The 2017 Emmy Award nominations are out, and HBO is at the front of the pack (yet again) but not thanks to usual heavy hitter âGame of Thrones.â This year itâs all about âWestworldâ and âBig Little Lies.â Meanwhile there are plenty of battling co-stars in different categories, which is pretty on brand for FXâs âFeud.â Both Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange received a nomination for lead actress in a limited series or movie. And Sterling K. Brown and Milo Ventimiglia are competing against each other for lead actor in a drama series for âThis Is Us.â
- Here is the complete list of nominees
- âGame of Thronesâ did not get any nominations. This is why.
- Fans of âThe Leftoversâ have a lot of feelings about the showâs snub
- How Nancy Cartwrightâs âSimpsonsâ nomination is technically her first
Why the Emmy nomination counts for HBO, NBC, FX and AMC changed
As weâve discussed earlier this week, peak TV makes being an Emmy voter a difficult job. But with this yearâs crop of nominations, there was also a new wrinkle when it came to total network nominations.
The trouble began just hours after the Emmy nominations field was announced at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. First, NBC released a message indicating that their total number of nominations should be 64 instead of the Television Academyâs released number of 60. According to an NBC spokesperson, the discrepancy was the result of the omission of the nominations of two guest actors in a drama series on âThis Is Usâ in the count for the network and two nominees â âJay Lenoâs Garageâ and âBehind the Voiceâ â being misattributed to NBC.com and YouTube instead of the parent network.
A short time later, FX also adjusted its total of nominations, which the network had as 55 instead of the Emmysâ total of 54. As if that werenât enough, HBO also weighed in with its own count discrepancy, noting its total should be 111 instead of the 110 initially announced.
The reason for all of this confusion, other than the fact we all live in an elaborate computer simulation that is slowly beginning to break down? This year, the Academy had not fully combined Internet-created content with the network totals, which has thrown everything a bit haywire.
In an updated academy-provided table that tallied all the network totals from this yearâs nominations, a small note had been added, which read, âNew tallies include online platforms.â As a result, AMC also picked up another for its tally, rising from 12 to 13.
On Friday, a TV Academy representative clarified in a statement: âThe Television Academy received a request from several networks to aggregate digital platforms with linear network numbers, something that had not been done in the past. The academy agreed, and the new network tallies are the result. Clearly, the array of platforms would like to leverage the Emmys for their benefit.â
UPDATES:
1:55 p.m., July 14.: This post was updated with a statement from a TV Academy representative.
This post was originally published at 1:53 p.m., July 13.
Photos from âThe Handmaidâs Tale,â âAtlantaâ and other top Emmy nominees
MORE PHOTOS: 2017 Emmy top nominees
Netflix leads a âsea changeâ in the TV landscape as streaming services pile up Emmy nominations
After radically altering the way viewers have consumed television, streaming video platforms led by Netflix have now conquered the Emmy Awards nominations.
Four out of the seven nominations in the prestigious drama category for the 69th Emmy Awards announced Thursday aired on online streaming platforms.
Netflix claimed three nominations with âHouse of Cards,â âThe Crownâ and âStranger Things,â while Hulu scored its first nomination with âThe Handmaidâs Tale.â Two drama nominees aired on cable TV â AMCâs âBetter Call Saulâ and HBOâs âWestworldâ â and one, NBCâs âThis Is Us,â aired on a broadcast network.
Cable and broadcast networks still owned the bulk of the nominations, with perennial leader HBO topping the list with 111. But Netflix, with 91 â up from 54 in 2016 â was not far behind, outdistancing FX, which was fourth, with 55, after setting a record for an ad-supported cable network in 2016 with 56.
I think itâs a sea change. In our daily dialogue we no longer use the term network. We talk about platforms that deliver content. We are definitely in a different TV universe now.
— Warren Littlefield, executive producer of âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ
Samantha Bee talks her showâs multiple Emmy nods and the healing power of âCall the Midwifeâ
One of three alumni of âThe Daily Showâ to be nominated in the variety talk category, Samantha Bee and her weekly series âFull Frontalâ have become required viewing for those in search of the sharpest political satire on television. Here she talks about her nominations, which also included a variety special nod for her showâs âNot the White House Correspondentsâ Dinner.â
How are you feeling about the nominations for âFull Frontalâ?
Hold on. Jason [Jones] bought be this giant bucket of, you know, Gator gum â like Gatorade gum. Itâs like a really weird approximation of it. And I chew it obsessively. I have a barrel on my desk. Itâs a bucket with 200 pieces of it. OK, I spit it out.
What a morning. This is really exciting. Iâm really happy. Itâs not the reason why you do television. But it is a beautiful, exciting acknowledgement of the hard work and the grit that everybody puts into the show, for real.
âNot the White House Correspondentsâ Dinnerâ was nominated too.
I know! I was really happy about that. We worked so hard on that. We were really proud of it. Itâs nice to be recognized.
So set the scene this morning.
I was at the office. We were having a field department meeting. We were talking about possible field pieces. I think everybody at the back of their heads was silently acknowledging that the 11:30 hour had passed. And so, no one was really super focused on the meeting, but also we werenât watching it or paying attention to it.
And then I heard the little yelp from down the hall. And then Ed, one of the amazing graphics guys, poked his head out and said [does quiet voice], âNomination received for variety show.â
We took it in and then it took a little while to ramp up the celebration. We felt a sense of relief and gratitude. Then we got really excited. It takes a minute. You have to situate yourself. And then we had champagne. Every quality office has at least a couple of bottles chilling at any time. We popped a couple of bottles. We ordered pizza. Is there any other way to celebrate?
Thereâs a lot of great political comedy at the moment. Why do you think your show has broken through?
I canât really get into the heads of Academy members. I do think our show just broke through the noise a little bit. I think people responded to it. We have such a strong point of view, I think people responded to that, and weâve had amazing attention from the press, so thatâs been really gratifying and thatâs certainly helped our cause.
Our dinner was more high-profile than we ever thought it could have been. The political climate has set the table for us a little bit, and weâve tried to step up to the challenge. And so here we are. Iâm just happy. Iâm just excited. I donât really know what to say. I havenât really had this experience. We were nominated last year for writing, but this is nice, the overall recognition. It feels like a great next step.
Itâs a year for a lot of shows about women in general. Have you caught any of them?
Yeah, I love âThe Handmaidâs Tale.â Itâs so good. I went to see âWonder Womanâ with my daughter and I cried through the whole thing. It has been a tremendous year for womenâs stories and Iâm happy to be a part of that wave. Itâs not a passing fancy. Itâs just happening, which is great. There will be more women in late night, which is great. Iâm excited to be a part of it. Iâm so excited for everyone here, for the whole team. Theyâre so happy. They deserve recognition. They deserve to go to an awesome party.
What other shows have you been watching?
I caught up on âFargoâ this year and loved it. I binged it from the beginning. All three seasons. I loved âOrange Is The New Blackâ this year. I love âBlack Mirror,â always. Iâm so happy to see âSan Juniperoâ [episode of âBlack Mirrorâ] nominated.
Itâs so dorky, but I watched every season of âCall the Midwife.â I binged the whole series. It really assuaged a lot of my pain this year. It took me to another time, another place, itâs peaceful and beautiful. I truly loved it. I was so sad when I finished this latest season. Iâm not sure I still know what to do with myself.
Everyoneâs got a real can-do attitude, everyone kind of bristles with activity and good will. Itâs a palate cleanser. Babies are born, terrible things happen. Thereâs a lot of elbow grease. I really respond to that. Midwives on bicycles. Nuns. I love everything with nuns. I just love nuns.
It doesnât seem relaxing that a show about nuns and midwives would be just the tonic that I needed at the end of the day. But I really did cry when I was done.
Emmy voters find some habits too hard to break â even when they should
We had the Emmy obits for âModern Familyâ and âHouse of Cardsâ written. But we forgot. These are the Emmys. Once youâre in, it can often be a lifetime membership. âModern Familyâ and âHouse of Cardsâ both again earned series nominations, meaning theyâve been nominated for every season theyâve been on the air. (For those keeping count, thatâs eight for âModern Familyâ and five for âHouse of Cards.â)
These two series nominations were among the bigger surprises of Emmy nomination morning, as was another nod to tradition â the annual rewarding of Bill Maherâs âReal Time.â Maher dropped a racial epithet right before voting began, and then got royally educated the following week by guest Ice Cube. (Thatâs a guest spot that deserves an Emmy.) But Emmy voters werenât bothered and rubber-stamped Maherâs perennial nom, giving him 40 now for his career.
