Emmys 2019: With 4 nominations, Phoebe Waller-Bridge could win her first this time
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, quite simply, is having a really good year. 'Fleabag' created and written by Waller-Bridge, had its second season aired this year and it received wide acclaim. 'Killing Eve', which Waller-Bridge helped create and was the head writer for, did very well among viewers as well. Then there is the upcoming 'James Bond' movie, 'No Time To Die', for which she did a script polish to add more humor and to make the characters more believable.
The success of her shows has been reflected during awards season, and for the 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards, the show has been nominated six times; and for the 2019 Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, the show received five nominations. Phoebe Waller-Bridge stands to win Outstanding Lead Actress and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series individually and also, an Outstanding Comedy Series Award for the show itself. Her other show - a stark contrast to 'Fleabag' - 'Killing Eve', has also been nominated for multiple awards at the 2019 Emmys. Emerald Fennell took over as the head writer for the second season and has been nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, for which Phoebe Waller-Bridge was nominated last year. 'Killing Eve' has been nominated for Outstanding Drama Series this year.
The first season of Fleabag did well, but the second season simply raised the bar - how is that possible for a show that's already been rated 100% on Rotten Tomatoes for its first season? The show did so well that many even dared to call it "perfect" television. The titular character was doing better this time around but still learning to deal with other people and life in Season 2. Then came along "The Priest", played by Andrew Scott -- or as he is known online, the "Hot Priest", who upended not just Fleabag's life, but also the viewers' hearts. Waller-Bridge managed to create characters that evoked deep emotions, be they negative or positive. They were believable and flawed human beings trying to get on with their lives and many found themselves in varying aspects of the show. In the Outstanding Comedy Series category, 'Fleabag' is up against bigwigs, including last year's winner 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel', and the show could win the award this year.
And while Waller-Bridge is the second favorite to win the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series behind Julia Louis-Dreyfus for 'Veep', it is her nomination for Outstanding Writing that could be a sure win. The episode that she has been nominated for is the Season 2 premiere, featuring the family dinner from hell - the episode was so popular that the jumpsuit Fleabag wears in the opener sold out in the months after its airing. The episode cemented that Waller-Bridge was delivering something phenomenal.
Like 'Fleabag', 'Killing Eve' also rose in popularity during its second season, receiving praise for the performances of its actors Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh. For 'Killing Eve', Phoebe Waller-Bridge stands to win with the rest of the makers of the show the award for Outstanding Drama Series. For this category, 'Killing Eve' is up against heavyweights such as 'Bodyguard' and 'Game of Thrones.'
If both 'Fleabag' and 'Killing Eve' manage to win Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Drama Series respectively, Waller-Bridge could create history by becoming only the second person and first woman producer to win the awards for both categories the same year. The last and only time this happened was when David E. Kelley won both awards for 'Ally McBeal' and 'The Practice' in 1997.
With 22 nominations across 'Killing Eve' and 'Fleabag', it is possible that Waller-Bridge is already a winner. Whether that would be made official with her first Emmy Award is something we will have to wait to see.
The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards is scheduled to air on September 22.