Angela Lansbury has lost a record 18 races for acting at the Emmy Awards. But the TV academy has a chance to finally right that egregious wrong this year. In the recent TV adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott classic “Little Women,” Dame Angela shone in the scene-stealing role of Aunt March, the grande dame of the family. Acclaimed character actresses Edna May Oliver, Lucile Watson and Mary Wickes made much of this role in the 1933, 1949 and 1994 film versions as did Oscar winner Greer Garson (“Mrs. Miniver”) in the 1978 telefilm.
The pedigree of this remake of “Little Women” could done much to help Lansbury’s likelihood of winning. It is a BBC/PBS co-production and was presented stateside under the “Masterpiece” umbrella. The adaptation is by Heidi Thomas (“Call The Midwife”) while Vanessa Caswill (Thirteen”) handles the helming.
Lansbury lost every one of her record 12 consecutive Drama Actress bids for “Murder, She Wrote” beginning in 1986. Most recently, she contended for her 2005 guest role on the crime drama “Law & Order: SVU.” She also was nominated twice for hosting the Tonys (1987, 1990) and twice more in the movie/mini races, which is where she would be eligible for “Little Women.” She lost her 1983 lead bid for “Little Gloria … Happy at Last” and her 2004 supporting one for “The Blackwater Lightship.” That latter category is where she contends for “Little Women.”
According to our official odds, she is in fourth place behind reigning champ Laura Dern (“Twin Peaks”), Penelope Cruz (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”) and Nicole Kidman (“Top of the Lake: China Girl”). Two Experts – Gold Derby founder Tom O’Neil and TV Guide scribe Matt Roush — are predicting that she will finally prevail.
What do you think?
Be sure to make your Emmy predictions today so that Hollywood insiders can see how their TV shows and performers are faring in our odds. You can keep changing your predictions as often as you like until just before nominees are announced on July 12. And join in the fun debate over the 2018 Emmys taking place right now with Hollywood insiders in our television forums. Read more Gold Derby entertainment news.
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Happened upon this by accident. Altho I LOVE film, who cares about all this hype? Angela Lansbury should have stayed in the U.K. or Ireland. The only really great thing she did in the us was Sweeney Todd. Don’t people have better uses for their time? Really.