But Emmy morning also delivered plenty of news worth celebrating. Four fine new dramas were nominated for best series. There was some love (but not nearly enough) for Donald Gloverâs comedy âAtlantaâ and an astonishingly great nomination for Pamela Adlon.
How âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ created its Emmy-nominated, red army of robes
Long before she was Emmy-nominated for her costume design work on Huluâs âThe Handmaidâs Tale,â Ane Crabtree sat down with the Los Angeles Times to discuss her fashion choices on the show.
âThe best design is made to solve problems,â Crabtree said of the iconic red dresses worn by the handmaids, going on to explain how the gowns adapt for season and pregnancy.
Crabtree also opened up her sketchpad and shared her process when it came to clothing the world of Gilead.
Pamela Adlon of âBetter Thingsâ doesnât need to win the Emmy; the nomination âis the thingâ
Pamela Adlon has had an impressive career spanning nearly four decades. She earned her first Emmy in 2002 voicing several characters on the animated âKing of the Hill,â which she worked on for 13 seasons, and notched several other nominations along the way, primarily for her work on âLouie.â
But it was the FX starâs lead actress nod for her semi-autobiographical family comedy âBetter Thingsâ on Thursday that had her âhysterically crying,â she said in a phone interview with The Times.
Have you stopped crying yet?
Oh, my God. I just stopped. Iâve been hysterically crying all day.
How did you find out about the nomination?
I almost found out I got nominated from you because I got an email that said @glennwhipp and you wrote that beautiful thing about the Emmys. Just before that, my manager FaceTimed me. I canât believe it. Iâm stunned. Iâve been working my whole life as an actor and to be recognized as an actor is just amazing. Iâm in the lead actress of a comedy category? Thatâs unbelievable to me. Iâm stunned.
Nothing can top the way I feel in my heart and my spirit right now. It just feels really good. Never in a million years did I feel something like this could happen to me. I donât have to win anything. This is the thing.
They told me youâre at an airport. Where are you?
Iâm on my way back to L.A. Iâm in Baltimore. I was making a movie called âAll Squareâ with Michael Kelly from âHouse of Cards.â
He got nominated too. Thatâs going to be a good movie.
He did? Michael Kelly? Shut up!
You dedicated the show to your daughters. What do they think of your nomination?
Two of them are in school, and one of them is in Italy. And we have a family text thread, and my youngest daughter just wrote in all caps, âSHUT THE ⌠UP.â (Laughs.) Thatâs pretty much the sentiment all around for the people in my world. Iâm so happy. And now more people will watch my show, which is the greatest thing ever.
This has been a great TV year for women and womenâs stories. How does it feel to be recognized for being part of that?
I think everybody is a little bit raw right now, the way the world is and whatâs happening. When my showâs finale aired after the election, people told me, âYouâre talking about this time right now. Thank you.â This has always been a part of me, but just right now, it feels like the perfect moment.
How are you going to celebrate when the plane lands?
Iâm going to be with my daughters. Iâm going to finish my post and editing and cook for my family.
Whatâs your celebratory dish?
Caribbean chicken. Avocado pasta. Hey ⌠maybe Iâll do a cookbook next. (Laughs.)
âLightweightâ Tracee Ellis Ross might sip a cocktail tonight to celebrate her second Emmy nod
Nominated Thursday morning for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series, Tracee Ellis Ross of ABCâs âblack-ishâ spoke exclusively to the Los Angeles Times about her second Emmy nod.
Congratulations! Where were you when you got the news?
What a fun morning! I was sitting on my meditation pillows in my meditation room listening to the birds with a moisture mask on my face. (Laughs.) I decided that watching the live feeds was making me too nervous and uncomfortable, so I wanted to do something that felt better. I opened my eyes and said, âIâll look and see if I get texts. If I get texts, then it means something good and then I can sort of tune in to whatâs happening.â And I looked at, like 8:36 a.m., and there was one text and then as I was about to open it, more started to come in, and I was like, âI think this is a good thing, I think this is a good thing.â
So how quickly did your mood change from serenity to excitement?
It was pretty quick. And so I started making phone calls to all my loved ones. I called my parents and then I called my sisters and my brothers, thereâs so many of us. And then I called my best friends and Kenya [Barris, the showâs creator]. It was actually really funny. So I texted Kenya and said, âCongratulationsâ and I meant to touch the cartwheel emoji, but I accidentally touched the broken heart, and I was like, âOh, God! No! I donât mean that!â [Laughs].
Iâm so excited because these moments are made so much sweeter when you get to share them with your family. And the fact that [co-star] Anthony [Anderson] is nominated for the third time makes it so extra special. And I have to say that I am blown away by the other women in this category! These are women who have not only influenced my personal career, but my life. Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are two women that I have revered for so many years of my life.
Whatâs it like working with someone you have such a close relationship with?
Anthony and I both, I think, are great on our own, but thereâs something extra special that happens when weâre together. But the more that we have this time under our belts, the more that the respect and the love and the safety with each other grows. And I feel like there is something that comes out of me in collaboration with him that Iâve never seen in myself or my work anywhere else and I love it.
Were you surprised by your nomination?
If youâre not surprised, I donât know what youâre thinking! (Laughs.) I was surprised and I was nervous. As a kid, as soon as I decided I wanted to be an actor, and even before I decided I wanted to be an actor, I always watched award shows, and I always thought to myself, âMy goodness. What an extraordinary moment for that person.â And when I became an actor, the idea of winning an Oscar or an Emmy or a Golden Globe, thatâs the moment, thatâs the thing. And, of course, my life and my career and who I am as a person is not validated by those things, but the acknowledgment and the excitement of that â particularly for me in the context of the historical aspect as a black woman in this category, the weight and the meaning within that â is extremely special. Thereâs a lot to it that I donât take lightly.
I am blown away by the other women in this category! These are women who have not only influenced my personal career, but my life.
— Tracee Ellis Ross
Why do you think people connect with this show?
I think people see themselves in this family both in the love and in the limitations of this family. The willingness on the part of our writers to courageously dive into subject matters that all of us are chomping on and trying to make sense of in this world, this country that weâre living in. The fact that it is a multigenerational comedy that touches on so many different kinds of points of view, the writersâ amazing ability to unpack the heavier subject matter but in a comedic way, the chemistry between our cast. I feel like there a lot of pieces that work.
How do you plan on celebrating?
My favorite thing to do to celebrate is to enjoy my favorite part of my life, which is cooking, having beautiful food, watching some television and going to bed early. So that is probably what will happen. I did discover Iâm not a big drinker in any way, shape or form. Iâm more interested in the stemware and the glasses that I drink from than the alcohol that is in them. However, on Instagram I did see a beautiful cocktail in a friendâs post that was tequila with rose water and lime. And yesterday I went and bought the ingredients, so perhaps tonight I will make one of those cocktails and celebrate with two or three sips because Iâm such a lightweight that I donât know that I could drink a whole glass of tequila.
How Nancy Cartwrightâs Emmy nomination is technically a first for her 28 years of work on âThe Simpsonsâ
A nomination more than 28 years in the making: âThe Simpsonsâ voice actress Nancy Cartwright on Thursday scored her first Emmy nomination for her legendary work as Bart Simpson (and various other âSimpsonsâ characters).
It is not, however, Cartwrightâs first Emmy nomination. That came in 2004, for her work on âKim Possible.â
And if she wins this time, it technically wonât be Cartwrightâs first Emmy for voicing the trouble-making Simpson son either.
In 1992, the Primetime Emmys introduced an award for voice-over performance, an honor that was originally bestowed by jury selection to multiple, single or no winners in a given year. The academy continued the practice through 2008 before switching to the traditional nomination practice.
In the categoryâs inaugural year, the award was given to six voice actors from âThe Simpsonsâ: Cartwright, Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, Jackie Mason, Yeardley Smith and Marcia Wallace. So she was never nominated for her past âSimpsonsâ work, just awarded.
Since then, the voice-acting honors have further diversified, in 2014 splitting into two categories: voice-over performance and narrator.
