Golden Globes 2014 Predictions: Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie [Poll]
Five outstanding actresses are nominated for a 2014 Golden Globe in the category of best actress in a television movie or miniseries. The women nominated all play strong characters, among which include a queen, a witch and an icon. But only one actress' performance will earn the coveted award.
The nominees for Best Actress in a Television Movie or Miniseries are:
Helena Bonham Carter, "Burton and Taylor"- Although Carter does not closely resemble glamour icon Elizabeth Taylor, she captures the actress' bawdiness and undeniable charm in the BBC movie about Taylor and her ex-husband, Richard Burton. It mostly takes place in 1983, when they both starred in the Broadway revival of the play "Private Lives." Both have new love interests, but the pair still has an irrepressible chemistry and an enduring toxicity.
Rebecca Ferguson, "The White Queen"- The 30-year-old Swedish soap-opera star caught America's attention with her role as Elizabeth Woodville, a.k.a "The White Queen." The 10-episode series chronicles Philippa Gregory's best-selling novels about England's War of the Roses. Ferguson's Woodville is one of three women--the other two being Margaret Beautfort, "The Red Queen" and Anne Neville, "The Kingmaker's Daughter"-- who are waging war on their enemies in a quest for power.
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story: Coven": Lange is at her fiercest as Fiona, the "Supreme" leader of a coven of witches in New Orleans, La. Lange's Fiona is deadly mix of supernatural power and ambition, and she is not afraid to burn her enemies--literally-- to get what she wants. Lange is fantastic as the "baddest witch in town," and is able to portray Fiona's ruthless strength while bringing forth her latent vulnerabilities.
Helen Mirren, "Phil Spector"- Mirren is excellent as Linda Kenney Baden, the defense attorney for music mogul Phil Spector during his trial for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson. The film focuses on the relationship between the eccentric Spector and the determined Baden. Mirren's Baden is intelligent and focused, and tries to raise reasonable doubt amidst an assumption of guilt. (However, it ultimately fails; Spector is now serving 19 years to life for the murder.)
Elisabeth Moss, "Top of the Lake"- Moss is superb as Robin Griffin, the detective who is trying to crack the case of a 12-year-old pregnant girl who tried to drown herself in a frigid lake in a small New Zealand town and then disappeared. Moss attempts the difficult task of putting on a New Zealand accent, which alone deserves credit. She assumes the role of the determined and preceptive detective in a town where nothing is as it seems.
Prediction: Helena Bonham Carter, "Burton and Taylor"
Although it was previously predicted that Elisabeth Moss could win in this category at the SAG Awards, it now appears more likely that Helena Bonham Carter may take the prize at both award shows. Carter's portrayal of the iconic star captures her frank and often ribald personality, as well as her underlying insecurities. Taylor's love for Burton was complicated but enduring, which Carter conveys excellently.