2026 Emmy Nominations: Most Shocking Snubs and Surprises
The 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were announced on the morning of July 8. With them came a handful of snubs and surprises that are sure to get people talking. We’ve compiled a list of our biggest ones in the gallery below.
Emmy winners Jeff Hiller and Liza Colón-Zayas announced the nominations in Los Angeles on July 8, which included a double acting nomination for Matthew Rhys for The Beast in Me and Widow’s Bay. Some previous Emmy darlings such as The Bear didn’t get as much attention as they have in the past. Jeremy Allen White, for example, didn’t get nominated.
There are some delightful unexpected nominations, such as Yahya Abdul-Mateen II‘s for Wonder Man. He’s wonderful in the series, but the Marvel show, while great, didn’t get much attention when it came out. Plus, Marvel shows rarely get acting nominations, so his nomination is a welcome surprise.
Some shows that were completely shut out are Outlander‘s final season, Industry Season 4, Landman, and The Madison. If you’re surprised that your favorite show wasn’t on the list of nominees, check out this breakdown on Emmys eligibility to check if it was eligible for nominations this year.
The 2026 Emmy Awards will air live on Monday, September 14, hosted by Mariska Hargitay. Check out our selections for biggest snubs and surprises below.
SNUB: Industry
A complete shut-out for Industry‘s fourth season is a big disappointment. Ken Leung did career-best work in his final season as Eric Tao, and the dynamic between Harper (Myha’la) and Yasmin (Marisa Abela) continues to be one of TV’s most compelling, anchored by the strong performances from the show’s leads. Kit Harington also delivered noteworthy work as Henry Muck. Of all the seasons of Industry so far, this one seemed the most likely to break into the Emmys categories, especially given the strength of the writing. It’s a shame that it didn’t. — Kelli Boyle
SURPRISE: Dancing With the Stars
After 10 years without a nomination, Dancing With the Stars is back in the Outstanding Reality Competition Series category this year. The show has certainly been having a resurgence recently, but it was a pleasant surprise to see it back in the mix. And that’s on the Robert Irwin effect! — Alyssa Norwin
SNUB: Supriya Ganesh, The Pitt
Listen, we love the love for The Pitt, with nominations for Best Drama Series, Lead Actor (Noah Wyle), Supporting Actor (Patrick Ball, Shawn Hatosy, and Gerran Howell), and Supporting Actress (Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Katherine LaNasa, and Sepideh Moafi), as well as a few for Guest Actor and Actress, but Supirya Ganesh delivered one of the best performances of the season, especially with Mohan’s panic attack. She really should have been recognized. — Meredith Jacobs
SURPRISE: Ariana Madix for Love Island
Being cheated on by Tom Sandoval has worked wonders for Ariana Madix. She received a nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program for her work on Love Island, and with so many longtime hosts eligible for this category, that’s quite a feat! — Alyssa Norwin
SNUB: Outlander
Outlander‘s final season was completely shut out by the Emmys, marking a disappointing end for the show’s awards hopes at TV’s biggest night. Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan have been strong leads of this beloved series for years, so fans will undoubtedly feel let down that their work on the final episodes weren’t recognized. — Kelli Boyle
SNUB: The Amazing Race Season 38
For the second time in Outstanding Reality Competition Program history, The Amazing Race has not been nominated. Maybe we should have seen this one coming because the season featured former Big Brother stars, and Big Brother has never been nominated. Still, we were shocked to see this favorite fall off the list. — Rebecca Perlmutter
SNUB: Michelle Pfeiffer, The Madison
Pfeiffer’s performance as a grieving widow in The Madison was a compelling and memorable one, one that was lauded by critics. Given that, her lack of a nomination is unexpected. But she was nominated for her comedic role in Margo’s Got Money Troubles. — Kelli Boyle
SNUB: Half Man
Yes, Richard Gadd earned a Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series nod, but the fact that the series was left out of the main category and Jamie Bell was overlooked for Best Actor is a real shame. The chilling examination of male rage and internalized homophobia deserved so much more. — Amanda Bell
SNUB: Writing, Off Campus
Right now, book-to-screen adaptations are all the rage, and Off Campus is everyone’s new hockey romance obsession. Given how well Louisa Levy and the rest of the writing team adapted the source material, we would have loved to see Episode 6, “The Breakaway,” which threw a massive Allie (Mika Abdalla) and Dean (Stephen Kalyn)-shaped curveball at readers, make the nominations list. — Rebecca Perlmutter
SURPRISE: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man
When Disney+’s Wonder Man premiered, many fatigued Marvel fans expected a traditional superhero origin story packed with MCU connections. Instead, they got a grounded, self-aware Hollywood buddy comedy about struggling actor Simon Williams, played to perfection by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, whose crippling anxiety and uncontrollable ionic powers fueled both the comedy and the heart. Abdul-Mateen’s blend of humor and vulnerability grounded the series, earning him his second Emmy nomination — he previously won for Watchmen, proving he has a knack for playing heroes. His lead actor nomination was a bit of a shocker for what many considered one of the MCU’s best yet most underrated series. – Erin Maxwell
