Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie is an award presented annually by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a supporting role on a television limited series or television movie for the primetime network season.

The award was first presented at the 27th Primetime Emmy Awards on May 19, 1975, to Juliet Mills, for her role as Samantha Cody in QB VII. The award ceremony garnered criticism during the 58th Primetime Emmy Awards, when Ellen Burstyn received a nomination for her work in Mrs. Harris (2005), despite having only 14 seconds of screen time and 38 words of dialogue. This resulted in a rule change, requiring nominees submitting for the category to have more than 5% screen-time on their respective projects.

Since its inception, the award has been given to 38 actresses. Regina King, Jane Alexander, Judy Davis, Colleen Dewhurst, and Mare Winningham have each won two awards. Kathy Bates is the most nominated actress in the category, with seven nominations.

Programs with multiple wins

 * 2 wins
 * American Crime
 * American Horror Story

Programs with multiple nominations

 * 12 nominations
 * American Horror Story


 * 5 nominations
 * The White Lotus


 * 3 nominations
 * American Crime
 * Eleanor and Franklin
 * Feud
 * Mildred Pierce
 * Miss Rose White
 * Mrs. America


 * 2 nominations
 * American Crime Story
 * And the Band Played On
 * Baby Reindeer
 * Backstairs at the White House
 * Big Little Lies
 * Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
 * Dopesick
 * Fargo
 * George Wallace
 * Hamilton
 * Hysterical Blindness
 * Indictment: The McMartin Trial
 * Joan of Arc


 * Mare of Easttown
 * The Mists of Avalon
 * Mrs. Harris
 * Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All
 * Playing for Time
 * QB VII
 * Temple Grandin
 * The Thorn Birds
 * Warm Springs
 * Welcome to Chippendales
 * When They See Us
 * The Women's Room
 * You Don't Know Jack

Performers with multiple wins

 * 2 wins
 * Jane Alexander
 * Judy Davis
 * Colleen Dewhurst
 * Regina King (consecutive)
 * Mare Winningham

Performers with multiple nominations

 * 7 nominations
 * Kathy Bates


 * 6 nominations
 * Mare Winningham


 * 5 nominations
 * Anne Bancroft
 * Judy Davis
 * Colleen Dewhurst
 * Alfre Woodard


 * 4 nominations
 * Sarah Paulson


 * 3 nominations
 * Ellen Burstyn
 * Stockard Channing
 * Ruby Dee
 * Patty Duke
 * Penny Fuller
 * Eileen Heckart
 * Regina King
 * Piper Laurie
 * Cloris Leachman
 * Vanessa Redgrave
 * Jean Smart
 * Cicely Tyson


 * 2 nominations
 * Jane Alexander
 * Eileen Atkins
 * Angela Bassett
 * Polly Bergen
 * Toni Collette
 * Frances Conroy
 * Laura Dern
 * Olympia Dukakis
 * Julie Harris
 * Glenne Headly
 * Anjelica Huston
 * Shirley Knight
 * Swoosie Kurtz
 * Melissa Leo
 * Juliette Lewis
 * Audra McDonald
 * Rosemary Murphy
 * Patricia Neal
 * Diana Rigg
 * Greta Scacchi
 * Sissy Spacek
 * Maggie Smith
 * Merritt Wever