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The Ultimate List: 6 Must-See Emmy-Nominated Performances For Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series (2025)

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The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series is one of the most unpredictable and exciting categories, honoring a single, exceptional performance that elevates a show without the benefit of a season-long arc. As of the most recent ceremony, the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2025, this category delivered a competitive field of Hollywood heavyweights and breakout stars, showcasing the depth of talent currently gracing the small screen. The winner, announced at the Creative Arts Emmys, represented a standout moment in one of the year’s most acclaimed comedies.

This article dives deep into the 2025 Emmy race, celebrating the winner and analyzing the incredible, scene-stealing work from every nominated actress. From chaotic family matriarchs to fake influencers and celebrity cameos, the competition was fierce, proving that sometimes, the briefest appearances leave the biggest impact.

The 2025 Winner and The Full Roster of Nominees

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards celebrated television excellence for the 2024 season. The competition for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series was particularly notable for its high concentration of nominees from just a few critically adored shows: *The Bear* and *Hacks*.

The 2025 Emmy Winner for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series is Julianne Nicholson for her work on the Max comedy *Hacks*.

Julianne Nicholson: The Unconventional Winner (Hacks)

Julianne Nicholson’s win for her role in *Hacks* was a surprise to many, especially given the star power of the competition. However, her performance was a masterclass in modern satire.

  • Show: *Hacks* (Max)
  • Character: "Dance Mom" (an unnamed, fake influencer)
  • Performance Highlight: Nicholson played a bizarre, unsettlingly cheerful "Dance Mom" who was actually an aspiring influencer using her daughter for content. Her brief, yet deeply strange and memorable appearance perfectly captured the show's dark humor about the perils of modern fame and internet culture. This win marks a significant career highlight for Nicholson, adding to her previous Emmy success in the drama category.

Nicholson’s victory underscored the Emmy voters' appreciation for performances that are both hilarious and deeply specific, rewarding a character that was essentially a commentary on the influencer economy. She was nominated alongside a stellar list of contenders, many of whom delivered career-defining guest spots.

The Powerhouse Nominees: Scene-Stealers of the 2024 Season

The 2025 nominations were dominated by three major series: *The Bear*, *Hacks*, and *Poker Face*, creating a tight race that highlighted the incredible caliber of guest acting.

1. The Bear's Star-Studded Guest Spots

FX’s *The Bear* continued its Emmy dominance, securing multiple nominations in the guest categories. The show’s ability to attract—and utilize—A-list talent for brief, impactful roles is a testament to its critical acclaim and cultural relevance.

Olivia Colman as Chef Terry

Olivia Colman, an Oscar and Emmy winner, was nominated for her subtle yet profound role in the show's second season.

  • Show: *The Bear* (FX)
  • Character: Chef Terry
  • Performance Highlight: Colman’s performance as the world-class, understated chef who offers Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) a moment of quiet mentorship was a powerful, emotional anchor. Her brief screen time was packed with warmth and wisdom, showcasing her ability to ground a chaotic series with a single, memorable scene. Her nomination was for the episode "Forks."

Jamie Lee Curtis as Donna Berzatto

Jamie Lee Curtis received her second consecutive nomination in this category for the same role, a testament to the character’s enduring impact.

  • Show: *The Bear* (FX)
  • Character: Donna Berzatto
  • Performance Highlight: Curtis’s portrayal of the deeply troubled, volatile, but loving Berzatto family matriarch in the flashback episode "Fishes" (and subsequent appearances) is widely regarded as one of the most intense and heartbreaking guest performances in recent memory. She had previously won the 2024 Emmy (76th ceremony) for this role, making her a formidable contender again for a different episode submission in 2025.

Zoë Kravitz in The Studio

Zoë Kravitz’s nomination was for a different kind of guest spot—one where she played a fictionalized version of herself.

  • Show: *The Studio* (Apple TV+)
  • Character: Herself
  • Performance Highlight: Kravitz’s turn in *The Studio* was part of a meta-comedy that satirized Hollywood and the creative process. Playing "Herself" allows for a unique blend of self-awareness and comedic timing, highlighting the growing trend of celebrity cameos that blur the line between performance and reality.

2. The Mystery and Mayhem of the Other Nominees

The remaining nominees brought variety, from a dual-role mystery to another brilliant, scene-stealing character from the *Hacks* universe. These performances demonstrated the range required to stand out in a guest role.

Cynthia Erivo in Poker Face

Cynthia Erivo, already a Grammy and Tony winner, earned her nomination for a complex, dual-character role in the anthology mystery series *Poker Face*.

  • Show: *Poker Face* (Peacock)
  • Characters: Amber Kazinsky and Bebe Kazinsky
  • Performance Highlight: Erivo’s nomination was for the season premiere episode "The Game Is a Foot," where she played identical twin sisters, Amber and Bebe, with distinct personalities and motives. The ability to convincingly portray two different characters in a single episode is a significant acting challenge, and Erivo’s work was a standout example of versatility and precision.

Robby Hoffman as Randi (Hacks)

The competition was so tight that *Hacks* managed to secure a second nomination in the same category, underscoring the strength of its supporting cast.

  • Show: *Hacks* (Max)
  • Character: Randi
  • Performance Highlight: Robby Hoffman played Randi, the unapologetically confident yet hilariously inept assistant to the talent agents Jimmy and Kayla. Her deadpan delivery and commitment to the character's unique brand of unprofessionalism made her a fan favorite and a breakout star of the season. Her performance perfectly embodied the show's sharp, cringe-comedy style.

The Legacy of the Emmy Guest Actress Award

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series has a rich history, formally existing since 1989, though a non-gender-specific "Guest Performer" category existed prior to that. The award is designed to recognize performances that add significant color and depth to a series without being a regular cast member, often requiring the actress to make an immediate, lasting impression.

Topical Authority and Key Entities

The 2025 race solidified several key trends in the television landscape:

  • The *Hacks* / *The Bear* Rivalry: The two shows have become perennial Emmy contenders, consistently generating nominations across major categories. Their dominance in the guest fields highlights their appeal to top-tier talent and their reputation for sharp writing.
  • The Power of the Single Episode: Performances like Julianne Nicholson's "Dance Mom" and Olivia Colman's Chef Terry demonstrate that a guest appearance, often lasting less than ten minutes of screen time, can be as impactful as a full season's work, earning the highest industry honor.
  • The "Drama" in Comedy: The nominations for Jamie Lee Curtis and Olivia Colman, whose performances in *The Bear* are often dramatic despite the show being classified as a comedy, highlight the blurred lines of modern "dramedy" series. The emotional weight of Donna Berzatto's character, in particular, is a masterclass in guest acting.

While no actress has yet achieved three wins in this specific category, the competition for the title of "Most Emmy Wins" remains a fascinating subplot. The category's drama counterpart, Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, has seen several two-time winners, including Patricia Clarkson and Margo Martindale. Julianne Nicholson, with her latest win, is now part of the prestigious group of single-win recipients, cementing her place in television history.

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards once again proved that the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series category is a showcase for the industry’s most talented and versatile performers. Julianne Nicholson’s win for the brilliantly unsettling "Dance Mom" character is a perfect example of a nuanced, unexpected performance triumphing over star power, setting a high bar for future contenders.

The Ultimate List: 6 Must-See Emmy-Nominated Performances for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (2025)
emmy outstanding guest actress in a comedy series
emmy outstanding guest actress in a comedy series

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