Which 'Lost' actors could be Emmy contenders?
With the resurgent "Lost" certainly in contention for a drama series nomination again this season, it is possible that some of the on-screen talent could finally get a nod as well. Neither of the two lead performers — Matthew Fox and Evangeline Lilly — has ever been nominated at the Emmy Awards.
Fox and Lilly came close in seasons two and three of "Lost" when they made the Top 10 lists of semi-finalists as determined by a popular vote of the academy's acting branch. However, they failed to impress the judging panels who weighed in to help decide the final Emmy nominees. The elimination of the judging panels this year means that the nominees will be those six or seven performers ranked highest in the popular vote.
Can Fox and Lilly be carried along by the renewed popularity of the show? Both were key players in the two-hour finale of "Lost" on Wednesday night. As Jack, Fox was at the center of the action as he desperately tried to undo the damage he had done after persuading some of the other castaways to leave the island with him last season. For Lilly, her character of Kate found herself torn between former lovers — Jack and Sawyer (the perenially snubbed Josh Holloway) — as she decided between an uncertain past and a known future.
In the middle of the second season, Matthew Fox lost the Golden Globes lead actor race to "House" star Hugh Laurie. The following year, Evangeline Lilly lost her sole Globe race to Kyra Sedgwick of "The Closer." Fox has won two of his four nods (2006, 2008) at the sci-fi centric Saturn Awards while Lilly has failed to win in five consecutive races there. Both are nominees again this year.
Four supporting actors on "Lost" have reaped nominations at the Emmys. Terry O'Quinn won on the second of his two nods in 2007. He and Naveen Andrews lost in 2005 to William Shatner ("Boston Legal"). Michael Emerson lost to Quinn in 2007 and Zeljko Ivanek ("Damages") last year. Henry Ian Cusick scored a guest nod in the second season — which he lost to Christian Clemenson ("Boston Legal") — before joining the show as a regular. Naveen is the only "Lost" regular to score a Golden Globe in the catch-all supporting category, losing his 2006 bid to Paul Newman ("Empire Falls").
In Wednesday night's crackerjack double-header episode, O'Quinn as Locke engaged in a delicious game of cat and mouse with Emerson's Ben as their characters headed to a final showdown with the island's overseer. As Sayid, Naveen was a force to be reckoned with as he once again showed his willingness to put himself in harm's way. And while Cusick was unseen Wednesday night, his character of Desmond played a pivotal role in earlier episodes that set up this finale.
None of the supporting actresses on "Lost" has ever managed to make it to the Emmys. However, Elizabeth Mitchell won on her second Saturn nod last year for her role as the enigmatic Juliet, and she is nominated there again this year. Wednesday night, Mitchell had a string of memorable moments as she gave up her hope for a new life off of the island. And Yunjin Kim is a first-time Saturn nominee for her heartbreaking portrayal of Sun, who is separated from her husband, Jin, by decades.
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Oh, I agree about the kid playing Ben as a child. He was amazing.
Posted by: Ninjalilly | June 01, 2009 at 06:48 AM
as much as i really loved yunjin kim's sun (she should've been nominated last season, her helicopter scream is just superb), i doubt that she will be nominated this year. this year's most improved is josh holloway's sawyer. he is the hero all of us want to be: strong yet gentle, bad boy yet with a big heart. elizabeth mitchell's juliet is so good too. and lost for best tv drama!
lost is just the best! only lost can do that final cliffhanger! the anti-thesis to the soprano's fade to black! hurray for jj and damon and carlton!
lost is found! namaste!
Posted by: Josel Garlitos | May 17, 2009 at 03:02 AM
Fox should have gotten an Emmy for his protrayal of Jack in Season 3. His best acting was done then. He continues to be strong now, but suicidal Jack was his best.
Lilly is not a contender, she doesn't have the depth and breadth of other leading actresses.
In supporting female roles Mitchel was fantastic, and she always has been. This season she deserves at least a nod. Kim should have gotten a nomination last season, I don't think this season she was given enough to work with.
As for supporting actors, Holloway's best scene this season was his final one with Mitchel, the best he's done on the show so far, but I don't think a single scene will carry him. O'Quinn is absolutely amazing, so is Andrews and they both deserve a nomination. Emerson, is a difficult one, he does play Ben perfectly well, but Ben has sort of become a one note character, so, I don't know. I'm bored with the character, but I'm not sure that's the actor's fault.
Posted by: Pirulin | May 17, 2009 at 01:48 AM
Why refer to actors as "Lilly" "O'Quinn" "Mitchell" and "Fox" but to Naveen Andrews as "Naveen?" Do writers not realize that "Naveen" is his first, not his last name? What ignorance.
Posted by: Molly | May 16, 2009 at 06:17 AM
Elizabeth Mitchell definitley deserves a nod this year. She was absolutely fantastic this season, especially in the season finale.
Also, Josh Holloway needs to be seriously considered. He was just on fire this season.
I believe Michael Emerson should win this year. I watch alot of televison, and I still haven't seen no real competition. So here's hoping he finally wins this year.
Posted by: Josh | May 15, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Elizabeth Mitchell should get a nod just for the heart-wrenching final scene in the *SPOILERSPOILERSPOILER*bottom of the Swan Station chute*SPOILERSPOILERSPOILER*.
She plays Juliet with such an enhanced subtlety that she almost makes it look easy.
Josh Holloway definitely also took on a challenging role this season as the Sawyer who is conflicted between upholding his good standing in the DHARMA Initiative and helping his friends. Phenomenal work on his part.
I'll venture to say that none of the Oceanic Six will get nods. While all did very well with their parts, there was nothing that knocked me off my feet, although Naveen Andrew's scene in which he attempts to kill a young Benjamin Linus is full of much emotional depth.
OH! How could I forget? Sterling Beaumon for his portrayal of young Ben Linus! That kid acted the hell out of his 3 or 4 episodes, He matched exactly how a young Ben Linus would act, all mousy yet in his heart struggling between a sinister and a pitiful side. He deserves a Guest Emmy nod, although it seems that category is unfortunately often reserved for big-name actors who make ratings-magnet cameos that don't really amount to much other than a publicity stunt.
Posted by: Hans | May 15, 2009 at 01:28 AM