The actress could have been eligible for her performance in Netflix’s ‘When They See Us.'
With voting now open for Emmy nominations, it’s no surprise the Netflix limited series When They See Us is going all in, submitting its star-studded cast and creator Ava DuVernay for major awards, including Outstanding Limited Series.
Among the show's many stars, Aunjanue Ellis and Niecy Nash have been submitted for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie while Marsha Stephanie Blake, Kylie Bunbury, Suzzanne Douglas, Vera Farmiga, Famke Janssen, Joaquina Kalukango, Isis King, Adepero Oduye, Aurora Perrineau, Dascha Polanco and Storm Reid have been submitted in the Supporting category. However, one person absent from the performance ballot is Felicity Huffman, who portrayed prosecutor Linda Fairstein in the true-crime series about the Central Park Five case.
Normally an Emmy fixture, Huffman is a five-time nominee, winning once for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2005 for Desperate Housewives. Her last three Emmy nominations have come for various roles -- once as a manipulative principal of a private school -- on the anthology series American Crime.
The revelation comes after Huffman has become wrapped up in her own true-crime scandal. On March 12, the actress was among dozens of parents, including fellow actress Lori Loughlin, charged by the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office in a nationwide college entrance cheating scandal. That same day, Huffman was arrested by the FBI, accused of paying $15,000 to help get her daughter Sofia into an elite college by cheating on the SAT.
Weeks later, on April 8, Huffman appeared in court to make a guilty plea. “I am pleading guilty to the charge brought against me by the United States Attorney's Office,” the former Desperate Housewives star said in a statement. “I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions.”
In May, Huffman was back in court to formally plead guilty to charges of mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. During an emotional court appearance, a source told ET that actress appeared to fight back tears when she spoke to the judge, making it very clear to the judge that she accepted her wrongdoing.
Recently, Huffman and her husband, William H. Macy, who was not charged, celebrated Sofia’s high school graduation. ET has learned that their daughter’s college plans have since been put on hold.
Huffman is expected to be sentenced on Sept. 13, 2019, just nine days before the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards, where When They See Us is expected to be nominated in several categories.
While Huffman is not on the ballot, Macy is still eligible for Emmy consideration and his name was submitted for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance as Frank Gallagher on Showtime's Shameless.
Following the initial news of the scandal, Huffman’s Netflix film Otherhood was pulled from its April release and later rescheduled to debut on Aug. 2. When They See Us, however, did not change its May 31 release and debuted to critical acclaim.
ET has reached out to Netflix and Huffman’s reps for comment.
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