Though many âSimpsonsâ actors have been recognized by the Emmys in the years since, Cartwright has not been among them.
Neither, for that matter, has Yeardley Smith.
Justice for Lisa Simpson in 2018!
Will Shannon Purserâs Emmy nomination for âStranger Thingsâ finally silence the #JusticeForBarb advocates?
Things are finally looking up for Barb.
âStranger Thingsâ was among the top nominees Thursday morning when the Television Academy announced the 2017 Emmy nomination. Netflixâs creepy sci-fi series earned 18 nods, including a nomination in the coveted drama series category.
Shannon Purser, who played fan-favorite character Barb, was nominated for guest actress in a drama series in a field that also includes Alison Wright (âThe Americansâ), Alexis Bledel (âThe Handmaidâs Tale.â), Cicely Tyson (âHow to Get Away With Murderâ), Ann Dowd (âThe Leftoversâ) and Laverne Cox (âOrange is the New Blackâ).
âStranger Thingsâ fans could not contain their excitement upon learning of Purserâs nomination, with many seeing the nod as Barb finally getting the justice she deserves. Many took to Twitter to celebrate.
Of course, Twitter being Twitter, there is always someone ready to spoil the party.
Hopefully the Emmy nomination will keep Barb fans satisfied until Netflix releases Season 2 of âStranger Thingsâ on Oct. 27.
And multiple Emmy nominations go to Donald Glover, Ann Dowd, Liev Schreiber ...
Several of Thursdayâs Emmy nominees were awarded not one, but multiple nominations for their TV work.
For some, itâs a credit to the wealth of work available in television. For others, itâs a testament to their multi-hyphenate abilities. Below are this yearâs actors who are up for Emmy Awards in more than one category.
Riz Ahmed: English rapper Riz MC is nominated for lead actor in a limited series or movie for his portrayal of Nasir âNazâ Khan, a Pakistani American student accused of killing a woman, in HBOâs âThe Night Of.â The âStar Warsâ Rogue Oneâ star is also up for guest actor in a comedy series for his turn as Hannahâs surf instructor, Paul-Louis, in HBOâs âGirls.â
Aziz Ansari: The âMaster of Noneâ is showing that heâs a master of more than one craft. In addition to his lead actor in a comedy nod, the âParks and Recreationâ alum is also nominated as a writer on his Netflix series.
Alec Baldwin: In the year of ââSaturday Night Liveâ versus Donald Trump,â Baldwin consistently made headlines for his portrayal of the president. Baldwin is up for supporting actor in a comedy series as well as hosting ABCâs reality-competition series âMatch Game.â (Fun fact: The episode of âSNLâ Baldwin hosted has three other Emmy nominations -- production design, outstanding makeup and prosthetic makeup -- as well.)
Ty Burrell: The two-time Emmy winner and âModern Familyâ fixture is again nominated as a supporting actor for his ABC comedy, as well as for actor in a short-form comedy or drama series, for âBoondoggle.â
Ann Dowd: The formidable Aunt Lydia is nominated for her supporting work in Huluâs rookie drama âThe Handmaidâs Tale,â and her turn as Patti Levin in HBOâs âThe Leftoversâ earned her a guest actress in a drama nod.
Donald Glover: Childish Gambino and the upcoming Lando Calrissian is up for lead actor in a comedy series for his FX series âAtlanta.â He also earned nods for directing and writing the Georgia-set comedy.
Ewan McGregor: Nominated for lead actor in a limited series or movie for FXâs âFargo,â McGregor also scored nominations for narrating Nat Geo Wildâs docu-series on his homeland, âWild Scotland.â
Matthew Rhys: Heâs played master spy Philip Jennings in five seasons of FXâs âThe Americansâ (and this is his second nod in the lead actor category). However, the academy took notice of his guest-actor stint, giving him a nomination for his turn as a literary icon accused of sexual assault on HBOâs âGirls.â
Liev Schreiber: Showtimeâs âRay Donovanâ star has been perennially nominated in the lead actor in a drama category, but this year heâs competing against himself in the narrator category for lending his voice to HBOâs sports documentaries âMuhammad Ali: Only Oneâ and âUConn: The March To Madness.â
First-time Emmy nominee Claire Foy is saving her celebratory âgood olâ drinkâ for the ceremony
Claire Foy was no stranger to period dramas prior to portraying Queen Elizabeth II on Netflixâs âThe Crown,â having played Anne Boleyn in the miniseries âWolf Hallâ as well as a recent revival of âUpstairs Downstairs.â
Perhaps that familiarity is what made her performance such a standout on âThe Crown,â which earned 13 Emmy nominations, including Foyâs first in the lead actress in a drama category.
Where are you, sounds like youâre outside?
I am in Hampstead Heath in London, itâs this big park. I was here when I got the news. My publicist was the first to contact me and then it was just loads of people â lots of Americans â were contacting me. Itâs the middle of the day there, whereas here, people are having dinner and stuff. Itâs been lovely.
How are you going to celebrate?
Uh ⌠I donât ⌠know. I think Iâll probably just save my celebrating [for] when we actually can all get together at the Emmys and sit down and have a good olâ drink. Iâll bottle up my celebration until September.
That sounds like something that the Queen would say! Thatâs a lot of willpower!
Ha! Iâll wait until the big party. Iâm not really mad keen with the idea of celebrating myself, that way we can all celebrate each other and pat ourselves on the back.
You wrapped production on Season 2. How has it been inhabiting this role? Are people recognizing you, or does the period garb make it easier for you to go unnoticed in real life?
Weâve been so overwhelmed by the reaction the show has received. But I donât really get stopped on the street, to be honest. But most of the reaction I do get is the frantic question of, âWhen is the next one coming out?â
I also get people who want to blame you because they lost 10 hours of their life. Theyâll be like, âI watched it all in one day!â Youâre not really sure if you should say âthank youâ or âIâm sorry.â Itâs quite funny that people want to let you know that you took away their time. It just shows that people really appreciate it and enjoy it.
Going into Season 2, was there a greater ease in channeling her?
I think you could say it was easier, but at the same time, itâs harder in a way because you have to guard against thinking you know everything about her. All the directors and Peter Morgan really kept on top of us because they didnât want us to rest on our laurels. And the storylines were more in-depth and complicated. We really felt comfortable but at the same time tried not to get too comfortable.
How are the Corgis?
I love the Corgis, but when theyâre on set, all bets are off. The Corgis have complete creative control. We let them run free. If they want to take a scene in a particular direction, weâll follow them.
Who are you excited to see on the big night? I really want a selfie of you with the âStranger Thingsâ kids.
Oh, I love them. Theyâre amazing. And theyâre always the life of the parties, as well. Itâs ridiculous. Theyâre there dancing until, like, 3 oâclock in the morning. I feel like an absolute ancient old lady next to them. Like, Iâm trying to dance and theyâre out there being like Justin Timberlake. And Iâm a mother trying to dance next to them. But it would be lovely to see them again.
Emmy nominee Jessica Lange calls Joan Crawford âa great partâ in âFeud: Bette and Joan,â but she doesnât miss her
A revered actress and three-time Emmy winner, Jessica Lange was perhaps a shoo-in for this yearâs crop of nominees. After portraying Joan Crawford in Ryan Murphyâs miniseries âFeud: Bette and Joan,â Lange earned her eighth Emmy nod, and she will be competing against co-star Susan Sarandan in the lead actress in a drama category.
Itâs already midday for you in New York. Whatâs the morning been like so far?
Itâs been a little hectic. But itâs so exciting. Iâm so thrilled â and Iâm thrilled about it for everybody involved.
What was it like to play such a complicated character as Joan Crawford? And what does this nomination mean to you?
You know, it was such a great part. And the part ended up meaning so much to me. Because I hadnât, going into it, known that much about Joan Crawford and her history, and how she came up and the hard knocks, and what drove her. And suddenly, the part kind of opened up into this great, classic role with really tragic overtones. She became a character I really loved playing. So to be acknowledged â it makes it somehow more special.
Also, the fact that for Crawford, in the end after her death, to have the book âMommie Dearestâ and the movie done, it cast a shadow on her legacy that I always felt was somehow unfair. Because she was never able to respond in her lifetime. I feel like what we did with this was to approach it as honestly as we could from the research and everybody involved, and what we were able to do in those eight episodes was to create a complete picture of her.
