It’s the morning of the 2026 Emmy nominations, and there were plenty of surprises early on. From unscripted triumphs to hard-campaigning celebs that didn’t make the cut, it’s already a heated race well ahead of the Sept. 14 ceremony. Read below for some of the biggest snubs and surprises of the morning. And remember: Some favorites, including the Canadian series “Heated Rivalry” and too new fare like “Anne Rice’s The Vampire Lestat” and “Life, Larry and the Pursuit of Unhappiness,” aren’t eligible.
Surprise: “Widow’s Bay” makes noise, despite a late start and horror trappings.
The show’s late-April launch and relatively slow burn didn’t impact its ability to land 19 nods. Not bad for a show that wears its love of the horror genre on its sleeve.
Snub: Paul Anthony Kelly for his soulful lead in “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette.”
The buzzy star didn’t impact voters enough with his doppelgänger performance of the tragic American royal.
