LOS ANGELES -- âThe Crownâ tied with âThe Mandalorianâ for the most Emmy nominations Tuesday with 24 apiece, but the Marvel universe also got bragging rights with runner-up âWandaVision.â
The haul reinforced the rapid rise of streaming, with most of the top-nominated scripted shows on services that emerged in the past two years. In the top three categories - drama, comedy and limited series - broadcast networks scored only two nominations, for the NBC drama âThis Is Usâ and the ABC comedy âblack-ish.â
During an oppressive pandemic 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 âPoseâ is the first trans woman to be nominated in a lead acting category. The show also earned a best drama series nod.
âThe moment my name was announced, I just screamed and I broke,â Rodriguez said. âMy mom grabbed me. She kind of flung me around. ... I remember falling into my boyfriend's arms and just crying tears of joy, tears of happiness. I felt so seen.â
Of the 96 acting nods for drama, comedy and miniseries, nearly 44% - a total of 42 nominations - went to people of color. That included 34 noms for Black actors, one fewer than last year.
Netflix's âThe Crownâ received its fourth nomination for best series, and is likely the veteran 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 role as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
The showings by âThe Mandalorian,â an extension of the âStar Warsâ franchise, and the inventive âWandaVisionâ featuring the Marvel characters Wanda and Vision, put the series in the ranks of past sci-fi and fantasy Emmy favorites âGame of Thronesâ and âLost.â
âThe Boys,â Amazon's comedy-tinged take on superheroes, earned a best drama nod.
âI would never have thought in a million years that playing a witch in a Marvel show would lead to this. It's like a dream,â said âWandaVisionâ co-star Kathryn Hahn. She received a supporting actress bid, but found the show's total of 23 nominations especially sweet.
âI'm so moved that the whole of it has been recognized,â Hahn said. âIt was incredibly difficult. It was a hard, hard shoot. But ... the experience of making this meant so much to me and it was so unexpectedly deep.â
The nominations bounty by Disney+, which launched in late 2019, was impressive, but the triumph of streaming was predictable, said Eric Deggans, TV critic for National Public Radio.
âDisney+ came out of nowhere and got the third-most nominations of any platform at 71. ... We're a point now where this is this is increasingly becoming a streamers' game and the Emmy nominations reflect it,â Deggans said.
HBO and newcomer streaming service HBO Max edged into the lead with 130 total nominations, with Netflix close on its heels with 129.
The frontrunner on the comedy side is the good-hearted âTed Lasso,â 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.
âHacks,â 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 âJeannaisance,â earned a second nomination for her supporting role in âMare of Easttown.â The limited series received 16 nods, including star Kate Winslet.
Among the others who doubled down on nominations: âSaturday Night Liveâ stars Kenan Thompson and Aidy Bryant, who received supporting acting bids for the variety show as well as lead comedy series acting nods for, respectively, ââKenan" and âShrill.â
Other top nominees include previous best drama series winner âThe Handmaid's Tale,â with 21 nods, tied with âSaturday Night Liveâ; âThe Queen's Gambit,â 18; the costume-drama romp âBridgertonâ and âHamilton,â with 12 each.
âLovecraft Country,â a horror-infused drama set in 1950s segregated America, earned an impressive 18 nominations - but was canceled by HBO after one season.
âThe Flight Attendantâ earned nine nominations, including a best comedy actress nod for Kaley Cuoco and a supporting actress bid for Rosie Perez - who becomes the third Latina nominated in the category, after Sofia Vergara for âModern Familyâ and Liz Torres for âThe John Larroquette Show.â
There were surprises, as usual. Nicole Kidman failed to receive a nomination for limited series âThe Undoing,â while co-star Hugh Grant was recognized. But the critically acclaimed miniseries âI May Destroy Youâ and its star and creator, Michaela Coel, grabbed nine Emmy nods after being snubbed by the Golden Globes.
One blast from the past getting new respect: âCobra Kai,â set 30 years after the events of the âKarate Kidâ film, earned a best comedy nod and four nominations in all.
The other nominees for best drama series are âThe Handmaid's Taleâ and âLovecraft Country.â
Other comedy series nominees are âEmily in Parisâ; âThe Flight Attendantâ; âThe Kominsky Methodâ and âPEN15.â
The nominees for best miniseries are: âThe Queen's Gambitâ; âI May Destroy Youâ; âMare of Easttownâ; âThe Underground Railroadâ; âWandaVision.â
Father-and-daughter actors Ron Cephas Jones (âThis Is Usâ) and Jasmine Cephas Jones (âBlindspottingâ) and TV Academy head Frank Scherma announced the nominees. There were awkward moments when some nominees' names were mispronounced, including a reference to Anya Taylor-Joy as âAnna.â
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.
This story has been corrected to show that two broadcast network series, âblack-ishâ and âThis Is Usâ received nominations in the top three categories, and that Rosie Perez is the third Latina nominated for comedy supporting actress.
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AP Entertainment Writers Ryan Pearson, Alicia Rancilio and Jocelyn Noveck contributed to this report.
Correction:
This story has been corrected to show that two broadcast network series, "black-ish" and "This Is Us" received nominations in the top three categories, and that Rosie Perez is the third Latina nominated for comedy supporting actress.