With the 2024 nominations, the Emmy Awards has never been queerer

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences are in their queer era (finally!).

On Wednesday (17 July), nominations for the upcoming 76th Primetime Emmy Awards were unveiled, and its absolutely dominated by LGBTQIA+ actors and stories. Seriously, there’s a lot of rainbow rep here.

First of all, ‘Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie’ is stacked with queer talent, with four out of five nominees identifying as part of the LGBTQIA+ community: Matt Bomer (Fellow Travelers), Richard Gadd (Baby Reindeer), Tom Hollander (Feud: Capote vs. The Swans) and Andrew Scott (Ripley). They join Jon Hamm (Fargo), who is repping for the heterosexuals.

In a statement, Bomer highlighted the significance of “two out actors” in a queer love story being nominated, saying it was “profoundly moving to me”.

Baby Reindeer, Richard Gadd’s lauded Netflix series about his experiences with sexual assault, received seven nominations including the aforementioned category and three additional for acting: Tom Goodman-Hill, Jessica Gunning and Nava Mau.

With her nomination, Mau makes history as the first trans actress to be nominated for ‘Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie’.

Following the announcement, Mau told Deadline that she’d been crying for 45 minutes with “overwhelming joy”.

“For trans actors we just don’t get a lot of opportunities to develop our craft, grow as artists, and to be recognized for all that we are and all that we can be,” she shared.

“It has been a priceless experience being a part of this show. Every step of the way, I could feel the way the experience was transforming me, my life, and what feels possible.

“To be recognized by my peers in the Academy is a celebration of that transformation.”

As well as Scott’s performance as the title character in Ripley, which marks his second nomination, the Netflix series has been nominated for ‘Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series’, in addition to three more for directing, writing and Dakota Fanning for Supporting Actress.

While there was significant uproar over Fellow Travelers’ snub in the ‘Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series’ category, Jonathan Bailey earned his first-ever nomination in ‘Supporting Actor’, while creator Ron Nyswaner was recognised for his writing.

Bailey said the nomination “is beyond measure”: “It is not lost on me that this sort of recognition is rare. I’ve grown up savoring the minimal queer television and film on offer whilst battling problematic media and societal criticism of queer life.

“I have loved so many award winning dramatic performances of gay characters but for Matt and I to be nominated together as gay actors feels like the sort of progress that would have made the world an easier place to grow up in.”

“For that I am grateful and so unbelievably proud. Thank you to the TV Academy for this opportunity,” he concluded, before commending the cast and crew of Fellow Travelers. 

For its third acclaimed season, Max’s comedy series Hacks landed six nods including ‘Outstanding Comedy Series’ and a third consecutive nomination for Hannah Einbinder in ‘Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series’.

As always, RuPaul’s Drag Race has been nominated for ‘Outstanding Reality Competition Program’, where it faces stiff competition from The Amazing Race, Top Chef, The Voice and – we reckon this will be the one to beat – The Traitors. 

Additional queer actors with acting noms are as follows: Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country), Holland Taylor (The Morning Show), Lily Gladstone (Under the Bridge) and Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live).

Over at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which features awards for artistic, technical and animated achievements, Prime Video’s instant LGBTQIA+ classic Red, White & Royal Blue has been nominated for ‘Outstanding Television Movie’.

For her role in Prime’s action-comedy series Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Sarah Paulson is up for ‘Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series’.

RuPaul is eyeing her ninth consecutive award for ‘Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program’, where she will face off against Alan Cumming (The Traitors), Kristen Kish (Top Chef), Jeff Probst (Survivor) and the six hosts of Shark Tank. 

Baby Reindeer, Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, Hacks, Queer Eye, Ripley, We’re Here and What We Do In The Shadows are among the queer projects that have landed further technical awards, from production design to casting and picture editing.

Check out the nominations (that you need to know about) for the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards, which is set to take place 15 September, below.

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary (ABC)
The Bear (FX)
Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)
Hacks (Max)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Palm Royale (Apple TV+)
Reservation Dogs (FX)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Outstanding Drama Series

The Crown (Netflix)
Fallout (Prime Video)
The Gilded Age (HBO)
The Morning Show (Apple TV+)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Prime Video)
Shōgun (FX)
Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
3 Body Problem (Netflix)

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
Fargo (FX)
Lessons in Chemistry (Apple TV+)
Ripley (Netflix)
True Detective: Night Country (HBO)

Outstanding Reality Competition Program

The Amazing Race (CBS)
RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV)
Top Chef (Bravo)
The Traitors (Peacock)
The Voice (NBC)

Outstanding Variety Special (Live)

