AFT Awards: Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series

This is the eleventh category of the 1st Annual AFT Television Awards to be announced. Episodes listed in parantheses for actors and shows indicate a great sample of their work, however I look at the entire season when choosing my nominees and winners. Nominees are listed in alphabetical order.

Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series

KYRA SEDGWICK AS BRENDA, THE CLOSER (To Protect and Serve)
As the standout of a stellar cast, Sedgwick is terrific as stubborn, stern Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson. Her Southern drawl and interaction with her staff are lots of fun, and her scenes with Robert Gossett (Commander Taylor), J.K. Simmons (Chief Pope) and Jon Tenney (Fritz) are a real pleasure. But Sedgwick effectively leads the show in every scene she is in, which is the greatest delight.

MINNIE DRIVER AS DAHLIA, THE RICHES (Been There, Done That)
I did not initially love Driver as the matriarch of the Malloy-turned-Rich family, but her performance really grew on me as the season progressed. Her scenes with Eddie Izzard are extremely powerful, as well as her interactions with neighbor Nina (Margo Martindale) and daughter Di Di (Shannon Marie Woodward). Her drug-addiction spiral was so well played out, and Driver deserves a tremendous amount of credit.

CCH POUNDER AS CLAUDETTE, THE SHIELD (Baptism by Fire)
While Emmy categories consider Pounder supporting, I think she has really become a lead in the past few years. Her new-ish role as captain of the troubled Farmington police division is a perfect fit for the strong-willed actress, who portrays Claudette with an appropriate sense of authority and justice. Most electrifying is her attitude towards potentially corrupt cops Acaveda and Mackey, and her ultimate decision about the people with which she aligns herself.

EDIE FALCO AS CARMELA, THE SOPRANOS (The Second Coming)
Despite a very limited role in the final season of the fantastic series, Falco nonetheless portrayed Carmela with an incomparable energy. Suffering through the extended grievances of both her son and her husband, Falco was continually excellent. This was probably the least Falco had to do throughout the show's history, but Falco did not skip a beat in the effort she put in to her performance.

AMANDA PEET AS JORDAN, STUDIO 60 ON THE SUNSET STRIP (Monday)
As the new, unprepared head of fledgling NBS television network, Peet gave Jordan McDeer an unstoppable sense of sarcasm and wit. Her work was a great deal better in the first half of the season, but she continued to do her best through waning plotlines involving a stalker-like Danny Tripp and a health crisis of her own. Her screen times with Steven Weber (Jack Rudolph) was particularly funny.

And the winner is...
KYRA SEDGWICK, THE CLOSER

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