Yesterday saw the announcement of the 70th Emmy Awards nominations, which sparked heavy anticipation for TV’s biggest night of the year, an historic event as Sandra Oh becomes the first woman of Asian descent to be nominated in the Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series category.
Oh, best known for playing Dr. Cristina Yang in Grey’s Anatomy, received a nod for her performance in BBC America’s hit drama Killing Eve, written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. “I’m happy to get that ball rolling, because what I hope happens is that next year and the next year and the next year, we will have presence,” Oh said to New York Times after the announcement. “The change is slow, but let’s just continue pressing on with the change,” she added.
The 2018 nominations mark a first for Netflix as well – the network overcame HBO with 112 nominations to HBO’s 108, the most of any provider. However, HBO has the most nominated series: the seventh season of Game of Thrones bagged 22 nominations, including nods for Outstanding Drama Series, and Outstanding Writing and Directing for ‘The Dragon and the Wolf’. Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, and Diana Rigg were all recognised in the acting categories. After HBO submitted them for the lead actors’ categories instead of the usual supporting ones because of their increased screen time in Season 7, Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington failed to score nominations.
With Stranger Things, The Handmaid’s Tale, Westworld, The Crown, and This is Us all returning with second seasons and nominated again for Outstanding Drama Series alongside Game of Thrones, competition is stronger than ever. While last year’s winners of the Lead Actress/Actor awards Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale) and Sterling K. Brown (This is Us), are looking for another success, they face strong opposition from Claire Foy (The Crown), Evan Rachel Wood, Ed Harris, Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), as well as Milo Ventimiglia (This is Us).
The Supporting Actress category is also packed – last year’s winner Ann Dowd (The Handmaid’s Tale) is nominated alongside her colleagues Yvonne Strahovski and Alexis Bledel, Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown, The Crown‘s Vanessa Kirby, and Westworld‘s Thandie Newton. Favourites Matt Smith (The Crown), David Harbour (Stranger Things), and Joseph Fiennes (The Handmaid’s Tale) have also been recognised in the Supporting Actor category.
Atlanta, GLOW, Silicon Valley, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt are among Comedy’s brightest stars. While last year’s winner Donald Glover scored yet another nomination in the Lead Actor category for his performance in Atlanta: Robbin’ Season, Oscar winner Allison Janney is lined up for more success in 2018, gaining recognition in the Lead Actress category for Mom. Saturday Night Live’s cast dominate the Supporting Actor/Actress categories, with previous winners Alec Baldwin and Kate McKinnon nominated again.
As last year’s massive winner Big Little Lies is absent this year, the Limited Series category is open, with The Alienist, Genius: Picasso, Godless, Patrick Melrose, and The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story all battling it out for the biggest award. Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose), Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso), Jeff Daniels (Godless) and John Legend (Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert) are competing for Lead Actor, while last year’s Supporting Actress in a Limited Series winner Laura Dern (The Tale) is up against the likes of Jessica Biel (The Sinner) and Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story: Cult). While David Lynch received a nod for his directing and writing for the return of Twin Peaks, the series itself, and most notably Kyle Maclachlan’s performance as its lead character, received one of the most disappointing snubs of the ceremony.
The 70th Emmy Awards ceremony takes place on 17th September and is aired by NBC in America. UK broadcaster TBC. Find a full list of the nominations here.