Was the âMommie Dearestâ episode difficult for you?
They were all so emotional. It was such a huge, emotional character. Thatâs what I loved about it. I loved the idea that we could discuss her childhood and the violence and the poverty and the abuse. That was very important to me because it was my jumping-off point to the character.
It always is difficult â any time you play such extreme emotions, it takes its toll. But the longer you do it, the easier it is to move in and out of it.
How do you leave a character like that behind at the end of the day?
It didnât exactly work that way. She was kind of with me all the time, I have to say. But I wasnât home. I wasnât around family. So it was all right. I was able to live with her.
Do you miss her now?
No, I canât say that. But I do miss the work, the caliber of work that was done, the writing, the direction, the other actors. Thatâs what you end up missing at the end of the day.
Do you watch much television â and is there anything youâre inspired by these days?
I donât. I have three homes and I only have TV in my New York apartment. I usually wait until the academy sends me screeners and then watch that. But Iâm not watching anything right now.
What are you reading?
[George Saundersâ] âLincoln in the Bardo,â which is very interesting.
Whatâs next, work-wise?
Iâve got nothing ahead of me right now, at least not for this year. Which is actually a really nice feeling.
Nihilistic fans of âThe Leftoversâ look for meaning in the showâs Emmy snub, find nothing
Wherever there are awards awarded and nominations to receive, there are also shows and individuals lost in the shuffle.
There are plenty of great performances and series that were overlooked in this yearâs crop of Emmy nominations (including âInsecureâ and Issa Rae, âLate Night with Seth Meyersâ and Oprah Winfrey for âThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacksâ) but none got Twitter as riled up Thursday morning as the academyâs snub of HBOâs âThe Leftovers.â
Perhaps it was creator Damon Lindelofâs, er, inspiring Instagram promises of a nude Justin Theroux if the star were nominated for an Emmy or maybe it was just public outcry over the lack of recognition for the showâs final season, but either way people were feeling all their feelings.
So many feelings that many of the tweets canât be shared due to the language used to convey those feelings.
Hereâs what we can share, though.
At least âLeftoversâ star Carrie Coon scored a nomination for her work on âFargo,â right guys?
Oh come now, there must be some silver lining fans can focus on, other than Ann Dowdâs guest actress nomination.
Thatâs the spirit!
Moira vs. Aunt Lydia? âHandmaidâs Taleâ star Samira Wiley talks about being nominated alongside her costar
Samira Wiley, familiar to âOrange Is the New Blackâ fans as Poussey Washington, earned an Emmy nomination Thursday for playing Moira in âThe Handmaidâs Tale,â the Hulu series that scored 13 nominations. Wileyâs competition in the supporting actress drama category includes not only her âOrangeâ costar Uzo Aduba but also her âHandmaidâsâ castmate Ann Dowd, who portrays the sadistic Aunt Lydia.
I hear youâre at a photo shoot?
Oh my god. Iâm so excited. Yes, Iâm in the makeup chair getting my eyebrows done. Iâm pushing the phone from left ear to right ear. I got a phone call from my agent and publicist on the way to the photo shoot.
Will it be hard not to smile during the shoot? I hope you donât have to be super serious.
Absolutely, Iâm going to smile. Iâm not even going to try not to smile.
What do you think Aunt Lydia would think about this kind of recognition?
Aunt Lydia would say -- well, Iâm not sure what Aunt Lydia would say, but I know Ann Dowd would be very positive and proud. I have do much respect for her. She keeps me grounded and keeps it about the work. She helps me remember why weâre doing this. Iâm so honored to be in the same category as her.
But is it bittersweet to be up against your costar?
No, I feel like itâs more chances for joy. I honestly feel like the work on that show is not achievable without an ensemble. She is such a star in our ensemble. I just feel like weâre winning even more so having two people.
Youâve gone from one powerful female narrative (âOrange Is the New Blackâ) to another (âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ). How would you describe being part of this wave?
I feel so lucky, honestly. Maybe even a little naive because these are the two shows â the biggest shows â Iâve been involved in. They are completely driven by the women that are involved. On âOrange,â everywhere I looked â the producer, the writers, the cast, everyone behind the camera â was led by women. And to go to another show and have that also be a reality, I think Iâm getting a little spoiled. And itâs so inspiring to see that I can do those things. If I want to be able to grow and step behind the camera, that those opportunities can exist if we push for them.
What has it been like to see the women dressed as Handmaids pop up at events around the country?
Itâs so crazy to see. Honestly, itâs showing me and everyone else how important and how timely this show is, how symbolic it is for people. To have that in conjunction with these is showing us that not only is it timely and important, but itâs also good television. People are watching because it is. I never thought it would be as big as it is. I had that same feeling with âOrange.â To be a part of something that is so relevant is something that I pride myself on.
Are Canadians saying you can be an honorary citizen?
I do hear that from some Canadians! But I have nothing but love for my country. I have the utmost faith in the people â the people I see every day and surround myself with.
Billy Eichnerâs Emmy nomination is for the show he did all on his own
Billy Eichnerâs loud and wild game-show/variety series âBilly on the Streetâ has been a cult favorite for years. Eichnerâs hilarious and fearless ability to launch himself at New York pedestrians to ask an endless supply of inane questions launched his career, landing him turns on âParks and Recreation,â âDifficult People,â âFriends From Collegeâ and the upcoming âAmerican Horror Story.â And now âBilly on the Streetâ has its second prime-time Emmy nomination and TruTV, on which it airs, has scored its first.
We caught up with Eichner to ask a few questions of our own.
They tell me we have just 4 minutes. So, quick: current mood?
Iâm pretty ecstatic. And surprised. Mainly, Iâm just very proud of the show and everyone who works on it. The show has had a very unusual trajectory â a slow growth. Hang on â Iâm getting so many text messages, itâs crazy. Friends and loved ones. No word from Nicole Kidman yet â weâre all waiting! But, yeah, itâs been a very slow build â live shows to YouTube and the Internet to a very small cable network to TruTV. Itâs been a journey about building awareness for the show while also keeping the show creatively intact. A lot of hard work. Scraping and crawling your way to the top. But itâs been a dream come true. Itâs been amazing.
Where are we catching you, by the way?
Iâm in L.A. in my apartment right now, about to go shoot âAmerican Horror Story.â I have to run off to get to set.
This the first nomination in this category for your show â did it come as a surprise?
TruTV was incredibly supportive â they got behind a very passionate campaign for the show. So I know thereâs a lot of love out there for the show â but itâs a very unique show. Itâs not necessarily for everyone. And there are a million shows out there right now; itâs very hard to break through the clutter. But we really allowed the show to evolve. Weâve taken on political commentary.
Do you think thatâs part of the showâs success, the current political climate?
Maybe thatâs one element. But itâs still largely about pop culture. I think the main thing is a lot of people are familiar with âBilly on the Streetâ because of the segments of the show that go viral. People watch it online. And it took a while for people to get the full picture of what the show is about. The show is a satire of our political and social obsessions. In the form of this low-fi, improvised show on the streets of New York.
Whatâs your favorite part of doing a roaming sidewalk game show?
Itâs fun and itâs also the hardest thing Iâll ever have to do in my life. Itâs exhausting â literally running around the streets of New York and talking to real people. The most joyful part is that itâs my baby. I created these segments -- it just came out of my head many years ago. I take a lot of pride in that. It must be great to be on âSaturday Night Liveâ and I love Comedy Central and I appreciate all these comedic institutions; but I didnât really have anything like that behind me. I really made it happen for myself. It made things harder, maybe â it was a ton of work â but you really appreciate it in a different way. I had to persevere to get this far. I had to make it for myself. Iâm really proud of that.
Celebrating her first two Emmy nods, Ann Dowd is âpinching myselfâ
Itâs proving to be a good year for Ann Dowd.
Thursday morning, the actress received not one but two Emmy nominations: supporting actress in a drama series for Huluâs âThe Handmaidâs Tale,â and guest actress in a drama series for HBOâs âThe Leftovers.â
This will be her first time going to the Emmys despite a career that spans 32 years.
Where were you when you got the news?
I was sitting on my bed in North Carolina, where Iâm shooting the second season of âGood Behavior.â Iâm just stunned. Iâm pinching myself as we speak.
