Since the 6th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 1954, the category for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series has been a sought-after trophy for drama television series. This year’s probable Outstanding Drama Series nominations include shows like Euphoria, Yellowstone, This Is Us, and Severance.

Some of this year’s possible nominees include repeat winners like Zendaya and Jodie Comer, with Comer about to possibly be nominated a third time for her performance as Villanelle in Killing Eve. Mandy Moore is also likely to be nominated again for her portrayal of Rebecca Pearson in the NBC hit show, This Is Us, which just finished its last season. Like Moore, Laura Linney from the Netflix original series Ozark is also predicted to get her third nomination, thanks to her performance in the show’s final season.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Though the actress has not been nominated for an Emmy before, per The Hollywood Reporter, fans and critics alike are hoping Melanie Lynskey from Yellowjackets gets at least a nomination. According to Variety, the official Emmy nominations for the 2022 season will be announced on July 12. Until then, here are our predictions for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Zendaya — Euphoria

     Warner Bros. Television Distribution

If Zendaya’s performance in season 2, episode 5 of HBO Max’s Euphoria doesn’t win her an Emmy (again), then they need a new judging panel. Throughout the whole series, Zendaya has portrayed Rue, a drug addict who goes in and out of sober periods, with unflinching honesty. In season two, it’s revealed Rue is back on drugs and has joined forces with a dealer who sells Zendaya a suitcase full of drugs — one that she ends up using for herself. In episode five, she reaches her breaking point, destroying her life and the lives of those around her.

Laura Linney — Ozark

     Netflix

Laura Linney has been a force compelling Netflix’s Ozark throughout its four seasons. Linney plays Wendy Byrde, the wife to Jason Bateman’s Marty Byrde and the criminal mastermind behind the family’s idea to launder money for the drug lord. As the show progresses, it’s Linney’s character who gets the family more involved in the cartel, even going behind her husband’s back to do so.

Mandy Moore – This is Us

     20th Television

Mandy Moore’s portrayal of Rebecca Pearson in This is Us has viewers wishing the actress was their own mother. True to the show’s main plot, Moore is able to play Rebecca in both the past and the present time, giving fans the full spectrum of her acting abilities. During the show’s final season, Moore battled Alzheimer’s and an iconic “train ride” that lead to a happy ending in the last episode.

Melanie Lynskey — Yellowjackets

     Showtime

Prior to starring in Yellowjackets, Melanie Lynskey has not previously been nominated for an Emmy, a feat many fans hope to see change with this year. In the hit Showtime show, Lynskey plays the adult Shauna Sadecki, who is now married to her high school best friend’s boyfriend, Jeff, with whom she had a baby right before the plane crash. Their daughter, now a teenager, has a rocky relationship with her mother, one that is threatened even more when she finds out about her mother’s affair.

Juliette Lewis – Yellowjackets

Yellowjacket’s Juliette Lewis may also find herself earning at least a nomination for her portrayal of Natalie on the show. Natalie has been in and out of rehab since her time on the island. She is no stranger to the hard life, though, after a tough childhood and a plane crash that left a group of teenagers stranded for 19 months. Her hard life has certainly set her up to battle the mystery that seemed to have followed them from the plane crash.

Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show

     Hello Sunshine

The Morning Show brought two powerhouse actresses together as news anchors. Both Reese Whitherspoon and Jennifer Aniston co-host The Morning Show, a breakfast news program from Manhattan. Season one followed Aniston’s character, Alex Levy, as she is pushed with a new field reporter as her co-host. The second season brings in the COVID-19 pandemic into the characters’ lives. The show was recently announced to have a third season after a positive reception to the second.

Nicole Kidman – Nine Perfect Strangers

     Endeavor Content

Nicole Kidman and author Liane Moriarty once again teamed up when Kidman starred in Hulu’s adaptation of Moriarty’s book, Nine Perfect Strangers. Kidman’s character, Masha Dmitrichenko, is a healer who works at a health and wellness resort. Nine strangers attend the resort in the hopes of having their lives “fixed” by Masha. Among many star actors and actresses, its no surprise that Kidman will most likely beat out her castmates for an Emmy nomination.

Jodie Comer – Killing Eve

     BBC America

Killing Eve is a British spy thriller produced by the BBC. Since 2018, the show’s popularity has garnered quite the following. While seasons one and two were the most popular, fans have stuck around through the most recent (and final) fourth season. Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh star as the two leads of the show. Comer herself has already won an award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama series and would love to add a second one to her shelf.

Kelly Reilly – Yellowstone

     Paramount Network 

Yellowstone is a show with many great male actors. However, it is actress Kelly Reilly who often steals the attention from viewers. Reilly plays Beth Dutton, daughter of Kevin Costner’s John Dutton, a ranch owner who stops at nothing to protect their land. Reilly’s performance is commanding and well worth at least an Emmy nomination.