Zero acting nods for the second season of ‘Squid Game,’ and just a guest actor nom for ‘Andor.’
Just like that, another year has flown by and this year’s nominations for the biggest honors in television have dropped.
For the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, it’s quite unsurprisingly that Apple TV+ series Severance emerged as the most-nominated series, bagging 27 nominations. This is two noms more than what last year’s biggest winner Shogun (Hulu, Disney+) packed tight under its belt leading to awards night. The final season of Game of Thrones still holds the bragging rights for most nominations ever with a solid 32.
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HBO Max’s The Penguin followed with 24 nominations, while The Studio (Apple TV+) and The White Lotus (HBO Max) are deadlocked with 23 nods each. Other shows that bagged several nominations are The Last of Us with 16, Andor and Hacks with 14 each; and Adolescence, The Bear, and The Pitt with 13 apiece.
Among networks and streamers, HBO Max sets a new record for the platform by leading with an impressive 142 total nominations. This is followed by Netflix with 120 and Apple TV+ with 81.
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History-making nominations
While you can access the full list of nominees here, some of the nominations are worth a special mention.
Matlock star Kathy Bates, 77, is now the oldest woman nominated in the lead drama actress category. Harrison Ford, meanwhile, earned his first Emmy nomination for Shrinking, becoming the second-oldest actor ever nominated in his category.
The Bear’s talented Ayo Edebiri must be celebrating as she has made Emmy history after becoming the first woman to be nominated for both her work as an actor and a director on a comedy series.
There’s 15-year-old Adolescence star Owen Cooper, who has also made Emmys history by becoming one of the youngest ever nominees. If he wins in the supporting actor in a limited series category, Cooper will be the youngest male winner of an acting Emmy.
Selena Gomez, while missing out on an acting nomination this year, continued her nomination streak for producing Only Murders in the Building, maintaining her status as the most nominated Latina producer in Emmy history.
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Annoying snubs
While most of the nominees are shoo-ins, there were some notable snubs. My biggest gripe—I have to let this out of my system before I can write any further—no major acting nominations for the second season of Andor. Really? While the series’ 14 nominations are remarkable, most of which are for technical aspects and a lone guest acting nod for Forest Whitaker as the rebel Saw Gerrera. And really? You nominate Andor and not Diego Luna, the Andor himself? Luna was just as commanding as the rebel hero this time around as he was in the first season when he scored a nomination. Not even Genevieve O’Reilly was nominated whose Mon Mothma was an enthralling presence the entire season. Such travesty! End of rant, but the heartbreak persists.
If there’s any consolation, Andor fans aren’t alone in their grief. Among the other glaring snubs were a number of longtime favorites, chief of which is Squid Game which walks away with not a single nomination. Its highly acclaimed first season took home six Emmys including the top prize of best drama actor for Lee Jung-jae.
The Handmaid’s Tale, once an Emmys darling, managed just one nomination, and it’s not even for its star Elisabeth Moss, but for a Cherry Jones guest role.
Other snubs for coveted acting categories were Jon Hamm (Yellowjackets), Ted Danson (A Man on the Inside), Ellen Pompeo (Good American Family), Patrick Schwarzenegger (The White Lotus), and Selena Gomez (Only Murders in the Building), who scored her first Emmy nomination last year.
Of course, this is yet another set of nominations which makes us wonder, when will the Emmy gods sort out that The Bear is a drama, and The White Lotus is a comedy? Will we ever see the tables flipped on this one? Sometimes, I feel like the Emmy voters are just toying with our feelings.
I love The Bear and used to love The White Lotus, but I hate how my screen grandpas Martin Short and Steve Martin don’t stand a chance against Jeremy Allen White (an Emmy favorite since The Bear aired) if The Bear stays in the “comedy” category. Don’t get me wrong, I adore White, too, and think he’s an amazing actor, but I’ve always thought The Bear has overstayed its welcome in that contentious category.
The full list of nominees was announced by Running Point actress Brenda Song and actor Harvey Guillén of What We Do in the Shadows. Comedian Nate Bargatze will host the Emmys, airing live on September 14 on CBS.
Check out the full list of nominees here.
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