The 78th Emmy Awards nominations, announced Wednesday morning, reflected a mix of expected contenders, notable surprises, and significant snubs across television’s most prestigious categories. The nominations, revealed by actors Liza Colón-Zayas and Jeff Hiller, included contenders for Outstanding Drama Series, Comedy Series, Limited or Anthology Series, and the corresponding lead acting categories. The awards ceremony is scheduled to air Sept. 14 on NBC and will be available for streaming on Peacock.
Among the most surprising nominations was Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s recognition for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Simon Williams in Disney+’s “Wonder Man.” Abdul-Mateen II, who previously won an Emmy in 2020 for a supporting role in HBO’s “Watchmen,” edged out Jeremy Allen White, the lead of FX’s “The Bear,” who had been a consistent nominee since the show’s debut in 2022 but was not nominated this year.
Another unexpected nod went posthumously to director and actor Rob Reiner. Reiner, known for directing “When Harry Met Sally,” earned an Emmy nomination for his guest role as Albert Schnurr in the fourth season of “The Bear.” Reiner and his wife were tragically murdered in December, making this recognition particularly poignant.
Several anticipated nominations failed to materialize. Lisa Kudrow’s HBO comedy “The Comeback,” returning for its third season, was excluded from the Outstanding Comedy Series category despite Kudrow’s third nomination for her lead role. Instead, that slot was awarded to the second season of Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This.” Similarly, the final season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things” was overlooked for Outstanding Drama Series in favor of HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” a period drama set in 1880s New York. Although “Stranger Things” secured nominations in technical categories, it lost out in the flagship category to “The Gilded Age,” which has gained increasing recognition this season.
Other notable acting category shifts included Riz Ahmed winning a nomination over Paul Anthony Kelly and Jamie Bell for performances in FX’s “Love Story” and HBO Max’s “Half Man,” respectively. Ahmed received a slot for his role in Amazon Prime Video’s “Bait,” while Jason Bateman was also nominated for Netflix’s crime thriller “Black Rabbit.” Meanwhile, Chase Infiniti, previously overlooked for an Oscar, earned her first Emmy nod for her role in Hulu’s sequel to “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
The Limited or Anthology Series category saw its share of surprises as well. Peacock’s “All Her Fault” secured seven nominations, including for Sarah Snook and Dakota Fanning, taking the spot many expected to go to HBO Max’s “Half Man.”
HBO dominated the ceremony with a total of 122 nominations, boosted by the strong showings of “The Pitt” and “DTF St. Louis.” “The Pitt,” the reigning Outstanding Drama Series of 2025, notably claimed four of the seven slots for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, as well as three of six for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Meanwhile, “DTF St. Louis” earned multiple nominations in its limited series categories, with three actors nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor and two for Outstanding Supporting Actress.
The nominations reveal a competitive year marked by unexpected inclusions and omissions, highlighting the evolving landscape of television storytelling and recognition on the Emmy stage.