A Beach Read to Get You Ready for Oscar Season
Why it's worth reading the book before the movie comes out. Plus, 4 more Emmy races that should bring suspense in Sept.
Hello! Before I get started: It’s not too late to RSVP for my first-ever live Prestige Junkie podcast! On Wednesday, August 7, I’ll be joined at The London Hotel in West Hollywood by Fargo creator Noah Hawley and stars Juno Temple and Lamorne Morris, all of them Emmy nominees for their work on the fifth season of the FX anthology series. We’ll be discussing highlights from the season and their road to the Emmys — you won’t want to miss it! Plus, bonus: I saw the menu for the reception — fish and chips in a cone, sliders or spicy tuna anyone? RSVP now.
Everyone has their own definition of a “beach read.” I’ve devoured books by Elin Hildebrand and other masters of the form while sitting on seaside porches, of course. I also remember settling into a beach chair when I was a college student, holding a battered vintage copy of the nonfiction AIDS chronicle And the Band Played On.
In the past few years, I’ve made it a tradition to create a very specific summer reading list: books whose film adaptations will be out in the fall. That means I’ve spent time in scenic locations reading grim stuff like The Zone of Interest and Killers of the Flower Moon, but also read The Lost Daughter — set on an Italian beach — on a beach of my own.
This year thus far I’ve committed myself to Queer, which you can hear me discuss on last week’s episode of the Prestige Junkie podcast, and also Conclave, the Robert Harris thriller that’s been adapted into a film by All Quiet on the Western Front director Edward Berger. It’s set to have its international premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival; that language — “international” premiere, not “world” premiere — means it’s a pretty good bet for a spot in the still-secret Telluride lineup. It also has a pretty great trailer out already:
Below I’ll share four more Emmy races filled with intrigue, but first I just want to give a heartfelt recommendation for reading Conclave, which is both good prep for Oscar season and super fun. It kicks off when an unnamed Pope died, and follows Cardinal Lomeli (renamed Lawrence for the film, and played by Ralph Fiennes) as he gathers the cardinals stationed around the world to meet at the Vatican and elect a new Pope.
While remaining entirely respectful of the Catholic beliefs of its main characters, Harris’s book wrings real human drama out of the gathering, with egos clashing, secrets revealed and a handful of twists deployed before it’s over. It was a blast to read knowing that the pompous Cardinal Tremblay will be played by John Lithgow in the film, and that the role of the wry and humble Italian Cardinal Bellini has been adjusted for Stanley Tucci to play him.
I have no idea how true the movie will remain to the book, and half the joy in reading was in guessing what might make it to the screen. I know not everyone prefers to read the book before the movie, but if you’re considering a little bit of fall movie prep, Conclave is an excellent place to start.
With Emmys voting set to begin in a week and a half, let’s get back into the game: Oscar winners, a serial killer and a whole bunch of traitors. Now that’s the kind of awards drama we’re looking for.
4 Emmy Showdowns to Watch
I. Sympathy for the Devil: Supporting Actor in a Limited Series
Early in the spring there seemed to be no stronger an Emmy slam dunk than Robert Downey Jr. in The Sympathizer. Directly following up his Oscar win with an ambitious project from auteur Park Chan-Wook, and playing multiple villainous American characters in the Vietnam War-era story, Downey seemed committed to stretching himself even further than he did in Oppenheimer.
Downey’s shape-shifting performance turned out to be just as impressive as it seemed from a distance, and The Sympathizer earned plenty of critical raves. But the audience for the show never materialized, and the Television Academy followed suit. Downey is now the show’s sole nominee, and his path to victory seems far from guaranteed.
The aggregated predictions at Gold Derby currently have Fellow Travelers star Jonathan Bailey ahead of Downey; with nominations for star Matt Bomer as well as for Ron Nyswaner’s writing, Fellow Travelers does seem a bit stronger overall than The Sympathizer. But all of the other nominees in the category represent shows that were even more popular with the Academy — Fargo, Lessons in Chemistry, True Detective: Night Country and Feud: Capote vs. The Swans. If popularity is what makes the difference, shouldn’t the nominees from those shows be getting a bump as well?
