Watch: 1 Hour Q&A With Female Leads Of ‘Mad Men,’ ‘Homeland,’ ‘American Horror Story’ & More

THR Actress Roundtable

Well, it’s getting near that time for the Emmys, arguably the Oscars of TV, and as TV keeps gaining ground on movies—see movie star Tom Hardy’s recent comments on the medium—the Emmys are becoming more and more legitimate (well, except when it comes to the nominees and winners, but still…). And in fact, whether you disagree on the quality of smart TV over modern cinema, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to argue that the acting quality is any lesser.

THR recently kicked off a TV series of their THR Roundtable talks, and below you’ll find two group Q&As. The first on drama hopefuls, features Julianna Margulies (“The Good Wife”), Claire Danes (“Homeland”), Jessica Pare (“Mad Men”), Keri Russell (“The Americans”), Sarah Paulson (“American Horror Story: Coven”) and Vera Farmiga (“Bates Motel”). While the other, with some of the comedy contenders, includes Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting (“The Big Bang Theory“), Zooey Deschanel (“New Girl”), Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie“), Mindy Kaling (“The Mindy Project“), Emmy Rossum (“Shameless“) and Taylor Schilling (“Orange Is The New Black“). Just one look at that powerhouse list of talent, almost all of them the lead actors of their show, it’s nearly impossible to argue that television is where it’s at for female actors.

As usual with these roundtables, it’s insightful stuff, with the drama actresses weighing in on sex scenes, the decision to kill off major characters in their shows, and the low points of their career, along with various other bits of trivia (it turns out that Farmiga was up for the same role in “12 Years A Slave” that Paulson eventually landed). Meanwhile, the comedy hopefuls discuss nudity, dealing with the press, and the changing nature of TV, with Schilling revealing that she’s never watched her own show, and Kaling sharing that she’s most jealous of Sam Rockwell‘s career. Take a look below: if you have an hour or two to spare, they’re as entertaining a way to fill it as you can find.