The Emmy Awards 2026 nominees emerged on Wednesday, and HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” immediately stole the spotlight with a leading 25 nominations. The Television Academy announced the full list in Los Angeles, setting the stage for what looks like one of the most competitive awards races in recent memory.
Right behind “The Pitt,” the comedy series “Hacks” secured 24 nominations, putting the two shows on a collision course heading into the ceremony. Meanwhile, Apple TV+ also made a strong showing this year, since new titles like “Pluribus,” “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” and “Widow’s Bay” each picked up multiple nods across various categories.
How the Emmy Awards 2026 Nominees Break Down by Category
In the drama category, seven shows will compete for Outstanding Drama Series, including “The Diplomat,” “The Gilded Age,” “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” “Paradise,” “The Pitt,” “Slow Horses,” and “Your Friends & Neighbors.” On the comedy side, eight series earned nominations, among them “Abbott Elementary,” “The Bear,” “Nobody Wants This,” “Only Murders in the Building,” “Shrinking,” and “Hacks.”
For Outstanding Limited Series, the Academy recognized five productions: “All Her Fault,” “The Beast In Me,” “Beef,” “DTF St. Louis,” and “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette.” Additionally, the acting categories brought plenty of familiar names into the mix.
Noah Wyle earned a Lead Actor in a Drama Series nomination for “The Pitt,” alongside Sterling K. Brown for “Paradise,” Gary Oldman for “Slow Horses,” Mark Ruffalo for “Task,” and Rufus Sewell for “The Diplomat.” On the actress side, Zendaya picked up a nomination for “Euphoria,” joining Carrie Coon, Chase Infiniti, Keri Russell, and Rhea Seehorn.
In the comedy acting races, Jean Smart landed a nod for “Hacks,” while Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Elle Fanning, and Lisa Kudrow rounded out the Lead Actress category. Martin Short, Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Matthew Rhys, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II all competed for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
“The Pitt” Dominates Supporting Categories Too
Beyond the lead acting races, “The Pitt” also dominated the supporting categories this year. The show landed multiple nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress in a Drama Series, with Patrick Ball, Shawn Hatosy, and Gerran Howell representing the men, while Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, Katherine LaNasa, and Sepideh Moafi carried the women’s side.
“Hacks” mirrored that dominance in the comedy supporting field, picking up several nominations across both acting categories. Meanwhile, limited series standouts like “DTF St. Louis” and “Beef” also pulled in multiple supporting nods, further spreading nominations across a wide range of productions this year.
Reality television saw its usual heavyweights return, too. “Dancing with the Stars,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “Survivor,” “Top Chef,” and “The Traitors” will all compete for Outstanding Reality/Competition Series. Meanwhile, late-night and variety programming brought back familiar contenders, including “The Daily Show,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Last Week Tonight,” “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” and “Saturday Night Live.”
Interestingly, the Outstanding Variety Special category included the Super Bowl LX Halftime Show starring Bad Bunny, alongside major broadcast events like the Golden Globes, the Grammys, the Oscars, and the Tonys.
When and Where to Watch the Emmy Awards 2026 Ceremony
Looking ahead, “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star Mariska Hargitay will host this year’s ceremony. The show airs live on Monday, September 14, at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, with streaming available through Peacock for viewers who prefer watching online.
Given the tight race between “The Pitt” and “Hacks,” industry watchers expect the ceremony to deliver plenty of surprises. Since both shows earned nominations across nearly every major category, the final results could easily shift the balance between drama and comedy dominance this year.
Notably, this year’s nominations also carry a bit of Nigerian pride. Earlier reporting from Legit.ng revealed that 13-year-old voice actress Simisola Gbadamosi became the youngest Nigerian ever nominated for an Emmy, thanks to her role as Tola Martins in Disney+’s animated series “Iwájú.” That series also earned nods for Outstanding Children’s or Young Teen Animated Series and Outstanding Directing for an Animated Series.
What Comes Next in the Race for Emmy Gold
As the September ceremony approaches, attention will likely shift toward predictions and campaign efforts from the nominated shows and performers. Since “The Pitt” and “Hacks” both hold commanding nomination counts, their respective networks will probably push hard for recognition in the weeks ahead.
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