Today, the Television Academy announced the nominations for the 74th annual Emmy Awards, and there were many LGBTQ and LGBTQ-adjacent shows, specials, and performers represented in the list.
It should probably surprise no one that Emmy favorites RuPaul’s Drag Race and Queer Eye were nominated in many of the reality TV categories. Drag Race is in the running for Outstanding Competition Program once again, while both shows are up for Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Competition Series and Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program.
Related: RuPaul is now the Black entertainer with the most Emmys. He sent love to LGBTQ kids when he won.
RuPaul himself is nominated for Host for a Reality or Competition Program along with all five members of the Queer Eye crew.
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Meanwhile, YouTube’s The Randy Rainbow Show scored a nomination for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series.
Among the major acting categories announced live today by J.B. Smoove and Melissa Fumero, Sarah Paulson was the only out nominee, with her nod for Lead Actress in a Limited Series for her role as Linda Tripp in FX’s Impeachment: American Crime Story.
But she’s far from the only out talent nominated this year. Bowen Yang is nominated once again in the Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category for his work on Saturday Night Live, and Murray Bartlett got a nom for Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series for his role in The White Lotus. Hacks’ Hannah Einbinder and SNL’s Kate McKinnon are both up for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
Nathan Lane and Jane Lynch are both up for guest acting nominations for their roles in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building. Jerrod Carmichael picked up a nomination for hosting SNL as well as one for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special for his special Rothaniel.
Last summer’s surprise hit The White Lotus is also up for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, and openly bisexual creator Mike White is nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Plenty of actors who don’t necessarily identify as LGBTQ were also nominated for their performances as queer characters. Colin Firth got a nod for Lead Actor in a Limited Series for his role as bisexual Michael Peterson in HBO’s The Staircase. Both Jodie Comer and Sandra Oh were recognized in the Lead Actress in Drama Series category for their final turns as dueling assassins/on-again-off-again lovers in Killing Eve, while Alex Borstein was nominated for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Susie Myerson in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. And both John Turturo and Christopher Walken received nominations for their roles in Severance.
LGBTQ characters, creators, and performers are all over TV. Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series nominees Abbott Elementary, What We Do in the Shadows, Barry, Euphoria, and Yellowjackets all feature prominent queer characters and, in a couple cases (Abbott, Euphoria), actual LGBTQ actors.
Finally, and depressingly, Emmy voters were apparently more than willing to ignore Dave Chappelle’s unapologetic transphobia, giving the comedian’s special The Closer nominations for both Outstanding Pre-Recorded Variety Special and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special.
