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 (miniseries), 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.

Winners and nominations

Listed below are the winners of the award for each year, as well as the other nominees.

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

Programs with multiple wins

;2 wins * ''American Crime (TV series), American Crime'' * ''American Horror Story''

Programs with multiple nominations

;12 nominations * ''American Horror Story'' ;5 nominations * ''The White Lotus'' ;3 nominations * ''American Crime (TV series), American Crime'' * ''Eleanor and Franklin (miniseries), Eleanor and Franklin'' * ''Mildred Pierce (miniseries), Mildred Pierce'' * ''Miss Rose White'' * ''Mrs. America (miniseries), Mrs. America'' ;2 nominations * ''American Crime Story'' * ''And the Band Played On (film), And the Band Played On'' * ''Backstairs at the White House'' * ''Big Little Lies (TV series), Big Little Lies'' * ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1984 film), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' * ''Dopesick (miniseries), Dopesick'' * ''Fargo (TV series), Fargo'' * ''Feud (TV series), Feud'' * ''George Wallace (film), George Wallace'' * ''Hamilton (2020 film), Hamilton'' * ''Hysterical Blindness (film), Hysterical Blindness'' * ''Indictment: The McMartin Trial'' * ''Joan of Arc (miniseries), Joan of Arc'' * ''Mare of Easttown'' * ''The Mists of Avalon (miniseries), The Mists of Avalon'' * ''Mrs. Harris'' * ''Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All (film), Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All'' * ''Playing for Time (film), Playing for Time'' * ''QB VII (miniseries), QB VII'' * ''Temple Grandin (film), Temple Grandin'' * ''The Thorn Birds (miniseries), The Thorn Birds'' * ''Warm Springs (film), Warm Springs'' * ''When They See Us'' * ''The Women's Room (film), The Women's Room'' * ''You Don't Know Jack (film), 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 (actress), Julie Harris * Glenne Headly * Anjelica Huston * Shirley Knight * Swoosie Kurtz * Melissa Leo * Audra McDonald * Rosemary Murphy * Patricia Neal * Diana Rigg * Greta Scacchi * Sissy Spacek * Maggie Smith

References

{{Primetime Emmy Award categories Primetime Emmy Awards, Supporting Actress - Miniseries or Movie Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie Primetime Emmy Award winners, Television awards for Best Supporting Actress, Emmy Award