Who won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2018 Emmy Awards?

Rachel Brosnahan won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series at the 2018 Emmy Awards.

She received the award for playing Miriam “Midge” Maisel in the Amazon comedy-drama The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards took place on September 17, 2018, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, with Colin Jost and Michael Che hosting. Brosnahan’s performance centered on a fictional 1950s New York housewife who pursues a career in stand-up comedy after her marriage collapses.

The victory was part of a major night for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The series also won Outstanding Comedy Series, while Alex Borstein won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Creator Amy Sherman-Palladino won for both comedy writing and directing.

Brosnahan had previously been known for roles including Rachel Posner in House of Cards, but Midge Maisel became her breakout leading role. A possible source of confusion is that the Emmy category recognizes the performance and program submitted for that awards cycle; Brosnahan won for the first season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, not for a later season.