Emmys showdown: All 13 times Comedy Actress costars faced off [PHOTOS]
Since 1967, the Best Comedy Actress Primetime Emmy category has seen 13 direct costar showdowns involving seven different combinations of female leads. While this list is four entries longer than the corresponding male roster, the category still falls significantly behind the other 10 lead or supporting ones, all of which boast cast mate battle totals of at least 20. Scroll through our chronological photo gallery to learn more about the 13 cases of dual or triple nominations in the Best Comedy Actress category.
Unlike the Best Comedy Actor list, this female one includes more than just pairs of clashing costars. After “The Golden Girls” actresses Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Betty White blazed a trail in 1986 as the first trio of performers to receive same-year nominations for a single continuing series (and repeated the feat three more times), they were emulated by “Desperate Housewives” stars Marcia Cross, Teri Hatcher, and Felicity Huffman in 2005. This remained the only comedy or drama lead category in which a showdown of this kind had occurred until half of 2023’s Best Drama Actor slots were claimed by “Succession” trio Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, and Jeremy Strong.
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Seven of these 13 instances have resulted in wins for one of the actresses in question, including one each for White, McClanahan, and Arthur (1986-1988) as well as Huffman. The first is attributed to Cathryn Damon (“Soap,” 1980; over Katherine Helmond), with the second two belonging to Jane Curtin (“Kate & Allie,” 1984-1985; over Susan Saint James).
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Launch Gallery: Emmys: Costars competing for Best Comedy Actress
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