paris.
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More Emmy Predictions
Image Credit: A.T.A.S. Be sure to check out our other Emmy Awards predictions photo galleries:
Best Comedy Series
Best Comedy Actor
Best Comedy Supporting Actor
Best Comedy Supporting Actress
Best Drama Series
Best Drama Actor
Best Drama Actress
Best Drama Supporting Actor
Best Drama Supporting Actress
Best Limited Series
Best TV Movie
Best Movie/Limited Actor
Best Movie/Limited Actress
Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actor
Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actress
