The wait is over. The nominations for the 78th annual Emmy Awards are here, and the list is jam-packed with surprises, sure things and more than a few snubs. (Actually, a lot of snubs.)
The Pitt and Hacks lead the pack this year. The Pitt picked up 25 nominations, while Hacks broke a record with 24, the most a comedy has ever earned in a single year. (That record also tells you everything you need to know about the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series showdown between Jean Smart for Hacks and Lisa Kudrow for The Comeback. With this much love for Hacks, Smart is the clear frontrunner to take home the prize.)
This year also welcomed a healthy crop of first-time nominees, including Charlie Hunnam (Monster: The Ed Gein Story), Chase Infiniti (The Testaments), Charles Melton (Beef), Sarah Pidgeon (Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette), Megan Stalter (Hacks) and Connor Storrie (Saturday Night Live).
The Pitt didn’t just lead the drama field. It also delivered a wave of first-time acting nominees, with much of the cast recognized in the supporting categories. Noah Wyle and Katherine LaNasa both won Emmys for the show last year.
Now for the snubs. (Sit back, we need to break these down.) The biggest shock is Jeremy Allen White missing from Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for The Bear. The series wrapped this year and picked up plenty of nominations, just none for its lead, who happens to be a past winner. Also surprising: Ashley Padilla shut out of Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Saturday Night Live after a stand-out year that had her widely expected to make the seven-nominee cut. And in Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Paul Anthony Kelly’s absence for Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette stings, especially with co-star Sarah Pidgeon making the list.
But wait, there’s more snubbery! The Amazing Race, once the untouchable champion of Outstanding Reality Competition Program, was nowhere to be found. Another past winner, Sheryl Lee Ralph, came up empty for her work on Abbott Elementary. And Netflix’s Nobody Wants This landed an Outstanding Comedy Series nomination but nothing for its two leads, Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, both past nominees. Ouch.
Despite the carnage, the list mostly went as expected. And it sets up the two races that will dominate the conversation between now and the ceremony: can The Pitt repeat its drama dominance from last year, and which comedy takes the crown, The Bear or Hacks, with both series bowing out after their final seasons.
Mariska Hargitay will host the 78th annual Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 14 on NBC and Peacock.
Outstanding Drama Series
The Diplomat
The Gilded Age
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Paradise
The Pitt
Pluribus
Slow Horses
Your Friends and Neighbors
Outstanding Comedy Series
Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Shrinking
Widow’s Bay
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
All Her Fault
The Beast in Me
Beef
DTF St. Louis
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette
Outstanding Reality Competition Program
Dancing With the Stars
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Survivor
Top Chef
The Traitors
Outstanding Variety Series
The Daily Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown, Paradise
Gary Oldman, Slow Horses
Mark Ruffalo, Task
Rufus Sewell, The Diplomat
Noah Wyle, The Pitt
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Carrie Coon, The Gilded Age
Chase Infiniti, The Testaments
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Rhea Seehorn, Pluribus
Zendaya, Euphoria
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Patrick Ball, The Pitt
Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
Shawn Hatosy, The Pitt
Gerran Howell, The Pitt
Jack Lowden, Slow Horses
Tom Pelphrey, Task
Carlos-Manuel Vesga, Pluribus
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Taylor Deardon, The Pitt
Fiona Dourif, The Pitt
Allison Janney, The Diplomat
Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt
Sepideh Moafi, The Pitt
Julianne Nicholson, Paradise
Karolina Wydra, Pluribus
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man
Steve Carell, Rooster
Matthew Rhys, Widow’s Bay
Jason Segel, Shrinking
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri, The Bear
Elle Fanning, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback
Jean Smart, Hacks
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Colman Domingo, The Four Seasons
Paul W. Downs, Hacks
Harrison Ford, Shrinking
Nick Offerman, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Stephen Root, Widow’s Bay
Michael Urie, Shrinking
Tayler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Dale Dickey, Widow’s Bay
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
Kate O’Flynn, Widow’s Bay
Michelle Pfeiffer, Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Megan Stalter, Hacks
Jessica Williams, Shrinking
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series
Claire Danes, The Beast in Me
Sally Field, Remarkably Bright Creatures
Carey Mulligan, Beef
Sarah Pidgeon, Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette
Sarah Snook, All Her Fault
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series
Riz Ahmed, Bait
Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit
Charlie Hunnam, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Oscar Isaac, Beef
Matthew Rhys, The Beast in Me
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
Jason Bateman, DTF St. Louis
Richard Gadd, Half Man
David Harbour, DTF St. Louis
Richard Jenkins, DTF St. Louis
Charles Melton, Beef
Nick Offerman, Death by Lightning
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
Linda Cardellini, DTF St. Louis
Dakota Fanning, All Her Fault
Laurie Metcalf, Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Joy Sunday, DTF St. Louis
Youn Yuh-jung, Beef
Constance Zimmer, Love Story: John F. Kennedy & Carolyn Bessette