David Oyelowo (‘Lawmen: Bass Reeves’) will capture an Emmy nomination
“Lawmen: Bass Reeves” is a hugely popular show with fans flocking to watch the Paramount+ limited series, which tells the story of Bass Reeves, the first Black US Marshal west of the Mississippi River. David Oyelowo portrays this federal peace officer based in Fort Smith, Arkansas, who caught over 3,000 criminals without ever taking a wound himself.
The show, created by Chad Feehan and executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, is an intelligent, thoughtful exploration of the life of one of American history’s most unsung heroes. The series is taken to new levels by the expertise of Oyelowo, as noted by many critics.
Clint Worthington (Roger Ebert) observed: “Oyelowo infuses him with a kind of stoic cool, a determined countenance hiding under a soup-catcher mustache, ‘Shaft’ by way of ‘Gunsmoke.’ He’s as quick with a bone-dry witticism as he is with a gun, but he’s no quipster; Reeves carries himself with the weight of his people’s history, not to mention his own. “
Zaki Hasan (The Wrap) proclaimed: “Comfortably holding the entire proceedings together is the always magnetic Oyelowo (who is also an executive producer on this project). His Reeves suffered several lifetimes worth of indignities, yet he never loses a firm grip on his moral compass. The ‘Selma’ and ‘Queen of Katwe’ actor portrays the character with a tightly modulated balance of ever-present empathy and barely-restrained rage. It’s a potent, volatile mix making it virtually impossible to look away whenever he’s on screen.”
Carly Lane (Collider) explained: “Oyelowo’s performance in the show’s initial hour is self-effacing, compliant, and when offered the chance to be set free from his existence as an enslaved man, hopefully vulnerable. The range of emotions that filter across his face in a pivotal moment early in the series captures this to heartwrenching effect… Oyelowo himself is a strong anchor for the series, and ‘Bass Reeves’ wouldn’t work half as well as it does without his presence over everything else.”
Our current predicted nominees for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor are Jon Hamm (“Fargo”), Andrew Scott (“Ripley”), Tom Hollander (“Feud: Capote vs the Swans”), Richard Gadd (“Baby Reindeer”), Matt Bomer (“Fellow Travelers”), and Tony Shalhoub (“Mr. Monk’s Last Case”). Oyelowo is right on the precipice of breaking into this lineup and he already has shown extensive awards prowess for this role.
He’s been nominated for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor at the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Awards, AND the SAG Awards. Voters clearly love Oyelowo in this role as Reeves and few other contenders in this category can boast that kind of support from such major organizations.
Plus, Oyelowo has already been nominated for two Emmys, so we know TV academy members like him. He contended for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor and Best TV Movie in 2015 in for “Nightingale.” The fact that his acting nomination came in the category he is hoping to be recognized in this year is also a great sign — Emmy voters like him, yes, but they also like him specifically in this category. That’s important.
The role of Reeves itself is also one that will appeal to Emmy voters. Portraying a real person is a sure-fire way to land a nomination in this category. Just ask the likes of Michael Shannon (“George & Tammy”), Daniel Radcliffe (“Weird: The Al Yankovic Story”), Evan Peters (“Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”), Kumail Nanjiani (“Welcome to Chippendales”), Taron Egerton (“Black Bird”), Sebastian Stan (“Pam & Tommy”), and Colin Firth (“The Staircase”).
Specifically, however, Emmy voters also admire actors who embody important figures in American history. Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton”), Leslie Odom Jr. (“Hamilton”), Bryan Cranston (“All the Way”), Courtney B. Vance (“The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story”), Barry Pepper (“The Kennedys”), Greg Kinnear (“The Kennedys”), and Laurence Fishburne (“Thurgood”) were all nominated for depicting such figures. Oyelowo could be next.
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