SURPRISE: Elle Fanning, Margo's Got Money Troubles
Margo might have money troubles, but she’s cashing in during awards season. Elle Fanning‘s Lead Actress nomination for Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles shocked many, not due to her performance as OnlyFans-creator and new mother Margo Millet, but because she pulled off a rare “Oscar-Emmy double” by landing both nominations in the same calendar year for her work in Sentimental Value. The newbie show secured eight total Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, marking Fanning’s second career Emmy nod following her 2022 nod for Hulu’s The Great. – Erin Maxwell
SNUB: Lili Reinhart, Hal & Harper
Lili Reinhart undoubtedly should’ve been among the Lead Actress in a Limited Series nominees. She offers one of the best performances of the year — and the best of her career — as a codependent twin sibling in MUBI’s limited series Hal & Harper from director-writer-star Cooper Raiff. Reinhart plays her character, Harper, in first grade, third grade, and adulthood, navigating the painful loss of her mother at a young age and the aftereffects of their father’s (Mark Ruffalo) emotional neglect. Reinhart brings a rawness to Harper at every age, so much so that you start to forget it’s a 20-something-year-old playing a child in the flashbacks. Harper’s emotional journey is treated with so much care by Reinhart that it’s a crime she — and the show as a whole — hasn’t got more awards recognition this season. —Morgan Pryor
SNUB: Oliver Platt, Chicago Med
Oh, if only broadcast TV got the recognition it deserves at the Emmys anymore. Oliver Platt delivered his best performances on Chicago Med in the two episodes about Charles’ stroke, especially as it delved into his history with his parents and ex-wives. He’s consistently one of the best actors on TV right now, but he was nomination-worthy in Season 11. —Meredith Jacobs
SNUB: Landman
Taylor Sheridan‘s modern cowboy drama got zero love from the Television Academy, and while the creator himself might’ve seen that coming, the second season was such an elevation that it did surprise us — particularly since Ali Larter, Demi Moore, and Sam Elliott were all oozing with talent in Season 2. — Amanda Bell
SNUB: Grace Van Patten, Tell Me Lies
Grace Van Patten consistently delivered as Lucy Albright in Hulu’s toxic romance drama Tell Me Lies, and her performance in the final season was simply astounding. Van Patten’s brilliance was on full display as Lucy’s mental state deteriorated and her shame consumed her. Her ability to showcase Lucy’s fragility while masking her emotions proves she’s one of the best young actresses working today. — Avery Thompson
SNUB: Murdaugh: Death in the Family
The thoughtful Hulu true-crime adaptation certainly deserved to become a part of the Emmys conversation, and yet it was completely shut out of the limited series categories. This is especially criminal for Jason Clarke and Johnny Berchtold, who each delivered truly transformative performances that brought new layers of understanding to the real people behind the very twisty tragic tale. — Amanda Bell
SNUB: Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
The Game of Thrones spinoff was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series and other categories for the production staff, but lead actors Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell didn’t get nominations for their moving performances as Dunk and Egg. Season 1 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is one of the strongest debut seasons of television we’ve seen in years, and it’s stronger than certain seasons of its predecessors. None of it soars without Claffey and Ansell’s performances as the show’s emotional center. — Kelli Boyle
SNUB: Stranger Things
Sorry, Stranger Things. Though the fifth and final season received seven Emmy nominations in several below-the-line categories, including production design, makeup, and visual f/x, the Netflix juggernaut was completely shut out of the major acting races and the Best Drama Series category. While the divisive final episode and fierce competition may have played a role in the snub, it was still a surprising outcome for one of Netflix’s biggest and most influential shows, especially as it closed out its nearly decade-long run. – Erin Maxwell
Conversation5 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Register or sign in to join the conversation.
-
S
What about Dark Winds?
Native American shows and actors continue to get overlooked.
-
A
Shame how the outstanding outlander was totally ignored!!!
-
R
I get the impression the people that pick the winners and make the nominations, haven't even watched many of the shows. I wouldn't be surprised if the winners are predetermined and biased. This has been going on for years and don't see it stopping anytime soon.
-
M
Isn't it time to SEPARATE paid-for streaming shows from regular TV?
-
D
Stopped watching years ago when the nominating committee kept excluding Keri Russell for The Americans and Caitriona Balfe for Outlander. They have their favorites and it is bloody annoying. I see Keri finally got a nod for The Diplomat and that’s terrific although her work in The Americans was a million times more extraordinary than her work in this series. Still, I will never watch this show again.
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services