A year of sitting at home streaming and binging just about anything we could get our eyes on has led to this: the 2021 Emmy nominations are here.
The 73rd annual award ceremony honoring the best in television is set to take place on September 19th. And unlike last year’s awkward digital presentation, this year’s gala will take place live and in-person at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Better yet, an Original King of Comedy, Cedric the Entertainer, will serve as the evening’s host.
HBO and HBO Max combined for the most total nominations for this year’s event, netting 130 total nods (94 for the former, 36 for the latter). Netflix followed with 129, and while there was a big gap between second and third place, the relatively nascent Disney+ has to be thrilled with its 71 nominations.
That comes mainly from The Mandalorian and WandaVision, with the former tying Netflix’s The Crown for most nominations at 24 each. WandaVision snuck into second with 23, followed by Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale (21), Saturday Night Live (21), Apple TV Plus’ Ted Lasso (20), HBO’s Lovecraft Country (18), Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit (18), and HBO’s Mare of Easttown (16).
Numbers aside for a moment, history was made with the nomination of Mj Rodriguez in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in Pose. It marks the first time a transgender performer has received a nod for a major acting category. Prior to this, the only transgender women to receive attention from the Television Academy were Laverne Cox, who won the Outstanding Special Class Special award in 2014 for Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word, and Rain Valdez, nominated last year for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for Razor Tongue.
Rodriguez is up against a pair of actresses from The Crown, Olivia Colman and Emma Corin, as well as Uzo Aduba (In Treatment), Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Jurnee Smollett (Lovecraft Country). Despite HBO deciding a second season of Lovecraft wasn’t worth it, the series saw a lot of love from the Academy, as it’s up for Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Jonathan Majors), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Michael K. Williams), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Aunjanue Ellis), and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Courtney B. Vance).
Another HBO series, Hacks, also received a lot of attention. It’s up for Outstanding Comedy Series, while star Jean Smart is nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, where she’ll face off with the likes of Aidy Bryant (Shrill), Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant), Allison Janney (Mom), and Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish). Interestingly, another Hacks actress, Hannah Einbinder, will also face off against Bryant in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category. There, Bryant is up for SNL, as are Kate McKinnon and Cecily Strong. June Temple and Hannah Waddingham of Ted Lasso and Rosie Perez of The Flight Attendant round out the category.
In fact, SNL is up for many awards, including Outstanding Variety Sketch Series (where its only competition is A Black Lady Sketch Show). It netted 11 total acting nods, including Kenan Thompson and Bowen Yang for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series; Alec Baldwin, Dave Chappelle, Daniel Kaluuya, and Daniel Levy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series; and Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
Thompson is also up for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series thanks to his sitcom Kenan. He’ll face off against Anthony Anderson (Black-ish), Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method), William H. Macy (Shameless), and Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso).
As Disney+’s tally attests, superhero and genre fans also have lot to look forward to on Emmy night. In addition to its Outstanding Drama Series nod (where it faces off against Amazon’s The Boys), The Mandalorian is up for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Gincarlo Esposito) and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (both Timothy Olyphant and Carl Weathers). Marvel favorite WandaVision is up for Outstanding Limited Series, while its trio of stars — Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, and Kathryn Hahn — are all up for acting awards (Outstanding Lead Actor, Outstanding Lead Actress, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, respectively). Even The Falcon and the Winter Soldier got some surprising love, with Don Cheadle earning a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Highlights among the non-fiction categories include the zeitgeist-shifting Framing Britney Spears getting an Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special nom (facing Boys State, The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart, The Social Dilemma, and Tina). Meanwhile, the Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) is filled with pandemic-era favorites: 8:46 — Dave Chappelle, A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote, Bo Burnham: Inside, David Byrne’s American Utopia, Friends: The Reunion, and Hamilton are all nominated.
Much of the Hamilton cast is also up for individual trophies: Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom, Jr. compete for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie (Odom, Jr. previously beat out Miranda for the Tony); Phillipa Soo and Renée Elise Goldsberry are up for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series (Goldsberry also has a Tony for her Angelica Schuyler role); and all three of Daveed Diggs, Jonathan Groff, and Anthony Ramos go at it for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series (Diggs took home the Tony against Groff and Christopher Jackson).
Find the complete list of nominees below, and check back in with Consequence on September 19th to see who wins at the 73rd Emmy Awards.
