Screen Actors Guild (SAG) nomination predictions: Female Actor in a Comedy Series

The women who are being considered for nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series are masters of the craft, actresses who know how to deliver more than jokes bring us deeper stories than ever before. Comedy has evolved over the years into much more than just cracking jokes; the stories have also become layered with emotional performances that ask much more of an actor to perform. That’s why receiving a SAG nomination for one’s work is so critical: it’s coming from their peers.

It’s important to note that none of last year’s nominees are eligible this year for the award, leaving room for newer actresses to earn their first nomination. It’s also important to note that the SAG awards do not have lead or supporting categories for performances, instead having one category that combines lead and supporting The first of these women could be Hannah Waddingham for Ted Lasso. While Waddingham didn’t get a nomination at last year’s SAG Awards for the show’s first season, she did pick up the Emmy in September for her performance. This could boost her name and chances at securing a nomination in this category, even if she’s in a supporting role. While Ted Lasso’s second season was given a more mixed reaction than its first, all the performances were still pitch perfect. The show is also competitive in the Ensemble category, which could propel Waddingham’s chances even further.

Elle Fanning is also in the running to nab her first individual SAG nomination for her role in The Great. While not nominated for the first season, her co-star Nicholas Hoult was, as was the series for Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series. This could bolster Fanning’s visibility and chances for a nomination.

Like last year with Catherine O’Hara and Annie Murphy from Schitt’s Creek, this year’s category could feature two women from the same series: Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder in Hacks. Following a “cancelled” writer (Einbinder) who starts working for an older comedian (Smart), Hacks is great fun as the women become friends as the season progresses. This would, shockingly, be Smart’s first individual SAG nomination ever. Coming off her recent Emmy win for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, Smart seems a sure lock for the category. It’ll be Einbinder who shouldn’t be considered a lock, but a possibility.

Rounding out the nominations could be another first timer: Issa Rae for HBO’s Insecure. The show recently finished its fifth and final season, and while Rae has never been nominated before (nor has the series for Ensemble), she may squeeze in. The show has always had a passionate audience and that could translate to Rae getting the hype she needs to make it in.

Selena Gomez is someone that could possibly come in and take a spot from one of the aforementioned five (except for Jean Smart, who is surely a lock) for her role in Only Murders in the Building. There’s a good chance her co-stars, Martin Short and Steve Martin, will receive nods for their work, so this pushes Gomez’s chances even higher. Previous winner Sandra Oh could also sneak in and take a spot for her work in Netflix’s The Chair, a show that received praise for Oh’s lead performance. It all depends on what was watched by SAG-AFTRA.

My predictions for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series:

1. Jean Smart, Hacks
2. Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso
3. Elle Fanning, The Great
4. Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
5. Issa Rae, Insecure

Spoilers: Sandra Oh, The Chair; Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building