Julianne Nicholson Shines with Rare Emmy Double Nominations for 2024

Julianne Nicholson has earned the distinguished honor of receiving two Emmy nominations in 2024, spotlighting her range as an actress with varied performances. She is nominated for her supporting role as a ruthless billionaire mastermind in Hulu’s sci-fi drama Paradise, where she contends in the supporting drama actress category, and also for a guest comedy actress part as a quirky dance mom in HBO Max’s Hacks. This rare achievement not only doubles Nicholson’s chances for an Emmy win but highlights her versatility in both dramatic and comedic genres.

Her accomplishment gains added significance given the company she shares with Catherine O’Hara, another double nominee this year. Nicholson expressed admiration for O’Hara’s career and the meaning behind being acknowledged alongside such a celebrated performer.

Reflecting on the Uncommon Feat and Industry Perceptions

During a recent video interview, Nicholson remarked on how uncommon it is for an actor to be nominated across such different categories in the same year. She said,

“It’s rare to [be nominated] in such different categories,”

sharing that being aligned with Catherine O’Hara — who earned nods for her roles in both Apple TV+’s The Studio and HBO’s The Last of Us — made the milestone feel especially meaningful.

She further expressed her admiration, saying,

“[Catherine’s] been a goddess idol forever, so to be in any conversation that her name is also in is like, be still my beating heart,”

and added,

“I’ll just live in that moment.”

This recognition is a testament to Nicholson’s ability to cross genre boundaries with ease, a skill she has nurtured throughout her career. Having previously won an Emmy for supporting work on HBO’s 2021 miniseries Mare of Easttown, Nicholson acknowledged that receiving acknowledgment this year for two very different performances was surprising and gratifying. She stated,

“It’s confirmation and validation of many years where maybe I wasn’t working or people weren’t seeing what I was doing,”

underscoring how much the nods mean on a personal level.

Challenging Typecasting Through Varied Roles

Describing how she’s often recognized primarily as a dramatic actor, Nicholson noted the industry’s tendency to pigeonhole performers in one category:

“People think of me most as a dramatic actor. And if people think you’re good at one thing, they think you’re good at only that thing,”

which motivated her to explore roles outside the conventional scope.

She and her team consciously pursued projects that would allow her to branch out. For example, Nicholson took a role in a comedy film about “Weird Al” Yankovic, despite it being a small part, simply to experience a comedic setting. Later, the opportunity to be on Hacks presented itself, allowing her to play a wildly unpredictable character. As she said,

“To play an off-the-rails character made it that much more fun to be able to flex those muscles and do something completely unexpected and surprise people.”

Delving Into the Dark Complexity of Paradise’s Samantha Sinatra Redmond

In Paradise, Nicholson portrays Samantha Sinatra Redmond, a complicated villain who orchestrates an underground utopia after an apocalyptic upheaval. Her character’s steady determination is shaped by profound grief over the loss of her son, adding depth and human vulnerability to her fierce agenda. One emotionally charged flashback scene in episode two stands out in Nicholson’s mind, as Sinatra pleads with her therapist for strength to maintain her marriage and family after her son’s death. Nicholson chose to limit rehearsal for this scene to preserve its raw emotion and said,

“I thought [the scene] did a good job of honoring that experience and talking about that experience [of losing a child], which I couldn’t ever begin to imagine.”

Currently nearing the end of filming for Season 2, Nicholson shared that the physical demands of the role have been intense.

“I had to be sprinting a lot yesterday in work shoes,”

she noted, adding,

“My muscles were definitely feeling that today. I guess it’s [physically] humanizing a villain.”

Season 2 Developments Reveal More Vulnerability and Shifts for Sinatra

As the new season picks up, Sinatra is portrayed in a more vulnerable state, recovering from a gunshot wound while confronting her shaken confidence. Nicholson described this shift:

“She’s definitely more vulnerable than she’s ever been before,”

and added that although Sinatra still prefers to be in control,

“The blind confidence she had in Season 1 has been shaken. And so it does feel like she’s rediscovering her feet and who she is.”

While Paradise creator Dan Fogelman has a broad vision spanning three seasons, Nicholson revealed she remains somewhat in the dark about how her character fits within this larger narrative. She highlighted the challenge of performing with only partial knowledge, stating,

“There are things revealed [about Sinatra] in Season 2 that I didn’t know when we were filming Season 1,”

but added,

“I don’t think it will affect people’s perceptions of her or would have necessarily changed anything about my performance.”

Expanding the World of Paradise in Season 2

The upcoming season of Paradise promises to widen the scope beyond the bunker setting, introducing a richer world and new characters who have survived in this post-apocalyptic environment. Nicholson described this expansion as,

“wide open and it goes there,”

with complex, intriguing people to meet along the way.

Among the new cast additions is Shailene Woodley, who portrays a tour guide at Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate. Although Nicholson was reserved in revealing details, she confirmed that Sinatra’s interactions with these new figures have only recently begun.

“You get to meet all these other relationships within these different characters, and of course, it’s all tied together.”

The Significance of Julianne Nicholson’s Emmy Double Nominations

Julianne Nicholson’s rare achievement of earning two Emmy nominations in the same year for vastly different roles highlights her exceptional range and dedication to challenging typecasting. Her ability to inhabit such contrasting characters—from a grim, calculating villain in a high-stakes drama to a wildly unpredictable comedic role—showcases her adaptability and depth as an actress.

These nominations bring well-deserved recognition after years of effort, validating her diverse talents and proving her capacity to surprise and engage audiences across genres. With the continued momentum of Paradise’s second season and her role in Hacks, Nicholson’s career trajectory appears poised for further acclaim and impact in the entertainment industry.