Emmy nominee profile: Double nominee Sydney Sweeney attracts attention in ‘Euphoria’
When the 2022 Emmy nominations were announced, Sydney Sweeney joined an elite group of 24 individuals who each earned their first two TV academy acting bids in the same year. As a “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus” cast member, she is respectively in the running for both the Best Drama Supporting Actress and Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actress prizes. Triumphing in at least one category would make her only the fourth doubly-nominated female first-timer to pull off a win, after Eileen Brennan (1981: won for “Private Benjamin”; lost for “Taxi”), Jane Lynch (2010: won for “Glee”; lost for “Two and a Half Men”) and Ann Dowd (2017: won for “The Handmaid’s Tale”; lost for “The Leftovers”).
Sweeney’s “Euphoria” episode submission, “Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys,” aired in January as the third installment of the HBO show’s second season. Her character, high schooler Cassie Howard, spends the episode desperately trying to attract the public attention of Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi), with whom she has been involved in a weeks-long tryst. As she works to keep their relationship a secret from her friend and Nate’s former lover, Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie), Nate shows little interest in committing to her and instead turns his attention back toward his ex.
The other three actors nominated for “Euphoria” this year are series lead (and 2020 Best Drama Actress winner) Zendaya and guest performers Colman Domingo and Martha Kelly. Sweeney’s own TV resume dates back to 2009, when she appeared in a small role on an episode of NBC’s “Heroes.” She has since made guest appearances on “Criminal Minds,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Pretty Little Liars” and recurred on such popular series as “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Sharp Objects.”
The 74th Emmys ceremony will coincide with Sweeney’s 25th birthday. She already ranks as the ninth youngest Best Drama Supporting Actress nominee ever and could soon become the category’s fourth youngest winner, after Kristy McNichol (15 and 16, “Family,” 1977 and 1979), Barbara Anderson (22, “Ironside,” 1968) and Susan Saint James (22, “The Name of the Game,” 1969). A Best Movie/Limited Supporting Actress victory would make her that category’s fifth youngest champion, behind Roxana Zal (14, “Something About Amelia,” 1984), Jenny Agutter (19, “The Snow Goose,” 1972), Mare Winningham (21, “Amber Waves,” 1980) and Tammy Blanchard (24, “Life with Judy Garland,” 2001).
Including Sweeney, most of the 2022 Best Drama Supporting Actress nominees are new to the category, with the only returning contenders being Sarah Snook (“Succession”) and back-to-back winner Julia Garner (“Ozark,” 2019-2020). The five other featured first-timers are Patricia Arquette (“Severance”), Jung Ho-yeon (“Squid Game”), Christina Ricci (“Yellowjackets”), Rhea Seehorn (“Better Call Saul”) and J. Smith-Cameron (“Succession”). Sweeney is one of four dual nominees in this group, as Arquette has also earned a notice as one of her show’s producers and Garner and Seehorn have simultaneously been recognized for their respective performances in “Inventing Anna” (Best Movie/Limited Actress) and “Cooper’s Bar” (Best Short Form Actress).
This article is part of Gold Derby’s “Emmy nominee profile” series spotlighting the 2022 acting contenders.
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