2024 Emmys: Michaela Coel (‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’) surprises to win Best Drama Guest Actress
Defying the odds at Sunday’s Creative Arts Emmys, Michaela Coel (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith”) ended up winning the Best Drama Guest Actress race for the Prime Video spy thriller. Many awards pundits thought that Claire Foy (“The Crown”) might prevail, especially considering she had already won this same guest actress category in 2021 as well as the lead actress race in 2018. For this 2024 contest, the two nominees faced off against Marcia Gay Harden (“The Morning Show”), Sarah Paulson (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith”) and Parker Posey (“Mr. and Mrs. Smith”).
Coel submitted the episode “Infidelity” in which she plays Bev, a secret spy who tries to infiltrate the marriage between John (Donald Glover) and Jane (Maya Erskine). This marks Coel’s second career Emmy victory after previously prevailing for writing her HBO limited series “I May Destroy You” (2021).
In all, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” received 16 Emmy nominations and won two at the Creative Arts on September 8: Best Drama Guest Actress and Best Drama Stunt Coordination. The main Primetime Emmys broadcast will air on ABC on Sunday, September 15, so stay tuned to see if the show can win any of its other bids for Best Drama Series, Best Drama Actor (Glover), Best Drama Actress (Erskine), Best Drama Directing (Hiro Murai) and Best Drama Writing (Francesca Sloane and Glover).
SEE 2024 Creative Arts Emmys: Complete list of wins
Here’s a closer look at all five of the nominees’ submitted episodes:
Michaela Coel as Bev on “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”
Episode: “Infidelity”
Ballot description: Bev receives a visit from Jane Smith who pulls a silencer on her, demanding answers about Bev’s relationship with John. After a brutally honest discussion, John shows up. Jane suddenly becomes an unstoppable killing machine. She straps an electric garrote around John’s neck, fights with Jane, and makes her escape.
Claire Foy as Queen Elizabeth II on”The Crown”
Episode: “Sleep, Dearie Sleep”
Ballot description: Claire Foy reprises her role as young Queen Elizabeth, as she speaks with Queen Elizabeth in the early 2000s, reminding her of her duty to the crown, representing the passion she once felt when she was first made Queen.
Marcia Gay Harden as Maggie Brener on “The Morning Show”
Episode: “Update Your Priors”
Ballot description: Maggie Brenner is the author of a ruthless exposé on UBA’s “toxic” environment, which includes details threatening to Alex’s reputation.
Sarah Paulson as Therapist on “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”
Episode: “Couples Therapy (Naked & Afraid)”
Ballot description: The therapist, who works from her palatial and well-appointed home, begins treating the Smiths. Married with a young son, the therapist is confounded by the Smiths who argue over their jobs as “software engineers.” At month’s end, she hands them a copy of their therapy recordings, unknowingly at her peril.
Parker Posey as Other Jane on “Mr. & Mrs. Smith”
Episode: “Double Date”
Ballot description: Other Jane and Other John arrive at the Smiths’ house for dinner. The two Janes bond during a house tour. Other Jane even pries into their sex life. Later, the Other Smiths depart for a super high-risk mission, and invite the Smiths to tag along, but abandon their own mission.
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