'Orange Is the New Black' Season 3 Cast: How Emmy Drama Ruling May Help Taylor Schilling, Lorraine Toussaint & More [VIDEO]
While some see the Emmy ruling that Netflix's Orange Is the New Black is drama series as a bad thing, it may actually benefit some of the show's more dramatic actresses.
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The Television Academy announced Friday that Orange Is the New Black will have to compete as a drama series at the 2015 Emmys after voting to deny its petition to stay in the Comedy categories. This is a switch from last year where they received 12 nominations in multiple Comedy categories, including Best Comedy Series.
Despite the genre change, the ruling may benefit the series and some of the show's actors in the long run.
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Star Taylor Schilling (who plays Piper Chapman) has never been the most comedic actress on the show; in fact, she often has the most dramatic arc. Therefore, she may be benefited from having to compete in Lead Actress in a Drama Series. The season 2 premiere Thirsty Bird is a very dramatic showcase for Schilling and she could potentially win the category whereas she likely wouldn't if she were in Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
Similarly, season 2 standout Lorraine Toussaint's (Vee) odds just increased with the genre change. Her portrayal of Vee was never comedic in nature, with the villainous character actually providing some of the show's darkest moments in its history. The veteran actress may now have a good shot of being nominated for and winning Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Kate Mulgrew (Red) toes the line between comedy and drama quite frequently on the show, but Emmy voters may be more willing to reward her in Drama due to the gravitas of her character.
One actress who may not be affected either way is Uzo Aduba (Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren). She has unquestionably become the show's breakout star and the industry clearly loves her. The Emmys gave her the award for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series last year and she won the SAG Award for Female Comedy Actor, beating out the stars of several shows.
While Aduba's portrayal as Suzanne is often pure comedy, season 2 was a more dramatic season for her as she gradually fell under Vee's spell. Even with Toussaint and Mulgrew potentially in her category, Aduba may still win due to popularity and the nuances of her performance.
Additionally, Orange Is the New Black will likely be nominated for Best Drama Series where it may compete against the likes of Netflix's House of Cards, HBO's Game of Thrones, AMC's Mad Men and PBS's Downton Abbey. However, the popularity of the show is undeniable and Emmy voters may find it easier to give the show this award rather than Best Comedy Series, which tends to reward more broad humor.
The 2015 Emmy nominations will be announced Thursday, July 16.
