The Golden Globes will once again be the talk of Tinseltown this week as we build up to the 70th edition of the awards ceremony taking place next weekend.
In preparation of the big night at Beverly Hills Hilton, we’ve looked over the nominees for the best actress categories in the world of TV and given our verdicts as to not only who we want to win, but how likely it is that our dreams come true.
Best Actress in a Drama Series – Claire Danes
She won last year and yet again she’s the outstanding candidate to take the prize. While Connie Britton is incredibly charming as country musician Rayna, Claire Danes is producing the best performance of her career so far as the utterly flawed Carrie.
From the way that she conveys the turmoil behind Carrie’s eyes in one glance to the brittle, breaking tone she puts into her voice, Danes is utterly captivating throughout the show, taking obstacles in her stride that most actresses would need a rather large ladder to get over.
Likelihood of winning – 9/10
Having won last year, the Homeland actress will be the hot favourite once again.
For the criticisms the second series has had (although you won’t be hearing any coming from us Homeland-aholics) but Danes has continued to be lauded throughout the second season of the show with rightful reason.
Despite the brilliant scripts, the edge-of-your-seat tension and a group of characters so rounded their positively spherical, Danes remains the biggest jewel in a crown so heavy you need scaffolding to hold it up.
This is finest Claire Danes has ever been, and she looks set to be rewarded once again this month.
Best Actress Comedy Series – Lena Dunham
While we love Zooey Deschanel’s performance as the utterly kooky Jess and Amy Poehler is always a highlight, its Lena Dunham that we think should pick up the award and cap of a brilliant year for her.
It’s the lengths of self-deprecation that Dunham goes to though that makes her truly worthy of the prize, revelling in the unglamorous world of real-life New York.
While it’s easy for Dunham to recite her own writing, Dunham’s ability with emotional fragility is what makes her truly stand out as an actress as well as a writer. She made Hanna Horvath so much more than the she was on paper and brought a huge amount of charm to a character that could have so easily been hopelessly annoying.
Likelihood of winning – 6/10
This is a category absolutely chock filled with quality, with all of the five nominees having delivered brilliant performances.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus will be the favourite after her victory at the Emmys, but there’s not a whole lot to choose between the nominees with all rightfully praised for being on the cutting edge of female comedy on TV.
It all depends on if the judging panel wants to reward a pure actor doing a comedy turn our if they want to honour one of the brightest comers out there that evening. If they decide to do the later, I don’t think too many people would kick up a fuss.
Best Supporting Actress – Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith is a British institution. For years we’ve all loved her, but her wonderful performance in Downton Abbey as the quick witted Dowager Countess is one of her most enjoyable turns yet on screen.
Even during the patchier moments of the show, Smith’s been a talisman for the warm humour and clever writing that made us fall in love with the period drama to begin with. The character may be brilliant, but she’s truly brought to life by Smith’s cracking performance.
While we loved Hayden Panettiere’s brilliant comeback as the wonderfully bitchy and success hungry Juliette in the highly underrated Nashville, it’s a prize we’d love to see Maggie Smith swipe.
Likelihood of winning – 9/10
America loves Downton Abbey even more than the UK, and Maggie Smith is easily the show’s ace in the hole. With the Emmy win under her belt this yeah and after being snubbed last time around for this prize, we think the odds are definitely in favour of Dame Maggie taking home the Globe.
Best Actress Miniseries - Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore has always seemed like the bridesmaid when it comes to major awards. Nominated at the Oscars four times, the BAFTAs three times and the Golden Globes a massive seven times without a victory in any of the three ceremonies, she’s always come close without ever getting the glory.
With this amazing performance though, we once again think that Moore should be rewarded for her amazing efforts, as in Game Change she is utterly transformed into Sarah Palin. Mesmerising throughout, Moore’s is a perfect example of a biopic performance.
Likelihood of winning – 9/10
We’d set of the party poppers already and bring out the cake right now for Julianne Moore, as she looks as nailed on a win as anyone does at this year’s awards.
She’s utterly pitch perfect in the role of Palin, capturing not only the ridiculous, but also the humane side of the Alaskan politician. If she doesn’t add pick her first solo Golden Globe this time around, we’ll be demanding to see how the judging panel worked that out.
Who do you want to win at the Golden Globes this year? Let us know in the comments section and make sure to look at our look at our look over the leading men here and come back for our choices in the show categories tomorrow.
FemaleFirst Cameron Smith