Before voting for the Emmy winners begins Aug. 17, Television Academy members are encouraged to watch all of the nominees’ episode submissions. While the lead and supporting acting episode submissions will be unveiled soon by Gold Derby, the guest stars’ choices in drama and comedy were publicly available on the nominating ballots.
Read on for everything to know about the Emmy episode submissions for Best Drama Guest Actress, in which the contenders include a whopping four first-time nominees (three alone from The Pitt) and one perennial favorite who already has three wins under her belt.
Brittany Allen (The Pitt)
Episode: “3:00 P.M.”
Character: Roxie Hamler
Recap: As she nears the end of her life, cancer patient Roxie holds herself together for her family with grace and humor — until a private moment with Dr. McKay reveals the truth beneath it, and she asks, with disarming clarity: do you have any advice on dying?
Emmy history: This is Allen’s first Primetime nomination; she previously won a Daytime Emmy for All My Children (2011).
Tal Anderson (The Pitt)
Episode: “5:00 P.M.”
Character: Becca King
Recap: Becca King is Dr. Mel King’s autistic sister — warm, funny, and fiercely self-assured. Her emergency department visit becomes a watershed moment when Becca reveals she has a boyfriend and an active sex life, forcing Mel to reckon with the adult her sister has always been.
Emmy history: This is Anderson’s first nomination.
Tina Ivlev (The Pitt)
Episode: “1:00 P.M.”
Character: Ilana Miller
Recap: Ilana Miller is a sexual assault survivor who arrives at the emergency department after being attacked by a trusted friend at a holiday party. Frightened, guarded, and quietly determined to reclaim control, Ilana allows Charge Nurse Dana, a trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, to perform a rape kit examination.
Emmy history: This is Ivlev’s first nomination.
Miriam Shor (Pluribus)
Episode: “We Is Us”
Character: Helen
Recap: As both her wife and her manager, Helen is Carol Sturka’s better half. She’s good-natured and unflappable, a grounding force in Carol’s life. Helen is the only person in the world who truly understands Carol, making it even more devastating when Helen passes away as a result of The Joining.
Emmy history: This is Shor’s first nomination.
Merritt Wever (The Gilded Age)
Episode: “Marriage Is a Gamble”
Character: Monica O’Brien
Recap: Just as she is sealing her place in Society with her daughter’s marriage to a Duke, Bertha is surprised by the arrival of her sister, Monica O’Brien, who’s not just living proof of Bertha’s humble origins, but is unimpressed by her sister’s new lifestyle — and not afraid to say so.
Emmy history: This is Wever’s sixth nomination; she previously won for Nurse Jackie (2013), Godless (2018), and Severance (2025), and was also nominated for Nurse Jackie (2012) and Tiny Beautiful Things (2023).
Shailene Woodley (Paradise)
Episode: “Graceland”
Character: Annie
Recap: Annie is a tour guide in Memphis, Tenn., when the world ends. Her survival in the ensuing years after The Day is revealed as well as her encounter with a traveling group of survivors.
Emmy history: This is Woodley’s second nomination; she was previously nominated for Big Little Lies (2017).
The four guest-acting Emmys will be handed out at the Creative Arts ceremonies, taking place Sept. 5–6 at the Peacock Theater.
