Julianne Nicholson calls it “greedy, but delightful” to chase two trophies at the 77th Emmy Awards, where she is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Hulu’s Paradise and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for Max’s Hacks. The Television Academy confirms she is the first performer since 2014 to land that exact drama-comedy pairing in a single year.
In Paradise, Nicholson plays Samantha “Sinatra” Redmond, a tech billionaire running a clandestine mountain bunker after a global catastrophe. The political thriller bowed on January 26 and earned four total nominations, including Best Drama Series and nods for co-stars Sterling K. Brown and James Marsden. Hulu ordered a second season in April, signaling confidence after the show’s streaming debut cracked Nielsen’s top-ten originals for two consecutive weeks.
Nicholson’s comic detour on Hacks arrived in a single episode titled “A Slippery Slope,” where she portrays Dance Mom, a TikTok-addled reality star who insists someone “blow cocaine up my butt.” She admits the part demanded “super-raunchy prep” and help from choreographers to nail an unhinged strip-club routine. Her unexpected turn has since gone viral on social media and refreshed interest in the series as Max preps a fourth season.
Industry watchers praise the range that lets Nicholson shift from bunker intrigue to slapstick debauchery. Decider’s nomination roundup placed Paradise among the year’s “pleasant surprises,” while noting the comedy field remains crowded with returning heavyweights such as Only Murders in the Building star Meryl Streep.
LGBTQ+ outlet Them highlighted her dual nods as evidence the academy is rewarding actors who cross genre lines with ease. Meanwhile, an internal records memo lists Nicholson alongside legends who have collected at least three career nominations and one win—she claimed her first Emmy in 2021 for Mare of Easttown.
Asked how she will navigate two red-carpet walks in one night, the London-based actor laughed: “My family barely noticed the first interview—now they’ll have to pick a side.” Odds trackers at GoldDerby place her third in the drama race and second in guest comedy, setting up a suspenseful September 14 ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
