‘Sugar’ will land Amy Ryan that elusive first Emmy nomination
The Apple TV+ drama series “Sugar” has provided a showcase for a number of its stars, with the cast led by Colin Farrell but also including terrific turns from the likes of James Cromwell and Amy Ryan.
The neo-noir detective drama follows Farrell as a private investigator who searches for the missing granddaughter of a Hollywood producer. Created by “Thor” and “I Am Legend” screenwriter Mark Protosevich, the series is an homage-filled thriller that updates and pays dividends to the noir detective genre. Ryan shines in her role as Melanie Matthews, who used to be the step-daughter of the missing Olivia and develops something of a relationship with Farrell’s detective. Ryan, who younger viewers will mostly recognize from her days in “The Office,” demonstrates her impressive versatility as a performer here, as noted by critics.
Matthew Jackson (Looper) observed that “as great as Colin Farrell is, Sugar’s not the only interesting face in this story. Amy Ryan is particularly wonderful as an aging rockstar who’s struggling with her own issues while trying to help solve those of others.”
Tyler Foster (Awards Watch) explained: “Amy Ryan, always a thrill to see, is also great as Melanie, bringing some of her ‘Gone Baby Gone’ chops to the opening episode that finds her drinking too much and stumbling around. In the streaming era, Ryan is widely known for her role as Holly Flack on ‘The Office’ and more recently on ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ so hopefully audiences will engage with her more dramatic work such as this to see how well-rounded she is as an actress. She instantly makes scenes better as Melanie.
Same Stone (CBR) stated: “Ryan has been turning in heartbreaking and vulnerable performances since appearing in ‘The Wire,’ and she remains consistently stellar in her role as Melanie Mackie here.”
Our current predicted nominees for Best Drama Supporting Actress are Elizabeth Debicki (“The Crown”), Lesley Manville (“The Crown”), Christine Baranski (“The Gilded Age”), Greta Lee (“The Morning Show”), Moeka Hoshi (“Shōgun”), Cynthia Nixon (“The Gilded Age”), Kristin Scott Thomas (“Slow Horses”), and Holland Taylor (“The Morning Show”).
However, Ryan is a respected thespian with plenty of major awards recognition to her name already. She was nominated for an Oscar (for Best Supporting Actress) in 2007 for “Gone Baby Gone,” a film that also garnered her Golden Globe and SAG bids, too. Ryan also reaped two SAG ensemble nominations for her work in the film “Birdman” (which won in 2014) and the TV show “Only Murders in the Building” (in 2021). She has also racked up three Tony Awards across her career so far. The first came in 2000 for “Uncle Vanya” while the second came in 2005 for “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Her third bid came earlier this year for “Doubt: A Parable.” This is an experienced, versatile actress who has proved that she can excel across all genres and across all practices. She has been cited by the biggest film awards organization (Oscar) and the largest theatre awards group (Tony). The biggest TV awards group, the Emmys, could be next.
The fact that she has never been nominated for an Emmy, despite excellent turns in both drama (“The Wire”) and comedy (“The Office”) seems like a mistake. But that could change here, particularly as Best Drama Supporting Actress has been a good category for actresses to earn their first Emmy nominations. J. Smith-Cameron (“Succession”), Simona Tabasco (“The White Lotus”), Rhea Seehorn (“Better Call Saul”), Aubrey Plaza (“The White Lotus”), Sabrina Impacciatore (“The White Lotus”), Debicki (“The Crown”), and Sarah Snook (“Succession”) all earned their first Emmy nominations in this category.
Smith-Cameron, in particular, seems like a good comparison with Ryan here. Smith-Cameron was an experienced, Tony-nominated actress who earned her first Emmy bid in a hit TV show and Ryan could follow Smith-Cameron in those footsteps.
Plus, crime shows like “Sugar” tend to be popular with Emmy voters. Plenty of actresses have been nominated for Best Drama Supporting Actress for performances in crime shows, such as Seehorn (“Better Call Saul”), Julia Garner (“Ozark”), and Fiona Shaw (“Killing Eve”). Ryan and “Sugar” would fit into this collection.
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