Jon Lemay/ABC Connie Britton in “Nashville.â€The Emmys are nothing if not consistent, with the same names appearing â€" occasionally inexplicably â€" for years on end.
But Connie Britton has put an impressive twist on the formula: The actress has been nominated three years in a row, for three different series. On Thursday she added a nod for ABC’s “Nashville†to previous ones for “Friday Night Lights†and “American Horror Story.â€
Ms. Britton called from Nashville, where she just began shooting the new season of the series, to discuss the nomination and vocal confidence. These are excerpts from the conversation.
Congratulations on this increasingly impressive run you’re on.
Thank you. It is always a real surprise and a real thrill.
Do people still recognize you more for “Friday Night Lights� Or has “Nashville†replaced that?
It’s probably pretty even. Don’t forget “American Horror Story,†because there are some really, really avid watchers of that one. I always like the people who come up and say, “I loved ‘American Horror Story!’†Because I always go, “You are crazy. That show is scary.â€
I’d guess those shows would appeal to very different kinds of people.
You’d be shocked. There’s a lot of overlap.
“Nashville†features these interesting characters and impressive performances, but then the first season concluded with your character in a big car wreck. Were you surprised it ended on such a soapy note?
We had a lot of conversations about that. If I’m honest, it’s probably little bit soapier than I would have preferred. There is an unfortunate history of a lot of accidents â€" plane crashes, car crashes â€" in the music world. So there was an ironic element of truth about it. But that said, yeah it was a little soapier than I would have preferred [laughs].
Which was more terrifying: singing on “Nashville†or enduring some of the lurid twists of “American Horror Story�
Definitely singing on “Nashville.†I do have to say that’s one thing I’m really struck by this morning, having had this little run with the Academy. Because doing “Nashville,†personally, was a big risk. It was a big challenge for me and for the Academy to acknowledge actors taking risks is great, and I’m really appreciative of that.
Where are you now on the spectrum from terror to confidence, as far as your singing is concerned?
I’ve definitely moved further away from the terror end, but it still feels very much like something I’m learning. By the end of last season I thought, you know I really am starting to feel more confident about what I’m doing. But then this first song I’m singing in Season 2? It’s a whopper! I actually started working on it back when I was in L.A. with my vocal coach and I was like, “Wow, this is gonna whip my [behind] a little bit.â€