Outstanding Drama Series
The Boys
Bridgerton
The Crown
The Handmaid’s Tale
Lovecraft Country
The Mandalorian
Pose
This Is Us
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Uzo Aduba, In Treatment
Olivia Colman, The Crown
Emma Corin, The Crown
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Mj Rodriguez, Pose
Jurnee Smollett, Lovecraft Country
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Jonathan Majors, Lovecraft Country
Josh O’Connor, The Crown
Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton
Billy Porter, Pose
Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Michael K. Williams, Lovecraft Country
John Lithgow, Perry Mason
Tobias Menzies, The Crown
O-T Fagbenle, The Handmaid’s Tale
Max Minghella, The Handmaid’s Tale
Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid’s Tale
Gincarlo Esposito, The Mandalorian
Chris Sullivan, This Is Use
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Aunjanue Ellis, Lovecraft Country
Emerald Fennel, The Crown
Gillian Anderson, The Crown
Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown
Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid’s Tale
Samira Wile, The Handmaid’s Tale
Madeline Brewer, The Handmaid’s Tale
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
Outstanding Comedy Series
Black-ish
Cobra Kai
Emily in Paris
Hacks
The Flight Attendant
The Kominsky Method
Pen15
Ted Lasso
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Aidy Bryant, Shrill
Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
Allison Janney, Mom
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Jean Smart, Hacks
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
William H. Macy, Shameless
Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
Kenan Thompson, Kenan
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Hacks
Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live
Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live
Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso
Brendan Hunt, Ted Lasso
Nick Mohammed, Ted Lasso
Jeremy Swift, Ted Lasso
Paul Reiser, The Kominsky Method
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Aidy Bryant, Saturday Night Live
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live
Juno Temple, Ted Lasso
Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso
Rosie Perez, The Flight Attendant
Outstanding Limited Series
I May Destroy You
Mare of Easttown
The Queen’s Gambit
The Underground Railroad
WandaVision
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Paul Bettany, WandaVision
Hugh Grant, The Undoing
Ewan McGregor, Halston
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom, Jr., Hamilton
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You
Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha
Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit
Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton
Renée Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown
Julianne Nicholson, Mare of Easttown
Moses Ingram, The Queen’s Gambit
Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Anthony Ramos, Hamilton
Paapa Essiedu, I May Destroy You
Evan Peters, Mare of Easttown
Thomas Brodie-Sangster, The Queen’s Gambit
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Courtney B. Vance, Lovecraft Country
Charles Dance, The Crown
Don Cheadle, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Timothy Olyphant, The Mandalorian
Carl Weathers, The Mandalorian
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Sophia Okonedo, Ratched
Claire Foy, The Crown
Alexis Bledel, The Handmaid’s Tale
McKenna Grace, The Handmaid’s Tale
Phylicia Rashad, This Is Us
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin, Saturday Night Live
Dave Chappelle, Saturday Night Live
Morgan Freeman, The Kominsky Method
Daniel Kaluuya, Saturday Night Live
Daniel Levy, Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Jane Adams, Hacks
Yvette Nicole Brown, A Black Lady Sketch Show
Bernadette Peters, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist
Issa Rae, A Black Lady Sketch Show
Maya Rudolph, Saturday Night Live
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Animated Series
Big Mouth
Bob’s Burgers
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal
South Park: The Pandemic Special
The Simpsons
Outstanding TV Movie
Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square
Oslo
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia
Sylvie’s Love
Uncle Frank
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Conan
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show
Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
8:46 — Dave Chappelle
A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote
Bo Burnham: Inside
David Byrne’s American Utopia
Friends: The Reunion
Hamilton
Outstanding Variety Special Live
Celebrating America — An Inauguration Night Special
Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards
The Oscars
The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show Starring The Weeknd
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
Allen v. Farrow
American Masters
City So Real
Pretend It’s a City
Secrets of the Whales
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
Boys State
Framing Britney Spears (The New York Times Presents)
The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
The Social Dilemma
Tina
Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman
Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special
Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy
United Shades of America with Kamau Bell
VICE
Outstanding Structured Reality Program
Antiques Roadshow
Property Brothers: Forever Home
Queer Eye
Running Wild with Bear Grylls
Shark Tank
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program
Becoming
Below Deck
Indian Matchmaking
RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked
Selling Sunset
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race
Nailed It!
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Nicole Byer, Nailed It!
Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness, Queer Eye
RuPaul, RuPaul’s Drag Race
Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O’Leary, Shark Tank
Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons, Top Chef