So you were surprised?
Oh, yes. This morning I knew it was going to be announced, so I cleaned the house and I rearranged the furniture and I changed all the pictures. Iâm not even kidding. And I took a little walk around the town house Iâm staying in and I said, âWhatever happens, just receive it with grace and know how fortunate you are to be working.â
Thatâs honestly what I was doing. And then I went inside and sat down and was watching Wimbledon. I was watching Venus [Williams] play some wonderful young tennis player and I pretended I was playing tennis and got involved... I was trying to distract myself.
And then at about 11:40 a.m. I just texted my publicist and said, âHas it happened?â And he called me and he said very quietly, âYou got both.â And I quietly flipped because I was so stunned I could barely talk.
How does it feel to finally be recognized after such a long career in the industry?
The overwhelming feeling is gratitude. Because so many actors deserve to be recognized and so many actors work so hard and donât know where their next job is. And to have the great fortune of playing roles like Patti [Levin in âThe Leftoversâ] and Aunt Lydia [in âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ], thereâs a great fortune in that. Really, the strongest feeling is gratitude.
Who was the first person you told?
My husband. He was utterly sweet and lovely and wonderful. My husband and I met in acting school and weâve been together ever since, so he knows just what the feeling would be like. And the hopes and dreams we have as actors, he and I share that, and so to be able to talk to him about this was quite extraordinary.
Why do you think viewers connect with these two shows, especially right now?
Well, I think for âHandmaidâs,â of course, the timeliness, what weâre all facing not just in our country but in the world. How wonderful to put a name and a face and a story to those fears and to remind us to pay attention and to stay awake and alert and to not pretend itâs not happening. âHandmaidâs Taleâ offers that opportunity, and thatâs a fantastic thing. âLeftovers,â to me, is profound in its handling of grief and loss and the nonlinear way that story is told. The power behind it, I donât know that Iâve ever been more deeply affected by anything than I have been by âLeftoversâ and now with âHandmaidâs.â
How do you plan on celebrating?
You know, I have no idea. Those lovely feelings are just starting to sink in. Iâm walking around again barefoot in my sweet little place and just happy, and thatâs celebration right there.
Same-show nominees will go head to head in a dozen Emmys categories
Call it âFeud: For Real.â Or maybe âThis Is a Lot of Us.â
Multiple performers from the same casts are going head to head in a dozen Emmy categories this year, meaning that come Sept. 17, a show thatâs celebrating a performerâs win might simultaneously be consoling someone heading home empty-handed.
Newcomer âThis Is Usâ is carrying some of that baggage, with both Sterling K. Brown and Milo Ventimiglia up for lead actor in a drama series, and Denis OâHare, Gerald McRaney and Brian Tyree Henry up for guest actor in the same.
Among supporting actresses, âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ has Samira Wiley and Ann Dowd vying in the drama category, while âSaturday Night Liveâ has three players in the comedy series: Vanessa Bayer, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon. On the list for limited series or movie, âBig Little Liesâ and âFeud: Bette and Joanâ have supporting actresses Laura Dern versus Shailene Woodley and Judy Davis versus Jackie Hoffman, respectively.
âFeudâ continued to live up to its name in the supporting actor arena, where Alfred Molina and Stanley Tucci are pitted among the limited series or movie folks, and for actress, where Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon both made the list.
The latter two also face âLiesâ lead actresses Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon, while Tucci and Molina will see additional competition from âThe Night Ofâ supporting cast members Bill Camp and Michael K. Williams. Riz Ahmed and John Turturro, both from âThe Night Ofâ as well, are up for lead actor in a limited series or movie.
Female leads from comedies âGrace and Frankieâ (Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin) and âTransparentâ supporting actresses Kathryn Hahn and Judith Light are all vying for comedy series statues. Supporting âVeepâ players Tony Hale and Matt Walsh are in competition, as are Riz Ahmed (again) and Matthew Rhys, actors who both had guest roles on the comedy series âGirls.â
Wrapping it all up is the horde of battling âSNLâ hosts who pepper the ranks of the comedy series guest-performer categories. For the ladies, Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy got nods, while the gentlemenâs list includes Dave Chappelle, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tom Hanks.
Be warned: Those Emmy after-parties could get a bit awkward.
Bob Odenkirk, lead actor in a drama nominee for âBetter Call Saulâ: âIt is a surprise! Come on nowâ
Bob Odenkirk is the first to admit that there are plenty of great actors and shows on television. Despite the increasingly deep field of contenders, the television academy recognized Odenkirk once again for his role on âBetter Call Saulâ when the 2017 Emmy nominations were announced Thursday morning.
Odenkirk was among the nominees for lead drama actor for his portrayal of Jimmy McGill on the AMC series (with the show earning a nod for best drama series). This is the third consecutive year he has been nominated for the role.
Odenkirk talked to The Times about his nomination, why he considers âBetter Call Saulâ an underdog and how he plans to celebrate.
Where are we catching you this morning?
Iâm in New York in my hotel room. Iâm doing that Steven Spielberg movie called âThe Papersâ right now. Itâs the story of the Pentagon Papers. Itâs about government secrets, freedom of the press, who will exercise freedom of the press, about a turbulent time in American politics. Itâs extremely timely right now. I wish it wasnât, but it is.
How are you feeling -- and was the nomination a surprise at all?
It is a surprise! Come on now. Look, you know whatâs a surprise? The big surprise is that Michael McKean did not get nominated for âBetter Call Saul.â His performance in our show was through the roof, over-the-top brilliant -- in intensity and humanity -- and it was something really, really special. I was surprised he didnât get noticed.
Iâm also surprised to be included -- and the reason is, there is just so many great actors and shows right now. Sheer volume. I feel like weâre still kind of an underdog; maybe itâs just me: all my life feeling where I belong. Our show is a relatively human-sized show compared to some of the productions around us. Obviously, something like âGame of Thronesâ is an example of a show that is just massive. The number of characters and the grandness of it. And our show, in relation, is more modest.
What do you think it is about the show, and your character, that so resonated with viewers and the academy?
Itâs a more idiosyncratic show than even âBreaking Badâ was. There are numerous ways in for âBreaking Badâ -- it was a midlife crisis, a family dealing with the modern economy. With our show, Jimmy has a very distinctive drive and personality and heâs on a very unique path. The way people relate to it --and Iâm just guessing here -- is that everybody wants to feel effective in the world. Itâs our right to do that. And thatâs what heâs struggling to do. I think people can relate to that feeling of trying to find their place in the juggernaut of the American economy and careers.
What does the rest of your day look like? Will you celebrate?
Iâm going to work today. Iâll celebrate, though. Iâll be doing a scene with Matthew Rhys [who scored two nominations]. Weâre both in this together. Itâs great. Weâll give each other a slap on the back.
âItâs really glamorous, kidsâ: Celebs react to their Emmy nominations
Social media was atwitter Thursday morning following the 69th Emmy nominations announcement. Nominees took to Twitter and Instagram to share their excitement, gratitude and, in âSNLâ star Leslie Jonesâ case, a resolution to âget fine.â For âStranger Thingsâ star David Harbour, it was a glamorous shot reveling at airport security.
Hereâs a roundup of some of the reactions:
Are the Emmys taking cues from the Grammys?
Snoop Dogg, one of the godfathers of West Coast hip-hop, received an Emmy nomination this morning for his role as host on VH1âs âMartha & Snoopâs Potluck Dinner Party,â while Chance the Rapper, one of hip-hopâs brightest young stars, earned a nod in the original music and lyrics category for co-writing âLast Christmas,â a Run D.M.C.-inspired ditty featured in a 2016 episode of âSaturday Night Live.â
The two rappers are hardly the only pop acts nominated for televisionâs highest honor.
Adam Schlesinger, of the 1990s power-pop group Fountains of Wayne, earned a nod for original music and lyrics with âWe Tapped That ...,â a tune from the CW series âCrazy Ex-Girlfriend.â
Michael Stein and Kyle Dixon, members of the Texas electro group Survive, are up for original main title theme for their music from Netflixâs âStranger Things.â
And rapper Common, who won an Oscar two years ago for his song âGloryâ from the movie âSelma,â was recognized in original music and lyrics for âLetter to the Free,â a track he composed with jazz musicians Robert Glasper and Karriem Riggins for Ava DuVernayâs Netflix documentary â13th.â
Pop music also figured prominently in the nominations for music supervision, a new Emmy category this year recognizing outstanding work by the people who select songs for use in television shows.