I still suspect that Downey’s immense star power will allow him to win here, in addition to what might be the Television Academy’s impulse to coronate the same star that the Oscars rewarded just a few months ago. But Bailey, with Wicked on the horizon, is a rising star unto his own, and could have enough heat to win out.
II. Reindeer Games: Actor in a Limited Series
Just how huge is Baby Reindeer? That’s the question looming over many of the limited series races, where the Netflix phenom is by far the most widely viewed of any of the nominees — but that might not be enough for it to win.
That’s probably not true, however, in the supporting actress race, where Jessica Gunning ought to run away with the statue, or in writing, where creator and star Richard Gadd feels like an easy pick to reward the series as a whole. But is Gadd strong enough to take home a lead acting award as well?
Before the nominations I would have predicted yes, and Baby Reindeer’s nominations total was strong enough that it could certainly still happen. But there’s surprising competition from within the Netflix stable, with Ripley earning 11 total nominations, far more than even we fans of the series anticipated. That suggests that Andrew Scott, stepping into the famously calculating role of Tom Ripley, might be a much stronger contender in lead actor as a result.
If I had a ballot, I would probably vote for Gadd in the writing category and Scott in lead, both to spread the wealth between the two series and acknowledge where each is stronger. Baby Reindeer was much more popular with viewers than Ripley, but based on the nominations, it seems they might be more like equals with the Television Academy. An award for both Gadd and Scott would be a great way to prove it.
III. Best Best Actress Showdown: Actress in a Limited Series
A whopping six actresses who have won best actress Oscars were in the running for nominations in this category, evidence that even though limited series aren’t as hot as they used to be, they’re popular options for actresses with the highest levels of prestige.
In the end, though, just two were nominated. It remains quite possible that True Detective: Night Country star Jodie Foster and Lessons in Chemistry star Brie Larson are most likely to win in the end. But without a true breakout series in the mix — Baby Reindeer didn’t have any eligible nominees in this category — it’s not quite that easy to predict.
Take, for example, Sofia Vergara, who is nominated for her lead role on the Netflix series Griselda. Again, it’s not a breakout hit, but on a streaming platform with far more visibility than any other. She’s the first Latina actress ever nominated in this category, and as a television veteran who has never won an Emmy, she could make a compelling case for this to be her year.
Then there are the two FX contenders. Though Naomi Watts, who should be an Oscar winner by now, gives a performance that is the beating heart of Feud: Capote vs the Swans, she feels like the clearest underdog in this race. Fargo star Juno Temple, however, could give Larson and Foster a real run for the gold. Nominated three times for her Ted Lasso performance, Temple is clearly in the club with the TV Academy, and her fierce lead performance on Fargo might be enough to take her to the finish line.
IV. Game Time: Reality Competition Program
As I’ve written about before, RuPaul’s Drag Race is one of the most consistently dominant shows currently competing at the Emmys, having won this category five of the past six years. But in 2021 Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls proved that an upstart new series could dethrone RuPaul and company, at least briefly.
And some people are expecting it to happen again this year.
I’m very much in the tank for Peacock’s The Traitors, but I’m not the only one who thinks the Alan Cumming-hosted show might have what it takes to win the reality competition Emmy this year. Peacock is certainly putting a lot of energy into its campaign, with a major press day scheduled in August, and with nominations for its cinematography and directing in addition to one for Cumming as host, it clearly has some level of across-the-board support.
The category this year is rounded out by The Voice, The Amazing Race and Top Chef, stalwart reality shows that have lost to Drag Race many times and will likely do so again. But can newcomer The Traitors shake up the race just enough to pull off a surprise victory? It still seems like a challenge, but when that envelope is opened at the ceremony in September, expect a bit more suspense than we’ve had in most recent years.