Emmys 2026 nominations: 'The Pitt', Zendaya's 'Euphoria' nod, and more

The race to television's biggest night has officially begun. The nominations for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are finally here, offering a look at the shows, performances, and creators that defined the past year on screen. As streaming platforms continue to reshape the entertainment landscape, this year's list reflects a mix of established favourites and ambitious newcomers, making the competition as exciting as it gets. With the ceremony set to take place on September 14, the nominations have already sparked conversations about deserving winners, surprise inclusions, and a few notable snubs.

Leading this year's nominations is the medical drama The Pitt, which emerged as the most nominated series with an impressive 25 nods. Close behind is the critically acclaimed comedy Hacks with 24 nominations, while breakout newcomer Widow's Bay has had a remarkable debut with 19 nominations. Limited series continue to dominate as Beef returned to awards contention, while new titles such as Pluribus also made a strong impression. 

The nominations also celebrate a wide range of acting talent, with several first-time nominees joining industry veterans.

The biggest talking points from this year's Emmy nominations

One of the biggest stories this year is the continued dominance of prestige television. The Pitt cemented its status as the frontrunner with nominations across major acting, writing, and directing categories, while Hacks continued its remarkable winning streak after another critically-acclaimed season. 

There were plenty of pleasant surprises beyond the frontrunners. Several first-time nominees earned recognition alongside long-established Emmy favourites, making this one of the more diverse acting lineups in recent years. Heated Rivalry breakout star Connor Storrie earned himself a nomination as well, but not for the show. The fact that Heated Rivalry was not nominated left fans shocked, but as per Emmy rules, TV shows that are backed by production companies outside of the US are ineligible for the ceremony.

Another surprising snub was the acclaimed Nobody Wants This. While Kristen Bell, who starred in and co-produced the show, was nominated for the debut season, the second season clearly didn't make the cut.

Check out the full list of nominations below:

Best drama series

The Diplomat
The Gilded Age
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Paradise
The Pitt
Pluribus
Slow Horses
Your Friends & Neighbors

Best comedy series

Abbott Elementary
The Bear
Hacks
Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Nobody Wants This
Only Murders in the Building
Shrinking
Widow’s Bay

Best limited or anthology series

All Her Fault
The Beast in Me
Beef
DTF St Louis
Love Story: John F Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette

Lead actor in a drama series

Sterling K Brown – Paradise
Gary Oldman – Slow Horses
Mark Ruffalo – Task
Rufus Sewell – The Diplomat
Noah Wyle – The Pitt

Lead actress in a drama series

Carrie Coon – The Gilded Age
Chase Infiniti – The Testaments
Keri Russell – The Diplomat
Rhea Seehorn – Pluribus
Zendaya – Euphoria

Lead actor in a comedy series

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II – Wonder Man
Steve Carell – Rooster
Matthew Rhys – Widow’s Bay
Jason Segel – Shrinking
Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building

Lead actress in a comedy series

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear
Elle Fanning – Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Lisa Kudrow – The Comeback
Jean Smart – Hacks

Lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie

Riz Ahmed – Bait
Jason Bateman – Black Rabbit
Charlie Hunnam – Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Oscar Isaac – Beef
Matthew Rhys – The Beast in Me

Lead actress in a limited or anthology series or movie

Claire Danes – The Beast in Me
Sally Field – Remarkably Bright Creatures
Carey Mulligan – Beef
Sarah Pidgeon – Love Story: John F Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette
Sarah Snook – All Her Fault

Supporting actor in a drama series

Patrick Ball – The Pitt
Billy Crudup – The Morning Show
Shawn Hatosy – The Pitt
Gerran Howell – The Pitt
Jack Lowden – Slow Horses
Tom Pelphrey – Task
Carlos-Manuel Vesga – Pluribus

Supporting actress in a drama series

Taylor Dearden – The Pitt
Fiona Dourif – The Pitt
Allison Janney – The Diplomat
Katherine LaNasa – The Pitt
Sepideh Moafi – The Pitt
Julianne Nicholson – Paradise
Karolina Wydra – Pluribus

Supporting actor in a comedy series

Colman Domingo – The Four Seasons
Paul W Downs – Hacks
Harrison Ford – Shrinking
Nick Offerman – Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Stephen Root – Widow’s Bay
Michael Urie – Shrinking
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary

Supporting actress in a comedy series

Dale Dickey – Widow’s Bay
Hannah Einbinder – Hacks
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary
Kate O’Flynn – Widow’s Bay
Michelle Pfeiffer – Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Megan Stalter – Hacks
Jessica Williams – Shrinking

Supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie

Jason Bateman – DTF St Louis
Richard Gadd – Half Man
David Harbour – DTF St Louis
Richard Jenkins – DTF St Louis
Charles Melton – Beef
Nick Offerman – Death by Lightning

Supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie

Linda Cardellini – DTF St Louis
Dakota Fanning – All Her Fault
Laurie Metcalf – Monster: The Ed Gein Story
Joy Sunday – DTF St Louis
Youn Yuh-jung – Beef
Constance Zimmer – Love Story: John F Kennedy Jr & Carolyn Bessette

Television movie

Heads of State
Miss You, Love You
People We Meet on Vacation
Remarkably Bright Creatures
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan: Ghost War

Reality competition series

Dancing with the Stars
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Survivor
Top Chef
The Traitors

Variety series

The Daily Show
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Late Night With Stephen Colbert
Saturday Night Live

All images: IMDb

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