Sandra Oh is on track to reap 14th Emmy nomination for ‘Quiz Lady’
The hit Hulu telefilm “Quiz Lady” showcases Sandra Oh and Awkwafina by giving each a chance to play against type. They’re a pair of sisters forced to compete on a game show to pay off their mother’s gambling debts. Awkwafina is the quiet, reserved Anne while Oh featured is the wild and crazy Jenny. Oh delivers a pitch-perfect performance and critics showered her with praise.
Marya E. Gates (Roger Ebert) proclaimed: “The film works largely thanks to the irrepressible charm of star Sandra Oh… Oh, on the other hand, is clearly having a blast playing this hot mess. She nails her pratfalls and plays the comedy as broad as possible with aplomb. However, Oh can also find the hurt, love, and complexity beneath Jenny’s superfluous surface.”
Kristy Puchko (Mashable) observed: “From the moment she storms onscreen, Oh is game to go outrageous… Often mesmerizing for her electrifying screen presence, Oh isn’t intense here, but channels that energy into a flighty enthusiasm that’s downright adorable. Jenny might be written off as a hot mess by her sister, but she’s exactly the kind of heroine a kooky comedy needs. She’s a lightning strike in a world riddled with bland fools who won’t take a risk. Chaotic as she may be, she’s pitch-perfect as a wild child sage determined to save her sister — not only from the wrath of a blustering bookie, but from her own low-stakes dreams. “
Tania Hussain (Collider) noted: “Compared to Awkwafina’s role as a buttoned-up introvert, Oh gives more of a physical performance for ‘Quiz Lady.’ Between the very smartly written sight gags and interactions, she pivots most compellingly from comedy to drama with sharp timing. In flowing between the trauma her character felt growing up and leaving Anne behind at a young age, Oh channels that hurt and love beneath Jenny’s guarded surface with a nuanced complexity. It’s a performance that cuts loose but also balances Awkwafina’s role without missing a mark.”
Oh is a strong contender to reap a Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress nomination in what is a very competitive year.
She is an absolute Emmy favorite with a lucky 13 Emmy nominations to her name. She was nominated for Best Drama Supporting Actress for “Grey’s Anatomy” five times — in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, and, 2009. She then scored six bids for “Killing Eve” — four for Best Drama Actress (2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022) and two for Best Drama Series as a producer (2019 and 2020). She was also nominated for Best Comedy Guest Actress in 2019 for “Saturday Night Live” and Best Variety Special (Live) for the 76th Golden Globes, which she hosted
. She may not have won any of those bids but Oh is an Emmy darling. They nominate her whenever they can and that could continue here.
Emmy voters love to nominate veterans such as Oh in this category. Recent such nominees include Kathryn Hahn (“Tiny Beautiful Things”), Toni Collette (“The Staircase”), Regina King (“Watchmen”/”Seven Seconds”), and Aunjanue Ellis (“When They See Us”).
Oh also produced “Quiz Lady” alongside co-star Awkwafina. Emmy voters admire women who produce the shows in which they star. Kathryn Hahn (“Tiny Beautiful Things”), Ali Wong (“Beef”), Jessica Chastain (“George and Tammy”), Kate Winslet (“Mare of Easttown”), Octavia Spencer (“Self Made”), and Kerry Washington (“Little Fires Everywhere”) all earned nominations in this category for shows they also produced.
You might think that the fact that Oh is competing against her own co-star, Awkwafina, here would hinder both of their chances but Emmy voters have shown that they are more than willing to nominate two people from the same show in this category. Ellis and Niecy Nash (“When They See Us”), Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon (“Feud: Bette and Joan”), Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon (“Big Little Lies”), and Lange and Sarah Paulson (“American Horror Story: Coven”) were all nominated together in this category.
Besides, Oh has already proven that she is able to be nominated alongside a co-star in a project that has two female leads. Her and “Killing Eve” co-star Jodie Comer were both nominated for Best Drama Actress in 2019, 2020, and 2022. She could do it again here with Awkwafina.
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