Among the nominees are Susan Jacobs for her work on HBOâs âBig Little Liesâ (which featured a memorable application of âHarvest Moonâ by Neil Young), Zach Cowie and Kerri Drootin for Netflixâs âMaster of Noneâ (in which they used songs by John Fahey and Frankie Knuckles) and the trio responsible for the music on HBOâs âGirls,â who found room in that seriesâ next-to-last episode for both Bert Janschâs âRunning From Homeâ and â23â by Mike Will Made It and Miley Cyrus.
âWestworldâ nominee Evan Rachel Wood: âItâs been an amazing year for women in televisionâ
As Dolores Abernathy, the oldest robot host in âWestworld,â Evan Rachel Wood had to turn on a dime emotionally while cycling through her characterâs various functions and moods. She was recognized for that nimbleness with a nomination for actress in a drama, one of HBOâs leading 110 nods.
Where are we catching you right now?
I was folding laundry. Seriously, I was folding laundry when I found out. Iâm at home in L.A. Iâm doing interviews while doing household chores because itâs the only time I can do them.
When youâve reached a certain level of success and fame, do you still get nervous before award nominations?
You know, when you really care about something and youâve worked really hard on something, itâs hard not to get emotional about it. But when youâve been in the industry this long, you know how it works, and you know itâs incredible and incredible for the show. But if it doesnât happen, you have to be OK with knowing you gave it everything you had, and that people are responding to it. And thatâs whatâs important. I feel very lucky.
Speaking of people responding: There are some pretty strong female TV performances this year. What is it about yours, as Dolores, that so resonates with viewers do you think?
Itâs been an amazing year for women in television. I watched and binged âBig Little Liesâ â it was so revolutionary and a real honest portrayal of women and relationships and abusive relationships. Itâs one of the most honest pieces of film Iâve seen in a while. And all the performances were stellar.
As for Dolores, itâs a role that really breaks all stereotypes and all the rules. She starts off in one way, the way weâre used to seeing â this damsel in distress â and then we break the mold, we allow these characters to reach their full potential and figure out who they really are. Weâre showing these female characters functioning in a way we donât normally get the pleasure of seeing â theyâre the ones in control. And we donât really know if theyâre the heroes or the villains. And that strength, and fierce intelligence, you donât see that often.
Meet the women who helped âHandmaidâs Taleâ score 13 Emmy nominations, praise be!
With 13 nominations, Huluâs âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ undoubtedly made an impression on Emmy voters.
The adaptation of Margaret Atwoodâs uncompromising speculative fiction novel struck a chord with many after its April debut. For many, the series set after the United States is overthrown by an extremist regime resonated as a glimpse into a potential not-so-distant future.
But toiling behind the scenes of a show determined to depict the brutal reality of its misogynistic society were a group of women who, alongside creator Bruce Miller, shaped the world of Gilead into a recognizable house of horrors that appealed to audiences and Emmy voters alike.
Director Reed Morano, lead actress Elisabeth Moss, costume designer Ane Crabtree and production designer Julie Berghoff all received Emmy nominations for their efforts Thursday morning, as did Miller for his writing on the pilot episode, âOffred.â
âThis Is Usâ creator on 11 âamazingâ nominations for the kind of show not usually in the Emmy conversation
Dan Fogelman, creator of this seasonâs breakout drama âThis Is Us,â responded with a mix of joy, exhilaration, surprise and gratitude Thursday to the NBC seriesâ 11 Emmy nominations, including best drama.
You had to have seen this plot twist coming?
I didnât know it was going to happen! Iâve never done this before. I donât understand how any of this works. Everyone who works on this show is so normal and kind of regular, from the actors to the writers. This is all a little beyond us. Last night, we were like, this is tomorrow morning, right? What happens? A couple of the writers and some friends that run a production company were following it more online and were telling me what to expect a little bit, or what people were prognosticating. But I really had no idea.
Were you already up? Are you guys shooting today?
Yeah, weâre shooting today. Iâve been up since 5 writing the next episode of the show for Season 2. I actually almost missed it because I was writing and I kind of blanked on the time. My wife was getting ready for work in the bathroom and putting on makeup. I was like, I think theyâre about to do it. But we couldnât figure out how to get the technology to work.
Neither could we, donât worry.
It was all really confusing. It was basically the least glamorous way of getting Emmy nominations that you could ever imagine.
Is the cast text chain at full throttle right now?
Thatâs been going off this morning. I texted and emailed all the people who got nominations and those that didnât. Itâs a big family here. Everyone is just so happy for everybody. And the show getting nominated is so amazing.
Will there be a celebration of some sort on set?
There probably should be. I havenât even thought about it. Weâre on location today. I have to figure out what Iâm supposed to do. I know this sounds cheesy and lame, but Iâm not more proud of anyone this morning than I was 24 hours ago. If we were allowed to, we would do this show for free if nobody was watching it. We just love working on it. This is just silly and fun and exciting.
And what does it say about this show and how people are responding to it, particularly in this climate that weâre in?
I think it speaks a lot to our actors who are taking whatâs essentially a dramedy and getting it put into conversation [with] serious other shows. They add a weight and gravitas to every one of their performances, even when theyâre being funny or sweet or sentimental. I think thatâs why itâs in the conversation. For me, this is the kind of stuff â this show is what I like to do. Itâs kind of a populist dramedy, for lack of a better way of phrasing it. Those types of shows arenât usually in the conversation with the heavier, more serious fare. So just to be seeing the name of our show amidst all these other shows that are darker and weighter and fancier, itâs really exciting for us. We set out to do something that was about people and that everybody can access, but also try to do something that was high quality. To be in the conversation is very rewarding for us.
Who is the most likely to be drunk first on the big night?
Definitely me. This is all coming new to them, except for Sterling. None of us have been here before -- thatâs for our crew and cast. I find that our cast, when we started to go to these things, are remarkably centered and elegant and Iâm like the drunk train wreck in the corner, just anxious about: What if we happen to win something and I have to go up there and say something? Itâs literally the most terrifying thing I can think of. At the Golden Globes, which was really my first time putting on a tuxedo and going to these things, by the time they announced our category, I was so drunk. It would have been a disaster if we had won. I was so nervous and anxious, I donât know what would have happened.
All the new entrants this year ...
Itâs nice because weâre a new show. Iâm sure when weâre an older show, I may feel differently. Thereâs so much content out there right now; the ones where you feel like you have to get to right away are often the new ones. Thereâs no doubt that, like, âThe Americansâ is crushing it. But itâs hard. Thereâs a lot to watch, too much. And I can understand that frustration for shows that are deep into their runs and donât get the same recognition.
Emmy nominee Nicole Kidman is being âvery particularâ about the âBig Little Liesâ sequel
Nicole Kidman is no stranger to the excitement of nomination morning. The iconic Australian actress is a four-time Oscar nominee, winning for her stirring depiction of Virginia Woolf in 2002âs âThe Hours.â
But it was her work on the small screen in HBOâs âBig Little Liesâ that earned Kidman her second Emmy nomination (her first came in 2012 for âHemingway & Gellhornâ) Thursday morning.
Kidman hopped on the phone to speak to the Los Angeles Times about the resonance of being recognized this year in a project driven by strong women and the possibility of re-teaming with her âBig Little Liesâ co-stars (and fellow Emmy nominee) Reese Witherspoon.
How are you feeling? Is it safe to say you were awake?
Wow. Iâm just feeling a whole lot of wow. Yes, Iâm wide awake and incredibly delighted â actually astounded that this series connected in this way. Iâm actually in Los Angeles. Iâm here because my husband is recording some music. I just dropped my kids off at camp.
Were they happy for you?
Oh, gosh. Come on. This doesnât register on their radar.
It all started with a meeting with Liane Moriarty at a cafĂŠ in Sydney...
I know. Itâs incredible. It started this with just conversation and a book and a friendship and out of it bloomed a series thatâs connected in such a big way ⌠and connected worldwide.
In a year like this, where it felt like women were being underestimated or under siege, television showed their strength. How was it to be part of that narrative?
