Portraying ‘The First Lady’ is a sure-fire way to win an Emmy

One year after winning an Emmy for portraying U.K. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on “The Crown,” Gillian Anderson could pick up a bookend for her role as another famous woman: Eleanor Roosevelt on “The First Lady.” Compared to her competitors, Anderson has an advantage: portraying Roosevelt has already brought four women recognition from the TV academy.

Since 1976, portrayals of 11 U.S. presidential spouses have led to 24 Emmy bids, six of which resulted in wins. Take a scroll through our photo gallery of past First Ladies Emmy winners and nominees, presented in order from most to least recent.

Showtime’s “The First Lady” also showcases Michelle Pfeiffer and Viola Davis as presidential spouses Betty Ford and Michelle Obama respectively. Alongside Anderson, both of these actresses are also vying for spots in the limited series lineup. This would be the first Emmy bid for a portrayal of Obama and the second for that of Ford.

Among the contenders for the supporting actress limited series Emmy are Edie Falco, who embodies First Lady Hillary Clinton on “Impeachment,” and Sarah Paulson, who is First Lady Mamie Eisenhower on “American Horror Story: Double Feature.”

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