By Lynn Elber

Watchmen, cloaked in superhero mythology and grounded in real-world racism, received a leading 26 nominations Tuesday for the prime-time Emmy Awards.

The series, which captured America’s unease as it faces racial clashes, was nominated as best limited series and received bids for cast members including Regina King and Jeremy Irons.

King was part of a vanguard of actors of color who showed that TV academy voters took heed of the calls for change.

The Amazon comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is the second most-nominated series with 20, followed by Netflix's Ozark with 18.

“This year, we are also bearing witness to one of the greatest fights for social justice in history. And it is our duty to use this medium for change,” Frank Scherma, chairman, and CEO of the Television Academy said at the outset of the presentation.

The nominations, typically unveiled with fanfare at the TV academy’s Los Angeles headquarters, were announced online Tuesday by Leslie Jones (Saturday Night Live) and presenters Laverne Cox (Orange is the New Black), Josh Gad (Frozen) and Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black). Cox, Gad, and Maslany appeared on by video feeds.

Among the honorees whose nomination collided with current events: Brad Pitt earned a nod for a guest appearance playing Dr. Anthony Fauci on Saturday Night Live.

The nominees for best comedy series are: Curb Your Enthusiasm; Dead to Me; The Good Place; Insecure; The Kominsky Method; The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel; Schitt’s Creek; What We Do in the Shadows

The nominees for best drama series are: Better Call Saul; The Crown; Killing Eve; The Handmaid’s Tale; The Mandalorian; Ozark; Stranger Things; Succession.

In addition to Watchmen, the nominees for best limited series are: Little Fires Everywhere; Mrs. America; Unbelievable; Unorthodox.

The nominees for drama series actress are: Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show; Olivia Colman, The Crown; Jodie Comer, Killing Eve; Laura Linney, Ozark; Sandra Oh, Killing Eve; Zendaya, Euphoria.

The nominees for drama series actor are: Jason Bateman, Ozark; Sterling K. Brown, This is Us; Billy Porter, Pose; Jeremy Strong, Succession; Brian Cox, Succession; Steve Carell, The Morning Show.

The nominees for lead actor in a comedy series are: Anthony Anderson, black-ish; Don Cheadle, Black Monday; Ted Danson, The Good Place; Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method; Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek; Ramy Youssef, Ramy.

The nominees for lead actress in a comedy series are: Christina Applegate, Dead to Me; Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel; Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me; Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek; Issa Rae, Insecure; Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish.

The nominees for best TV movie are: American Son; Bad Education; Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones; El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend.

A high energy Jones kicked off the announcement Tuesday morning by appearing on a virtual set and joking that she was told there would be many others on set to announce the nominees and that she was locked in a studio with only a cameraman.

The Emmy Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will be presented on Sept. 20 on ABC.

Share:
More In Culture
Sacramento Mass Shooting Raises Questions on How to Curb Rising Gun Violence
After a devastating mass shooting in Sacramento over the weekend that killed six people and wounded a dozen more, arguments about gun reform are also resurfacing. David Pucino, deputy chief counsel at Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, joined Cheddar News to talk about efforts to curb gun violence such as community intervention programs — and the more that needs to be done by lawmakers. "One thing that would be really important is at the federal level closing the loopholes that allow for private sales to go forward without a background check," he noted.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee Signs Uber, Lyft Driver Pay Guarantee Into Law
Uber and Lyft drivers are cruising in Washington State, the first U.S. state to set an earnings standard for drivers for the ride-hailing companies. Governor Jay Inslee signed the new minimum pay standard into law Thursday, which also gives drivers access to perks like paid sick time and family medical leave. John Logan, Director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
NFT Network Tripsters to Allow NFT Owners to Combine Two NFTs to Create New, Unique NFT
A new NFT network claims it is disrupting the art market, and is doing so by following in the footsteps of art legends Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Tripsters says it is creating a new and revolutionary concept in the NFT space, by allowing users to combine two NFTs in order to create a new third NFT. Tripsters says the feature will be compatible with multiple NFT collections in the future, but the first Tripsters' airdrop will be compatible with the Bored Ape Yacht Club collection. Jayson Winer, co-founder of Tripsters, and Oskar Kowalski, a senior advisor for the startup, join Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Tips for Filing Your Taxes This Year
Mark Steber, chief tax information officer at Jackson Hewitt, joins Cheddar News to talk about what you need to know before filing your taxes this year.
Jane Seymour Stars as an English Professor Who Solves Crimes in 'Harry Wild'
Actor, author, and entrepreneur Jane Seymour joined Cheddar News to talk about her new mystery series Harry Wild, streaming in the U.S. exclusively on Acorn TV. "It's really a wonderful independent woman who's changing her life. You know, she's been an academic, and now she's using her academia to solve crimes," she said about the title character, who uses her knowledge as an English professor to help her solve crimes being investigated by her police detective son.
Music in the Metaverse
The metaverse may be the next big thing in the music world. Cheddar News’ Michelle Castillo sat down with Jon Vlassopulos, VP and head of music at Roblox, to discuss virtual concerts and more.
Load More