HBO sits upon the Television Academy’s Iron Throne once again, walking away July 14 with 94 Emmy nominations total, the highest of any network. Its Emmy-winning “Game of Thrones” scored the most nominations of any television series with 23, including acting nods for Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, and Maisie Williams in supporting categories.
Yes, that largely reads the same as last year, but that doesn’t mean the 68th annual Emmy Award nominations were void of surprises on Thursday when Anthony Anderson (a nominee this year and last for “Black-ish”) and “Gilmore Girls” star Lauren Graham announced the main categories live at 8:30 a.m. PT.
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Ryan Murphy’s FX newcomer “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” was another major contender with 22 nominations, among them Best Limited Series and acting nods for Cuba Gooding Jr., Courtney B. Vance, and Sarah Paulson in lead actor categories, and John Travolta, Sterling K. Brown, and David Schwimmer in supporting. Acclaimed anthology series “Fargo” was right behind with 18, pushing FX to become the second most nominated network.
Joining last year’s winner “Game of Thrones” in the Best Drama Series camp are Showtime’s “Homeland,” Netflix’s “House of Cards,” USA’s red-hot freshman series “Mr. Robot,” the final season of “Downton Abbey,” “Breaking Bad” prequel series “Better Call Saul,” and FX’s tense spy thriller “The Americans.” Outstanding Comedy Series love went to new and old favorites alike with “Black-ish,” “Master of None,” “Modern Family,” “Silicon Valley,” “Transparent,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” and “Veep.”
Many of these series were seen again in the acting categories with their respective casts filling out the Academy’s slots. Kyle Chandler (“Bloodline”), Liev Schreiber (“Ray Donovan”), Rami Malek (“Mr. Robot”), Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”), Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”), and Kevin Spacey (“House of Cards”) are all in the running for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series; holding down the fort in the women’s category are actors Tatiana Maslany (“Orphan Black”), Robin Wright (“House of Cards”), Viola Davis (“How to Get Away With Murder”), Claire Danes (“Homeland”), Taraji P. Henson (“Empire”), and Keri Russell (“The Americans”).
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Hollywood’s best are also in the running for wins in comedy. Anderson (“Black-ish”), Aziz Ansari (“Master of None”), Will Forte (“The Last Man on Earth”), William H. Macy (“Shameless”), Thomas Middleditch (“Silicon Valley”), and Jeffrey Tambor (“Transparent”) are up for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Ellie Kemper (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep”), Laurie Metcalf (“Getting On”), Tracee Ellis Ross (“Black-ish”), Amy Schumer (“Inside Amy Schumer”), and Lily Tomlin (“Grace and Frankie”) all vie for Outstanding Lead Actress Comedy Series.
Read below for a full list of major categories across comedy and drama.
OUSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
“Game of Thrones”
“Homeland”
“House of Cards”
“Mr. Robot”
“Downton Abbey”
“Better Call Saul”
“The Americans”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Kyle Chandler, “Bloodline”
Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”
Rami Malek, “Mr. Robot”
Matthew Rhys, “The Americans”
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”
Viola Davis, “How to Get Away With Murder”
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Taraji P. Henson, “Empire”
Keri Russell, “The Americans”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul”
Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline”
Peter Dinklage, “Game of Thrones”
Kit Harington, “Game of Thrones”
Michael Kelly, “House of Cards”
Jon Voight, ”Ray Donovan”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Maggie Smith, “Downton Abbey”
Lena Headey, “Game of Thrones”
Emilia Clarke, “Game of Thrones”
Maisie Williams, “Game of Thrones”
Maura Tierney, “The Affair”
Constance Zimmer, “UnREAL”
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
“Modern Family”
“Silicon Valley”
“Transparent”
“Black-ish”
“Veep”
“Master of None”
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, “Black-ish”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”
Aziz Ansari, “Master of None”
Will Forte, “The Last Man on Earth”
Thomas Middleditch, “Silicon Valley”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Ellie Kemper, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
Laurie Metcalf, “Getting On”
Tracee Ellis Ross, “Black-ish”
Amy Schumer, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace and Frankie”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Niecy Nash, “Getting On”
Allison Janney, “Mom”
Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live”
Judith Light, “Transparent”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Transparent”
Anna Chlumsky, “Veep”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Keegan-Michael Key, “Key & Peele”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
Andre Braugher, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
Louie Anderson, “Baskets”
Tituss Burgess, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Tony Hale, “Veep”
Matt Walsh, “Veep”
OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES
“American Crime”
“Fargo”
“The Night Manager”
“The People v. OJ Simpson”
“Roots”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Bryan Cranston, “All The Way”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (Masterpiece)”
Idris Elba, “Luther”
Cuba Gooding Jr., “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
Tom Hiddleston, “The Night Manager”
Courtney B. Vance, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Felicity Huffman, “American Crime”
Lili Taylor, “American Crime”
Kerry Washington, “Confirmation”
Kirsten Dunst, “Fargo”
Audra McDonald, “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill”
Sarah Paulson, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Jesse Plemons, “Fargo”
Bokeem Woodbine, “Fargo”
Hugh Laurie, “The Night Manager”
John Travolta, “The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story”
Sterling K. Brown, “The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story”
David Schwimmer, “The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story”
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Melissa Leo, “All The Way”
Regina King, “American Crime”
Sarah Paulson, “American Horror Story: Hotel”
Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story: Hotel”
Jean Smart, “Fargo”
Olivia Colman, “The Night Manager”
OUTSTANDING TV MOVIE
“A Very Murray Christmas”
“All The Way”
“Confirmation”
“Luther”
“Sherlock”
For the full list of this year’s Emmy nominations, visit emmys.com. The 68th annual Emmy Awards will hit the Microsoft Theater and air live from Los Angeles Sept. 18 on ABC with comedian Jimmy Kimmel returning as host.
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