Emmys will give farewell hug to the late Treat Williams (‘Feud: Capote vs the Swans’)
Treat Williams died in July 2023 but the late actor leaves behind a stunning legacy of excellent film, theater, and TV work. That legacy was extended with the latest series of Ryan Murphy‘s FX anthology series “Feud,” which takes a look at some of show business history’s most infamous quarrels.
This latest season, “Feud: Capote vs the Swans,” depicts the fallout between writer Truman Capote and a group of New York high society socialites known as the Swans. Tom Hollander, in dazzling form, portrays Capote, while Naomi Watts, Diane Lane, Chloë Sevigny, Calista Flockhart, Demi Moore, and Molly Ringwald make up the Swans. Williams, meanwhile, portrays Bill Paley, the husband of Watts’ Babe Paley and Chief Executive of CBS. This is Williams’ final on-screen role and critics agree that it is one of his very best.
Emma Fraser (IGN) explained: “The fourth episode features some truly dynamite moments between Watts and the late Treat Williams as Babe’s philandering husband, Bill. Displaying dueling emotions is a specialty of the series, and this is no clearer than in the charm and anger oozing from Bill’s pores – Feud marks Williams’ last performance, making it even more bittersweet.”
Mike Hale (The New York Times) stated: “Treat Williams as Paley’s husband — the CBS chief executive William S. Paley who, written as a good-hearted philanderer, comes off better than just about anyone else — is fun to watch”
Laura Babiak (Observer) observed: “Watts, of course, does well as Babe Paley, the aggrieved wife of TV king Bill Paley, who’s played by the late Treat Williams. Their scenes together are great, whether it’s Babe’s facade of the perfect wife cracking or Bill frantically trying to piece his marriage back together before the inevitable. It’s a wonderful final performance from Williams, and Watts nails the put-together wife who’s falling apart inside.”
As a result, we think Williams will be nominated for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor alongside Robert Downey Jr. (“The Sympathizer”), Lewis Pullman (“Lessons in Chemistry”), Jonathan Bailey (“Fellow Travelers”), John Hawkes (“True Detective: Nighty Country”), Joe Keery (“Fargo”), and Hugh Grant (“The Regime”).
This would be Williams’ first Emmy nomination since 1996 when he picked up a bid in this category for “The Late Shift.” It may have been a while since his previous Emmy bid (28 years, to be exact) but at least that citation came in the category he is hoping to secure a nomination in this year. Clearly, Emmy voters like him in this category.
This category is also a great one for actors looking for an Emmys comeback. Ray Liotta was nominated posthumously here in 2023 for “Black Bird,” 18 years after his previous Emmy bid. Dylan McDermott was nominated here in 2020 for “Hollywood,” a bid that came 21 years after his previous nomination. John Leguizamo received consecutive citations in this category in 2018 (for “Waco”) and 2019 (for “When They See Us”) — his previous Emmy nomination before that came 19 years earlier.
Emmy voters also love actors who portray real people, too, particularly in this category. Richard Jenkins (“Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”), Murray Bartlett (“Welcome to Chippendales”), Paul Walter Hauser (“Black Bird”), Seth Rogen (“Pam & Tommy”), and “Hamilton” trio Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, and Anthony Ramos all received citations for portraying real people.
Specifically, voters admire it when an actor depicts a figure from show business history, as Williams does here as Paley. Bartlett (“Welcome to Chippendales”), Rogen (“Pam & Tommy”), Jim Parsons (“Hollywood”), Tucci (“Feud: Bette and Joan”), and Molina (“Feud: Bette and Joan”) are all examples of actors who snagged nominations for such roles.
Plus, we already know that Emmy voters like the “Feud” anthology series. “Bette and Joan,” which focused on the rivalry between actresses Bette Davis (Susan Sarandon) and Joan Crawford (Jessica Lange), was nominated for six acting awards at the 2017 Emmys: Sarandon and Lange for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actress; Alfred Molina and Stanley Tucci for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor; and Judy Davis and Jackie Hoffman for Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actress. Two out of those six bids came for the category Williams is hoping to land a nomination in herself, so that’s another good sign.
If Williams were to be nominated, he would follow in the footsteps of Liotta, who earned a posthumous Emmy nomination in this very category last year. Other posthumous Emmy nominees include Chadwick Boseman (Best Character Voice-Over Performance for “What If…?” in 2022), Fred Willard (Best Comedy Guest Actor for “Modern Family” in 2020), Ossie Davis (Best Drama Guest Actor for “The L Word” in 2005), John Ritter (Best Comedy Actor for “8 Simple Rules” in 2004), and J.T. Walsh (Best TV Movie/Limited Series Supporting Actor for “Hope” in 1998).
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