This series was born out of a frustration of not enough roles â interesting, complicated roles â for women. Reese and I felt like we werenât being given the roles that are sort of multi-layered and beautifully written. That was the inception of it. For it then to be written by David Kelley â bringing out complicated and funny women with pathos and dealing with issues that are really of now and important and relevant. For that to have been embraced and connected with a world audience is just amazing. And hopefully the industry will take notice that people are responding. Thatâs the power of television. That direct connection TV has on peopleâs lives.
Is it bittersweet to be up against your co-star Reese?
I think we see it as a union. Weâve always been a team, we will always be a team. This is a sweet spot for all of us. Weâre hoping to put together a second series of it. Itâs moving. Weâre all very particular. We only want to make it if itâs as good or better, we donât want to make another season if itâs not. So, weâll see.
Any plans for a âBLLâ reunion to celebrate?
Laura is working. Shay is working. Reese and I are not working. Yeah, maybe, weâll get it together. Weâre working mothers. Thatâs just the nature of it. We have to organize our lives.
With 22 nominations, the Emmys are living for âSaturday Night Liveâ
It only took 42 years, but this âSaturday Night Liveâ show really seems to be catching on.
Jokes aside, the late-night sketch comedy stalwart had a banner season in 2016-17, seeing its best ratings in years and a renewed sense of cultural relevance thanks to the current tumultuous political climate.
The âSNLâ revitalization campaign continued Thursday morning as the series racked up an astounding 22 Emmy nominations, tying with HBOâs âWestworldâ to lead all nominees.
That brings the grand total of Primetime Emmy nominations earned by the long-running comedy show to 231 since its debut in 1975.
The series garnered support across the board for efforts made both on camera and behind the scenes.
Alec Baldwinâs acid impression of Donald Trump likely went a long way in earning him a nomination for supporting actor in a comedy series, while Vanessa Bayer, Leslie Jones and 2016 winner Kate McKinnon all scored nominations for supporting actress.
The series also had a significant showing in the guest acting categories, with Dave Chappelle, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Tom Hanks, Kristin Wiig and Melissa McCarthy all getting nods for their hosting turns on the show.
A full list of the 22 Emmy nominations earned by âSaturday Night Liveâ can be found below:
- Variety sketch series
- Supporting actor in a comedy series (Alec Baldwin)
- Supporting actress in a comedy series (Vanessa Bayer)
- Supporting actress in a comedy series (Leslie Jones)
- Supporting actress in a comedy series (Kate McKinnon)
- Guest actor in a comedy series (Tom Hanks)
- Guest actor in a comedy series (Lin-Manuel Miranda)
- Guest actor in a comedy series (Dave Chappelle)
- Guest actress in a comedy series (Kristen Wiig)
- Guest actress in a comedy series (Melissa McCarthy)
- Production design for a variety, nonfiction, reality or reality competition series
- Costumes for variety, nonfiction or reality programming
- Directing for a variety series
- Picture editing for variety programming
- Hairstyling for a multi-camera series or special
- Lighting design/lighting direction for a variety series
- Makeup for a multi-camera series or special (non-prosthetic)
- Prosthetic makeup for a series, limited series, movie or special
- Original music and lyrics
- Stunt coordination for a comedy series or variety program
- Technical direction, camerawork, video control for a series
- Writing for a variety series
Here is the complete list of 2017 Emmy nominees
âWestworldâ and âSaturday Night Liveâ led the the 2017 Emmy nominations with 22 nods apiece. For SNL, it is the most nominations the long-running NBC late-night sketch comedy show has ever received in a single season.
The complete list of nominations:
Drama series
- âBetter Call Saulâ
- âThe Crownâ
- âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ
- âHouse of Cardsâ
- âStranger Thingsâ
- âThis Is Usâ
- âWestworldâ
Comedy series
- âAtlantaâ
- âblack-ishâ
- âMaster of Noneâ
- âModern Familyâ
- âSilicon Valleyâ
- âUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidtâ
- âVeepâ
Limited series
- âBig Little Liesâ (HBO)
- âFargoâ (FX)
- âFeud: Bette and Joanâ (FX)
- âGeniusâ (National Geographic)
- âThe Night Ofâ (HBO)
Variety talk
- âLast Week Tonight With John Oliverâ (HBO)
- âFull Frontal With Samantha Beeâ (TBS)
- âThe Late Show With Stephen Colbertâ (CBS)
- âJimmy Kimmel Live!â (ABC)
- âThe Late Late Show With James Cordenâ (CBS)
- âReal Time With Bill Maherâ (HBO)
Oscars telecast leads awards for awards shows with 7 Emmy nominations
It goes without saying that Hollywood loves to love itself, with no shortage of awards shows all year long. But taking it to another level is Hollywood congratulating itself for how well it congratulates itself. Yes, awards shows can win awards too.
The Oscars maintain their status as the pinnacle of prestige, as the telecast received seven Emmy nominations on Thursday. The Grammys came in with three nominations, while the Tonys and Golden Globes each got one. (At least the Emmys didnât nominate the Emmys broadcast, which would open an awards-cycle wormhole.)
So step it up, ESPYs. And to the MTV Movie & TV Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, Spikeâs Guys Choice, Criticsâ Choice Awards and any other roundelay of praise left out of the roundelay of praise, know that it is always good to have something to aspire toward.
By the numbers: Hereâs how many Emmy nominations each show and platform received
NBCâs âSaturday Night Liveâ and HBOâs futuristic western âWestworldâ received 22 Emmy nominations apiece on Thursday, but several shows racked up an impressive number of nods too. Hereâs a breakdown of the series, films and specials that received five or more nominations, according to the Television Academy.
BY SHOW
âSaturday Night Liveâ (NBC): 22
âWestworldâ (HBO): 22
âFeud: Bette and Joanâ (FX): 18
âStranger Thingsâ (Netflix): 18
âVeepâ (HBO): 17
âBig Little Liesâ (HBO): 16
âFargoâ (FX): 16
âThe Crownâ (Netflix): 13
âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ (Hulu): 13
âThe Night Ofâ (HBO): 13
âThis Is Usâ (NBC): 11
âGeniusâ (National Geographic): 10
âPlanet Earth IIâ (BBC America): 10
âSilicon Valleyâ (HBO): 10
âBetter Call Saulâ (AMC): 9
âLast Week Tonight With John Oliverâ (HBO): 8
âMaster of Noneâ (Netflix): 8
âThe Voiceâ (NBC): 8
â13thâ (Netflix): 8
âDancing With the Starsâ (ABC): 7
âHairspray Live!â (NBC): 7
âRuPaulâs Drag Raceâ (VH1): 7
âTransparentâ (Amazon): 7
âAtlantaâ (FX): 6
âBorn This Wayâ (A&E): 6
âHouse of Cardsâ (Netflix): 6
âO.J.: Made in Americaâ (ESPN): 6
âThe Oscarsâ (ABC): 7
âSuper Bowl LI Halftime Show starring Lady Gagaâ (FOX): 6
âAnthony Bourdain Parts Unknownâ (CNN): 5
âThe Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Yearsâ (Hulu): 5
âProject Runwayâ (Lifetime): 5
âUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidtâ (Netflix): 5
BY PLATFORM
HBO: 111
Netflix: 91
NBC: 64
FX Networks: 55
ABC: 33
CBS: 29
FOX: 20
Hulu: 18
Amazon: 16
National Geographic: 15
Showtime: 15
AMC: 13
PBS: 11
See the complete list of 2017 Emmy nominees here.
(Shortly after the academy released the tabulated list of nominees, several platforms chimed in with different numbers than those calculated by the academy. Read more about that here.)
Updates, 12:35 p.m.: This story has been updated to reflect accurate totals provided by the platforms.
12:56 p.m.: This story has been updated to correct NBC and FXâs totals.
2:10 p.m.: This story has been updated with AMCâs total and an explanation of the miscalculations.
This yearâs Emmy nominations finally reflect the changing nature of television
Handmaids, robots, family drama and political satire. With a record number of slots filled by new shows, streaming services and âSaturday Night Live,â the nominations for the 69th Emmy Awards, announced Thursday morning, offered a stunning reflection of televisionâs increasingly crowded and complicated landscape.
The television academy, long criticized for âcut and pasteâ lists of repeats, this year cast its collective gaze wide.
