Linda Cardellini

Hot o‚ her irst Emmy nom for her role of Judy on Net lix’s dark buddy comedy, Cardellini may attract Globes attention for the irst time. She truly shined in the second season, from engaging in playful banter with her on-screen BFF Jen (Christina Applegate), to grieving the loss of her toxic ex (James Marsden), falling for someone new (Natalie Morales) and inally learning to stand up for herself. On paper, Judy was often a character you’d want to shake, but Cardellini made her someone you want to hug.

Collins has been lauded by the HFPA on the ilm side of the ballot (in 2017, for “Rules Don’t Apply”) so she is clearly someone they have had their eye on for a little while. That, coupled with the social media frenzy her new Net lix series caused during the fourth quarter of 2020, may just see her earning her irstever small-screen accolade. Her titular Emily inspired muchneeded fantasy for the audience, as they probably imagined being in her shoes, young and full of promise in Paris.

Despite starring on “The Big Bang Theory” for a dozen years, Cuoco has never been nominated for a major comedy award. Ironically it is her adaptation of Chris Bohjalian’s dark novel that may change that. As Cassie, the titular light attendant, Cuoco charmingly stumbled through an amateur investigation into who killed her one-night stand, but she also dug deeper, emotionally, to explore childhood trauma and alcoholism. And Cuoco made her someone you would root for, not pity..