LOS ANGELES (AP) — “The Crown” tied with “The Mandalorian” for the most Emmy nominations Tuesday with 24 apiece, but the Marvel universe also got bragging rights with runner-up “WandaVision.”
The nominations reinforced the rapid rise of streaming, with the top-nominated scripted shows on services that largely emerged in the past two years. In the top three categories — drama, comedy and limited series — only the NBC show “This Is Us” and ABC’s “black-ish” snagged nominations.
In a pandemic year in which housebound Americans relied more than ever on television for distraction, TV academy voters recognized a varied mix of storytelling and a diverse group of actors and creators.
One example: Mj Rodriguez of “Pose” is the first trans woman to be nominated in a lead acting category. The show also earned a best drama series nod.
Netflix’s “The Crown” received its fourth nomination for best series, and is likely the streaming service’s best chance to win its first-ever top series trophy. The British royal drama moved closer to contemporary events with its version of the courtship and rocky marriage of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer, played by Josh O’Connor and Emma Corrin.
O’Connor and Corrin received lead drama acting nods, as did the series’ Olivia Colman for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II, with a supporting bid to Gillian Anderson for her performance as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The showings by “The Mandalorian,” an extension of the “Star Wars” franchise, and the inventive “WandaVison” featuring the Marvel characters Wanda and Vision, put the series in the ranks of past sci-fi and fantasy Emmy favorites “Game of Thrones” and “Lost.”
The frontrunner on the comedy side is the good-hearted “Ted Lasso,” about a middling American football coach imported to England to handle a soccer team. The Apple TV+ series received 20 nominations, including for top comedy, star Jason Sudeikis and six cast members.
“Hacks,” starring Jean Smart as a stand-up comedian who resists getting aged out of Las Vegas and life, was next with 15 nods, including a lead actor award for Smart and a supporting bid for Hannah Einbinder.
Smart, who some have said is enjoying a career “Jeannaisance,” earned a second nomination for her supporting role in the limited series “Mare of Easttown.”
The other nominees for best drama series are: “The Boys”; “Bridgerton”; “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Lovecraft Country.”
The other nominees for best comedy series are: “Cobra Kai”; “Emily in Paris”; “The Flight Attendant”; “The Kominsky Method” and “PEN15.”
The nominees for best miniseries are: “The Queen’s Gambit”; “I May Destroy You”; “Mare of Easttown”; “The Underground Railroad”; “WandaVision.”
The nominees for best actress in a comedy series are: Aidy Bryant, “Shrill”; Jean Smart, “Hacks”; Kaley Cuoco, “The Flight Attendant”; Tracee Ellis Ross, “black-ish”; Allison Janney, “Mom.”
The nominees for best actor in a comedy series besides Sudeikis are: Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”; Michael Douglas, “The Kominsky Method”; William H. Macy, “Shameless”; Kenan Thompson, “Kenan.”
The nominees for best actress in a drama series are: Emma Corrin, “The Crown”; Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”; Uzo Aduba, “In Treatment”; Olivia Colman, “The Crown”; Mj Rodriguez, “Pose”; Jurnee Smollett, “Lovecraft Country.”
The nominees for best actor in a drama series are: Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”; Jonathan Majors, “Lovecraft Country”; Josh O’Connor, “The Crown”; Regé-Jean Page, “Bridgerton”; Billy Porter, “Pose”; Matthew Rhys, “Perry Mason.”
The nominees for best actor in a limited series or TV movie are: Paul Bettany, “WandaVision”; Hugh Grant, “The Undoing”; Ewan McGregor, “Halston”; Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Hamilton”; Leslie Odom Jr., “Hamilton.”
The nominees for best actress in a limited series or TV movie are: Michaela Coel, “I May Destroy You”; Cynthia Erivo, “Genius: Aretha”; Elizabeth Olsen, “WandaVision”; Anya Taylor-Joy, “The Queen’s Gambit”; Kate Winslet, “Mare of Easttown.”
Father-and-daughter actors Ron Cephas Jones (“This Is Us”) and Jasmine Cephas Jones (“Blindspotting”) and TV Academy head Frank Scherma announced the nominees. There were awkward moments when the pair mispronounced some nominees’ names, including referring to Taylor-Joy as “Anna.”
The Sept. 19 ceremony, which last year was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will air live on CBS from a theater and include a limited in-person audience of nominees and guests. Cedric the Entertainer is the host.
