Kristen Wiig will crack double digits at Emmys with ‘Palm Royale’ nomination
“Palm Royale” boasts an all-star cast including Oscar champs Laura Dern and Allison Janney and Emmy legend Carol Burnett. But while all three of those veterans are in typically exquisite form, it is Kristen Wiig who carries this Apple TV+ comedy series on her shoulders.
Abe Sylvia adapted Juliet McDaniel‘s bestseller “Mr. and Mrs. American Pie” about the battle between social climber Maxine Dellacorte-Simmon (Kristen Wiig) and doyenne Evelyn Rollins (Janney) in 1969 Palm Beach. Wiig delivers a tour de force. She sows in touches of humanity and vulnerability that make her character one of the watchable in any comedy series this year — as pointed out by many critics.
Richard Roeper (Chicago Sun-Times) observed: “Wiig delivers a virtuoso performance in a role that calls for physical shtick, near-manic mood swings, a song or two, a dance or two and a bounty of perfectly delivered line readings. Wiig can put a spin on a few words of dialogue with the best of ‘em, and she’s a master at playing characters who are sometimes painfully unaware of how they’re perceived.”
Tania Hussain (Collider) explained: “Wiig, lights up each scene. The ‘Saturday Night Live’ alum’s outstanding display of comedy prowess gives the show its best moments as she commits to Maxine in the most full-bodied way possible. Through distinct quirks and mannerisms, Wiig seamlessly develops new vocal and facial attributes to make Maxine feel as real and relatable as possible. Amid slapstick comedy, she gives Maxine immense heart that’s rooted in a lack of social awareness, making her endearing and an absolute delight to watch.”
Coleman Spilde (The Daily Beast) declared: “A bewitching performance by Wiig ties the whole affair together in one big discount store bow… Wiig is excellent at balancing Maxine’s tenacity with her persistent anxiety, grabbing the morning issue of the Shiny Sheet like it’s a judge’s verdict and she’s on trial in the court of public opinion… Wiig is so skilled that she holds the frame and makes something funny even when there’s nothing overtly comical happening. No one can inhabit a character like Wiig—especially one as subtly layered as Maxine—and ‘Palm Royale’ is a testament to just how far her singular physicality and timing can take a series.”
We are predicting that Wiig will be nominated for Best Comedy Actress alongside Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”), Jean Smart (“Hacks”), Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”), and Selena Gomez (“Only Murders in the Building”).
It’s no surprise that Wiig is a hot contender for another Emmy bid this year — she has racked up a whopping nine nominations to date. She contended for Best Comedy Supporting Actress for “Saturday Night Live” in 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012. Also in 2012, she was recognized for Best Voice-Over Performance for “The Looney Tunes Show: Double Date.” She then picked up three more bids for hosting “Saturday Night Live” in 2013, 2017, and 2021. She was also nominated for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress for “The Spoils of Babylon” in 2014.
Going from “SNL” to other comedic projects is a great way to land Emmy nominations, too, as plenty of “SNL” alums have been nominated for later projects in this category. Recent such examples include Aidy Bryant (“Shrill”), Julia Louis-Dreyfuss (“Veep”), Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation”), Melissa McCarthy (“Mike & Molly”), and Tina Fey (“30 Rock”). Wiig fits right into this list.
Plus, we already know that Wiig is liked in this role by another awards groups. She is reaped a bid at the inaugural Gotham TV Awards on June 4. That’s a great sign for the Emmys.
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