Colman portrayed Queen Elizabeth II in the third and fourth seasons of the Netflix drama series. She was in competition with Uzo Abuda (“In Treatment”), Mj Rodriguez (“Pose”), Emma Corrin (“The Crown”), Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) and Jurnee Smollett (“Lovecraft Country”) for the Emmy. Colman was previously nominated for three Emmys, including the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work on “The Crown” in 2020. Per Netflix, Season 4 of the drama series centers on Queen Elizabeth and her family as they aim to safeguard the line of succession by securing an appropriate bride for Prince Charles. As the nation begins to feel the impact of divisive policies introduced by Britain’s first female Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (Gillian Anderson), tensions arise between her and the Queen which only grow worse as Thatcher leads the country into the Falklands War, generating conflict within the Commonwealth.
Colman’s work on “The Crown” has received widespread acclaim and the actress has appeared in a variety of other high-profile projects in recent years. Colman appeared in recent films such as “The Father” and “The Favourite,” as well as acclaimed series such as “Fleabag” and “Les Misérables.” “The Crown” Season 4 received strong praise from critics. Ann Donahue lauded Colman’s performance in her grade A review of the show’s fourth season for IndieWire in November 2020 and noted that she was allowed to flex her talents throughout the season. “Instead of the world being seen through others’ eyes and leaving Olivia Colman on the margins to react — as she was left to do in Season 3 — Colman is now allowed to own the monarch’s authority in her performance. And with foils like Anderson and [Emma] Corrin, all three turn in very brittle and beautiful performances.” Follow IndieWire on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest Emmys news, including live updates, as the virtual awards ceremony airs throughout the rest of Sunday night. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
