Nominations for the 78th Emmy Awards, set to air Sept. 14 on NBC and Peacock, produced a mix of expected contenders and unexpected omissions when they were announced July 8 by Liza Colón-Zayas of The Bear and Jeff Hiller of Somebody Somewhere from the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood.
Hacks, wrapping up with a fifth and final season, dominated the comedy field with 24 nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing. Jean Smart is nominated again for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, a category she has won four times since 2021 (Quinta Brunson took the title in 2023). Smart faces Brunson (Abbott Elementary), Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Elle Fanning (Margo's Got Money Troubles) and Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback).
The Pitt matched that haul with 25 nominations of its own. Noah Wyle, who won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series last year for the medical drama's first season, is nominated again, up against Sterling K. Brown (Paradise), Mark Ruffalo (Task), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses) and Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat). Accepting his first Emmy, Wyle told viewers, "If anybody is going on shift tonight or coming off shift tonight, thank you for being in that job. This is for you."
Emmys 2026 Surprises
Euphoria earned seven nominations for its final season despite a muted critical response, with Zendaya nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, a category she previously won in 2020 and 2022. She is up against Chase Infiniti (The Testaments), Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age) and Keri Russell (The Diplomat). Colman Domingo also picked up a nod for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, and the series, which also starred Jacob Elordi, Sydney Sweeney and Maude Apatow, was recognized for Picture Editing, Production Design, Cinematography, Contemporary Hairstyling and Contemporary Makeup.
Chase Infiniti also surprised, landing a Lead Actress in a Drama Series nomination for playing Agnes on Hulu's The Testaments opposite Elisabeth Moss, who plays her character's onscreen mother. The nod follows Infiniti's film debut in One Battle After Another, which earned her Golden Globe and Actor Award nominations.
Connor Storrie picked up a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his February 2026 appearance on Saturday Night Live, even though his own show, the gay hockey romance Heated Rivalry, was ineligible for Emmy consideration because it was financed outside the United States, by Canada's Bell Media. Storrie rose to fame alongside co-star Hudson Williams after Heated Rivalry premiered in 2025.
Summer House also broke through, earning its first-ever Emmy nomination, for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program, on the heels of a season 10 controversy in which stars Amanda Batula and West Wilson began a romantic relationship that caused major fallout on the Bravo series.
Emmys 2026 Snubs
Not every awards-season fixture made the cut. The Amazing Race, nominated for Outstanding Reality Competition Program every year since the category began in 2003, amassing 108 nominations and 15 wins, failed to make this year's list.
Stranger Things picked up nominations for Special Visual Effects, Production Design and Sound Mixing, among others, but was shut out of every acting and directing category for its fifth and final season, a quiet ending for a Netflix series that has won 12 Emmys since debuting in 2016.
The Bear also came away lighter than usual. Jeremy Allen White, who won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for playing Carmy Berzatto in 2023 and 2024, was not nominated this year, even as the show itself picked up an Outstanding Comedy Series nod and Ayo Edebiri was nominated for Lead Actress. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who plays Richie Jerimovich and won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2023 and 2024 before being nominated again in 2025, also missed this year's list.
Paul Anthony Kelly was left off the ballot for his portrayal of John F. Kennedy Jr. in FX's Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, even though the limited series earned six nominations overall, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, and his co-star Sarah Pidgeon was nominated for playing Carolyn Bessette.
Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, both strong contenders at last year's ceremony, were left out of the Lead Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series races for Nobody Wants This, even though the show itself is nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series this year.
Jenna Ortega's Wednesday, which was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series after its first season in 2022, received no acting or directing nominations this time, though the show has a third season on the way.
Fallout picked up nine nominations, including for Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes and Stunt Performance, but nothing beyond that despite a positive critical reception and strong commercial performance for its second season. Walton Goggins, who plays the Ghoul, is currently filming the show's third season.
