The biggest night in television will surely be a night to remember.
Abbott Elementary’s Sheryl Lee Ralph and Veep’s Tony Hale announced the nominations for the 2024 Emmy Awards live from the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood July 17, two months before the ceremony, and although there were a few nominees that made the list as expected, there were also a few surprises.
Hiroyuki Sanada and Jonathan Bailey are among the first-time nominees, with the former earning a nod for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Shogun and the latter picking up a mention for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series Or Movie for his performance in Fellow Travelers.
As expected, some of the most acclaimed shows took their rightful place in the nominations, with Abbott Elementary earning nine awards and The Crown with 18 nominations.
Meanwhile, The Bear had a feast, taking home 23 nods and setting a new record for nominations in a single year in the Comedy category (previously held by 30 Rock with 22 in 2009.)
However, there were some unexpected nominees this year, too. For instance, after three seasons of Only Murders in the Building, Selena Gomez earned her first nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. (She was previously nominated as a producer on the Hulu show.) And after years of critical acclaim, Reservation Dogs earned four nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series. Meanwhile, Loki, Masters of the Air, Fraiser’s Kelsey Grammer, and The Curse’s Emma Stone were shockingly left off the list this year.
While the nominations have been revealed, the Television Academy members will begin voting for the winners from Aug. 15 to Aug. 26. As for the night that winners will be announced? Tune in for the 76th annual award show Sunday, Sept. 15 on ABC.
As we wait to see which stars will take home a golden statuette, keep reading to see all the surprises and snubs from the 2024 Emmy Awards nominations.
SURPRISE: Reservation Dogs, Outstanding Comedy Series
After three critically acclaimed seasons and countless nods from other award shows, including The Golden Globes and Spirit Awards, Reservation Dogs earned four 2024 Emmy nominations. The FX coming-of-age series is up for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour) and Outstanding Picture Editing For A Single-Camera Comedy Series. And D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, who played protagonist Bear Smallhill, was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series.
SNUB: Masters of the Air, Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series
One of the more competitive categories this year, the WWII-era drama series starring Austin Butler and Callum Turner wasn't among the final contenders. Unlike the drama and comedy categories, which have eight spots, limited or anthology series only has enough room for five.
SURPRISE: Selena Gomez in Only Murders in the Building, Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
This isn’t the “Single Soon” singer's only nomination in the building, but it is her first Emmy nod for acting. Selena, who earned her Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series after playing Mabel for three seasons, was previously nominated as a producer on the Hulu show.
SURPRISE: Hiroyuki Sanada in Shōgun, Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Hiroyuki—who starred in films like The Last Samurai and John Wick 4 and is considered one of Japan’s most distinguished actors—earned his first-ever Emmy nomination for his role as Lord Yoshii Toranaga in the FX series.
SNUB: Fellow Travelers, Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series
While Matt Bomer is up for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie and Jonathan Bailey for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, the critically acclaimed eight-episode series didn’t make the cut for Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series.
SURPRISE: The Traitors
The two-season reality TV show, hosted by Alan Cumming, is up against some of the most beloved and established shows, including The Amazing Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Top Chef and The Voice.
SNUB: Hot Ones, Outstanding Talk Series
After Hot Ones' host Sean Evans successfully petitioned to be eligible for the category, the YouTube series didn't bring enough heat to earn a nomination.
SURPRISE: Ryan Gosling in Saturday Night Live, Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
The Barbie star brought the Ken-ergy while hosting Saturday Night Live for the third time—earning his first-ever Emmy nomination.