Representing two very different sides of the TV spectrum, HBOâs âWestworldâ and NBCâs âSaturday Night Liveâ tied for most recognized show, with 22 nominations each; with 231 nominations since its 1975 debut, âSNLâ broke its own record as the most Emmy-nominated show ever.
Two new shows, Netflixâs breakout hit âStranger Thingsâ and FXâs âFeud: Bette and Joan,â tied for second, with 18 nominations each, and HBOâs âVeepâ followed close behind with 17.
EMMYS 2017: Complete list of nominees >>
Even without âGame of Thrones,â which was not eligible for this yearâs awards, HBO once again won the numbers game with 111 nominations; followed closely by Netflix, which scored big with the old (âHouse of Cardsâ) and the new (âStranger Things,â âThe Crownâ) for a total of 91.
Not far behind, with âSaturday Night Liveâ and multiple nominations for its freshman drama âThis Is Us,â NBC made a strong showing with 64.
Hulu joined Netflix and Amazon in streamingâs invasion of awards season, led by âThe Handmaidâs Tale,â which received multiple nominations, including outstanding drama and actress (Elisabeth Moss).
While there were repeat nominations in virtually every category â âModern Familyâ hung on for its eighth year â this yearâs outstanding drama list was dominated by first-timers, which filled five of seven slots and came from streaming, broadcast and cable.
With âAtlantaâ (FX), âblack-ishâ (ABC), âMaster of Noneâ (Netflix) and âUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidtâ (Netflix), the outstanding comedy nominees also reflected the increasing diversity of television, both in story and platform.
Carrie Fisher has one last chance to win an Emmy
Carrie Fisher, who was twice nominated for a Primetime Emmy but never took the trophy, has a chance to win one posthumously.
Fisher, who died in December, was nominated for guest actress in a comedy for playing Mia on Amazonâs âCatastrophe.â The character appeared in five episodes of the showâs three seasons, with the installment sheâs nominated for shot just days before she passed away.
âIt was about as perfect a send-off to Fisher as you could ask for,â The Timesâ Glenn Whipp noted recently of the role, âparticularly the episodeâs last scene that found her character waxing poetic on her favorite (fictional) TV show: âMy Children Are Schizophrenic.ââ
Itâs the second time Fisher has been nominated as a guest actress, preceded by a nod in 2008 for a â30 Rockâ appearance.
âBright Lights: Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds,â HBOâs documentary about the famous mother and daughter that premiered shortly after they both died, is up for two trophies this year. The show is nominated for outstanding documentary, and Fisher Stevens and Alexis Bloom are up in the nonfiction directing category.
In 2011, Fisherâs âWishful Drinkingâ was nominated or outstanding variety, music or comedy special, but lost to âThe Kennedy Center Honors.â
Emmy nominees for TV movie
TV MOVIE
âBlack Mirrorâ (Netflix)
âDolly Partonâs Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Loveâ (NBC)
âThe Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacksâ (HBO)
âSherlock: The Lying Detectiveâ (PBS)
âWizard of Liesâ (HBO)
Emmy nominees for comedy series
âAtlantaâ (FX)
âblack-ishâ (ABC)
âMaster of Noneâ (Netflix)
âModern Familyâ (ABC)
âSilicon Valleyâ (HBO)
âVeepâ (HBO)
âUnbreakable Kimmy Schmidtâ (Netflix)
Emmy nominees for drama series
âBetter Call Saulâ (AMC)
âThe Crownâ (Netflix)
âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ (Hulu)
âHouse of Cardsâ (Netflix)
âStranger Thingsâ (Netflix)
âThis Is Usâ (NBC)
âWestworldâ (HBO)
Emmy nominees for variety talk series
âLast Week Tonight With John Oliverâ (HBO)
âFull Frontal With Samantha Beeâ (TBS)
âThe Late Show With Stephen Colbertâ (CBS)
âJimmy Kimmel Live!â (ABC)
âThe Late Late Show with James Cordenâ (CBS)
âReal Time With Bill Maherâ (HBO)
Emmy nominees for limited series
âBig Little Liesâ (HBO)
âFargoâ (FX)
âFeud: Bette and Joanâ (FX)
âGeniusâ (National Geographic)
âThe Night Ofâ (HBO)
Emmy nominees for reality competition series
âRuPaulâs Drag Raceâ (LOGO)
âThe Amazing Raceâ (CBS)
âTop Chefâ (Bravo)
âThe Voiceâ (NBC)
âAmerican Ninja Warriorâ (NBC)
âProject Runwayâ (Lifetime)
Why âGame of Thronesâ did not receive any Emmy nominations this year
Winter will not be coming to the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards. âGame of Thronesâ (which amassed a staggering 23 nominations last year) is not eligible to be nominated for any Emmys this year.
The seventh season of âGame of Thronesâ will not premiere until July 16, which means HBOâs fantasy series has missed the eligibility period to be considered for this yearâs awards. (To qualify for the 2017 Emmys, a program had to air episodes between June 1, 2016, and May 31, 2017.)
And, no, the four Season 6 episodes that aired during the aforementioned dates donât count. The television academy has a âhanging episodesâ rule. The Season 6 episodes were counted as being released in last yearâs eligibility period, so no matter how amazing âBattle of the Bastardsâ was, it cannot be nominated this time.
This is the first time since 2011 that âGame of Thronesâ is not among the yearâs Emmy contenders.
The series, which was named the best drama series for the second consecutive year at the 2016 awards, has won 38 Emmys since its debut and holds the record for most awards of any drama or comedy series.
If you think you have too many good TV choices, imagine being an Emmy voter
While you were watching âBetter Call Saul,â you werenât watching âThe Handmaidâs Tale.â When you found the time for âThe Handmaidâs Tale,â you missed âMaster of None.â And as you caught up on Season 5 of âThe Americans,â you were deprived of that great John Oliver episode everyone was talking about.
For American TV audiences, falling hopelessly behind has become as common as sharing HBO GO and Netflix passwords. The overwhelming sense of too many choices defines our TV culture, like âThe Ed Sullivan Showâ did in the â50s or the rise of cable did in the â80s.
For members of the Television Academy, the problem of overabundance is no joke. To come up with the nominations list that will be announced Thursday morning, voters were initially faced with a record-breaking 848 programs. Those voting in the performance categories had to choose from 2,382 performers, double the number in 2008, when the Golden Age that sparked Peak TV began.
Our predictions for how the Emmy nominations should shake out Thursday morning
âGame of Thronesâ is taking an Emmy break. Nothing personal, television academy. HBOâs three-time drama winner just needed some time alone, to think, to brood, to devise new ways to brutally dismember and disembowel characters. You know, the usual stuff when relationships have gone on for a few years.
Because the new season of âThronesâ comes after this yearâs Emmy eligibility deadline, weâre going to have a new drama series winner. And since the series had a way of vacuuming up acting nominations in the supporting categories, it also means weâre going to have a bunch of fresh nominees replacing the likes of Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey and Masie Williams.
That turnover adds an extra level of intrigue to this yearâs Emmy nominations, which is a good thing because Iâve run out of ways to describe how amazing Julia Louis-Dreyfus is in âVeep.â (Yes, sheâs going to be nominated again.)
Hereâs how the races should shake out when the names are announced Thursday morning.
Five pressing questions before the Emmy nominations
Oprah Winfrey watched the first episode of âThe Handmaidâs Tale.â And part of the second. But she stopped there, unable to continue watching the grim events depicted in Huluâs adaptation of Margaret Atwoodâs cautionary novel depicting a future in which women are subjugated, controlled and, in some cases, ceremonially raped.
âItâs just so dark,â Winfrey says. âItâs almost too much to witness. It shakes you to the core. Iâll get there. ⌠Itâs an amazing show. But itâs going to take some time.â
We know that Emmy voters have too much to watch. But one of the key things Thursdayâs nominations announcement will reveal is which programs Television Academy members chose to check out and which they willfully ignored. If you canât watch everything â and you canât, believe me, Iâve tried â then what falls to the wayside? Awful, plodding shows, sure. (If you made it past Episode 3 of Netflixâs âGypsy,â to cite a recent example, you deserve a cookie.) But also challenging fare like âThe Handmaidâs Taleâ â programs that make you uncomfortable, programs that make you think.