Frances Conroy, Six Feet Under (HBO)
Jennifer Garner", Alias (ABC)
Rachel Griffiths, Six Feet Under (HBO)
Allison Janney, The West Wing (NBC)
Known primarily for stage work before Six Feet Under, Conroy is superb as a mother who's a bundle of contradictions–generous and withholding, timid and impulsive, malleable and stubborn. Castmate Griffiths runs a close second, playing a cynical sex addict whose depressive side is strangely seductive.
COMEDY SERIES LEAD ACTOR
Kelsey Grammer, Frasier (NBC)
Matt LeBlanc, Friends (NBC)
Bernie Mac, The Bernie Mac Show (FOX)
Matthew Perry, Friends (NBC)
Ray Romano, Everybody Loves Raymond (CBS)
For first-class comic delivery and continued growth as a stand-up performer turned ensemble actor, Romano richly deserves to break through on his fourth nomination in this category. Mac, also from a stand-up background, made a strikingly confident sitcom debut. He may move to the front of the line next year.
