Before voting for the Emmy winners begins Aug. 17, Television Academy members are encouraged to watch all of the nominees’ episode submissions. While the guest stars’ choices in drama and comedy were publicly available on the nominating ballots, Gold Derby can now share the episode submissions for the field of Limited Series Supporting Actress.
Read on for all the details.
Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis
Episode: “Missouri Mutual Life & Health Insurance Company”
Character: Carol Love-Smernitch
Recap: In the fourth episode, Carol manipulates her husband, Floyd, into getting a life insurance policy, while plotting behind his back with her lover, Clark, whom she swears to total secrecy.
Emmy history: This is Cardellini’s third acting nomination; she was previously nominated for Best Comedy Actress for Dead to Me in 2020, and Best Guest Actress in 2013 for Mad Men. She also has a 2020 nomination for Best Comedy Series as one of the executive producers of Dead to Me.
Dakota Fanning, All Her Fault
Episode: Episode 6
Character: Jenny Kaminski
Recap: The episode where Jenny reaches her breaking point with husband Richie, who keeps uses fake excuses to get out of watching son Jacob. She confronts him and demands a divorce.
Emmy history: This is Fanning’s second acting nomination; she was previously nominated in this category for Ripley in 2024. She has another nomination this year as a producer on the Best Comedy Series contender Margo’s Got Money Troubles.
Laurie Metcalf, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Episode: “Mother”
Character: Augusta Gein
Recap: In the opening episode of the miniseries, we are introduced to Ed Gein’s extremely religious and severely abusive mother, whose hateful words continue to haunt him after she suffers a strokes and dies by episode’s end.
Emmy history: Metcalf has collected four Emmys in 12 prior nominations. She received supporting actress nods for Roseanne in 1992-95 and again in 2018, winning consecutively in 1992, 1993, and 1994. She also won for Best Comedy Guest Actress for Hacks in 2022 (a role that earned her an additional nod this year). Metcalf also racked up a Best Comedy Actress nom for Getting On (2016) and guest nominations for 3rd Rock From the Sun (1999), Monk (2006), Desperate Housewives (2007), The Big Bang Theory (2016), and Horace and Pete (2016).
Joy Sunday, DTF St. Louis
Episode: “No One’s Normal. It Just Looks That Way From Across the Street”
Character: Jodie Plumb
Recap: In the series finale, Det. Plumb and her partner discover that none of the prime suspects actually murdered Floyd. The investigators realize he took his own life after suffering deep depression.
Emmy history: This is her first nomination.
Youn Yuh-jung, Beef
Episode: “It Will Stay This Way and You Will Obey”
Character: Chairwoman Park
Recap: Chairwoman Park brings down the hammer in the finale, orchestrating a massive cover-up that shows the extent of her power and delivering a monumental monologue.
Emmy history: While she has a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Minari, this is Youn’s first Emmy bid.
Constance Zimmer, Love Story
Episode: “Search and Recovery”
Character: Ann Messina Freeman
Recap: In the finale, after the tragic deaths of JFK. Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, her mother, Freeman, confronts John’s sister, Caroline Kennedy, before delivering a powerful, poetic send-off at the funeral.
Emmy history: This is Zimmer’s second nomination; she previously contended for Best Drama Supporting Actress for UnReal in 2016.