The Apple Music Super Bowl LVIII Halftime Show Starring Usher (CBS)
66th Grammy Awards (CBS)
The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady (Netflix)
The Oscars (ABC)
76th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Matt Berry – What We Do in the Shadows as Laszlo Cravensworth (FX)
Larry David – Curb Your Enthusiasm as Larry David (HBO)
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building as Charles-Haden Savage (Hulu)
Martin Short – Only Murders in the Building as Oliver Putnam (Hulu)
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (FX)
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai – Reservation Dogs as Bear Smallhill (FX)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary as Janine Teagues (ABC)
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear as Sydney Adamu (FX)
Selena Gomez – Only Murders in the Building as Mabel Mora (Hulu)
Maya Rudolph – Loot as Molly Novak (Apple TV+)
Jean Smart – Hacks as Deborah Vance (Max)
Kristen Wiig – Palm Royale as Maxine Dellacorte-Simmons (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Idris Elba – Hijack as Sam Nelson (Apple TV+)
Donald Glover – Mr. & Mrs. Smith as John Smith / Michael (Prime Video)
Walton Goggins – Fallout as the Ghoul / Cooper Howard (Prime Video)
Gary Oldman – Slow Horses as Jackson Lamb (Apple TV+)
Hiroyuki Sanada – Shōgun as Lord Yoshii Toranaga (FX)
Dominic West – The Crown as Prince Charles (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Jennifer Aniston – The Morning Show as Alexandra “Alex” Levy (Apple TV+)
Carrie Coon – The Gilded Age as Bertha Russell (HBO)
Maya Erskine – Mr. & Mrs. Smith as Jane Smith / Alana (Prime Video)
Anna Sawai – Shōgun as Toda Mariko (FX)
Imelda Staunton – The Crown as Queen Elizabeth II (Netflix)
Reese Witherspoon – The Morning Show as Bradley Jackson (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Matt Bomer – Fellow Travelers as Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (Showtime)
Richard Gadd – Baby Reindeer as Donny Dunn (Netflix)
Jon Hamm – Fargo as Sheriff Roy Tillman (FX)
Tom Hollander – Feud: Capote vs. The Swans as Truman Capote (FX)
Andrew Scott – Ripley as Tom Ripley (Netflix)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Jodie Foster – True Detective: Night Country as Liz Danvers (HBO)
Brie Larson – Lessons in Chemistry as Elizabeth Zott (Apple TV+)
Juno Temple – Fargo as Dorothy “Dot” Lyon (FX)
Sofía Vergara – Griselda as Griselda Blanco (Netflix)
Naomi Watts – Feud: Capote vs. The Swans as Babe Paley (FX)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Lionel Boyce – The Bear as Marcus Brooks (FX)
Paul W. Downs – Hacks as Jimmy Lusaque, Jr. (Max)
Ebon Moss-Bachrach – The Bear as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (FX)
Paul Rudd – Only Murders in the Building as Ben Glenroy (Hulu)
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary as Gregory Eddie (ABC)
Bowen Yang – Saturday Night Live as Various Characters (NBC)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Carol Burnett – Palm Royale as Norma Dellacorte (Apple TV+)
Liza Colón-Zayas – The Bear as Tina Marrero (FX)
Hannah Einbinder – Hacks as Ava Daniels (Max)
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary as Ava Coleman (ABC)
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary as Barbara Howard (ABC)
Meryl Streep – Only Murders in the Building as Loretta Durkin (Hulu)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Tadanobu Asano – Shōgun as Kashigi Yabushige (FX)
Billy Crudup – The Morning Show as Cory Ellison (Apple TV+)
Mark Duplass – The Morning Show as Charlie “Chip” Black (Apple TV+)
Jon Hamm – The Morning Show as Paul Marks (Apple TV+)
Takehiro Hira – Shōgun as Ishido Kazunari (FX)
Jack Lowden – Slow Horses as River Cartwright (Apple TV+)
Jonathan Pryce – The Crown as Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (Netflix)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Christine Baranski – The Gilded Age as Agnes van Rhijn (HBO)
Nicole Beharie – The Morning Show as Christina Hunter (Apple TV+)
Elizabeth Debicki – The Crown as Princess Diana (Netflix)
Greta Lee – The Morning Show as Stella Bak (Apple TV+)
Lesley Manville – The Crown as Princess Margaret (Netflix)
Karen Pittman – The Morning Show as Mia Jordan (Apple TV+)
Holland Taylor – The Morning Show as Cybil Richards (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Jonathan Bailey – Fellow Travelers as Timothy “Tim” Laughlin (Showtime)
Robert Downey Jr. – The Sympathizer as Ned Godwin / Robert Hammer / Niko Damianos / The Priest (HBO)
Tom Goodman-Hill – Baby Reindeer as Darrien O’Connor (Netflix)
John Hawkes – True Detective: Night Country as Hank Prior (HBO)
Lamorne Morris – Fargo as Deputy Wittley “Witt” Farr (FX)
Lewis Pullman – Lessons in Chemistry as Calvin Evans (Apple TV+)
Treat Williams – Feud: Capote vs. The Swans as Bill Paley (FX)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Dakota Fanning – Ripley as Marjorie “Marge” Sherwood (Netflix)
Lily Gladstone – Under the Bridge as Officer Cam Bentland (Hulu)
Jessica Gunning – Baby Reindeer as Martha (Netflix)
Aja Naomi King – Lessons in Chemistry as Harriet Sloane (Apple TV+)
Diane Lane – Feud: Capote vs. The Swans as Slim Keith
Nava Mau – Baby Reindeer as Teri (Netflix)
Kali Reis – True Detective: Night Country as Detective Evangeline Navarro (HBO)

Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary: “Party” – Randall Einhorn (ABC)
The Bear: “Fishes” – Christopher Storer (FX)
The Bear: “Honeydew” – Ramy Youssef (FX)
The Gentlemen: “Refined Aggression” – Guy Ritchie (Netflix)
Hacks: “Bulletproof” – Lucia Aniello (Max)
The Ms. Pat Show: “I’m the Pappy” – Mary Lou Belli (BET+)

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

The Crown: “Sleep, Dearie Sleep” – Stephen Daldry (Netflix)
The Morning Show: “The Overview Effect” – Mimi Leder (Apple TV+)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith: “First Date” – Hiro Murai (Prime Video)
Shōgun: “Crimson Sky” – Frederick E. O. Toye (FX)
Slow Horses: “Strange Games” – Saul Metzstein (Apple TV+)
Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty: “Beat L.A.” – Salli Richardson (HBO)

Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Baby Reindeer: “Episode 4” – Weronika Tofilska (Netflix)
Fargo: “The Tragedy of the Commons” – Noah Hawley (FX)
Feud: Capote vs. The Swans: “Pilot” – Gus Van Sant (FX)
Lessons in Chemistry: “Poirot” – Millicent Shelton (Apple TV+)
Ripley – Steven Zaillian (Netflix)
True Detective: Night Country – Issa López (HBO)

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary: “Career Day” – Quinta Brunson (ABC)
The Bear: “Fishes” – Christopher Storer and Joanna Calo (FX)
Girls5eva: “Orlando” – Meredith Scardino and Sam Means (Netflix)
Hacks: “Bulletproof” – Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky (Max)
The Other Two: “Brooke Hosts a Night of Undeniable Good” – Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider (Max)
What We Do in the Shadows: “Pride Parade” – Jake Bender and Zach Dunn (FX)

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

The Crown: “Ritz” – Peter Morgan and Meriel Sheibani-Clare (Netflix)
Fallout: “The End” – Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner (Prime Video)
Mr. & Mrs. Smith: “First Date” – Francesca Sloane and Donald Glover (Prime Video)
Shōgun: “Anjin” – Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks (FX)
Shōgun: “Crimson Sky” – Rachel Kondo and Caillin Puente (FX)
Slow Horses: “Negotiating with Tigers” – Will Smith (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Baby Reindeer – Richard Gadd (Netflix)
Black Mirror: “Joan Is Awful” – Charlie Brooker (Netflix)
Fargo: “The Tragedy of the Commons” – Noah Hawley (FX)
Fellow Travelers: “You’re Wonderful” – Ron Nyswaner (Showtime)
Ripley – Steven Zaillian (Netflix)
True Detective: Night Country: “Part 6” – Issa López (HBO)

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series

The Daily Show (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Outstanding Television Movie

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie (Peacock)
Quiz Lady (Hulu)
Red, White & Royal Blue (Prime Video)
Scoop (Netflix)
Unfrosted (Netflix)

Outstanding Structured Reality Program

Antiques Roadshow (PBS)
Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Food Network)
Love Is Blind (Netflix)
Queer Eye (Netflix)
Shark Tank (ABC)

Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program

Below Deck Down Under (Bravo)
Love on the Spectrum U.S. (Netflix)
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked (MTV)
Vanderpump Rules (Bravo)
Welcome to Wrexham (FX)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

Olivia Colman – The Bear as Chef Terry (FX)
Jamie Lee Curtis – The Bear as Donna Berzatto (FX)
Kaitlin Olson – Hacks as DJ Vance (Max)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph – Only Murders In The Building as Donna Williams (Hulu)
Maya Rudolph – Saturday Night Live as Host (NBC)
Kristen Wiig – Saturday Night Live as Host (NBC)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

Michaela Coel – Mr. and Mrs. Smith as Bev (Prime Video)
Claire Foy – The Crown as Queen Elizabeth II (Netflix)
Marcia Gay Harden – The Morning Show as Maggie Brener (Apple TV+)
Sarah Paulson – Mr. and Mrs. Smith as Therapist (Prime Video)
Parker Posey – Mr. & Mrs. Smith as Other Jane (Prime Video)

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program

RuPaul Charles – RuPaul’s Drag Race
Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Kevin O’Leary, Robert Herjavec – Shark Tank
Alan Cumming – The Traitors
Kristen Kish – Top Chef
Jeff Probst – Survivor