From Sandra Oh to key 'This Is Us' stars missing the cut, ET breaks down the biggest shockers following the Emmy nominations.
The 2018 Emmy nominations are out!
While there were plenty of worthy nominees, there were several big surprises and snubs on Thursday morning. From This Is Us failing to land recognition for stars Mandy Moore, Justin Hartley and Chrissy Metz to The Good Doctor's leading man, Freddie Highmore, shockingly unable to break through for his first career Emmy nomination, those were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to this year's snubs. But it wasn't all disappointment.
This year's Emmy nominations presented a slew of surprises and several first-time nominees, from Killing Eve's Sandra Oh making Emmy history as the first Asian woman to be nominated in a lead category to Jesus Christ Superstar's John Legend becoming one step closer to completing the EGOT. Following this morning's Emmy nominations announcement, ET breaks down the biggest TV surprises and snubs.
SURPRISES
Sandra Oh Makes Emmy History
It's shocking that it took this long for an Asian woman to be recognized in a lead actress category at the Emmys, but here we are. Sandra Oh, no stranger to the Emmys with five nominations for her supporting role on Grey's Anatomy, made history when she became the first Asian woman to be nominated for a lead role for BBC America's Killing Eve. In the 10-episode drama, Oh plays Eve, a bored, desk-bound MI-5 officer who becomes entrenched in the high-stakes world of a brilliant psychopathic assassin, Villanelle (Jodie Comer). "I feel acutely aware of how important it is and I absolutely want to be a part of it in the best way possible," Oh told ET in January. "The best way possible that I know how is to find the most interesting material and to do my best work for it. It’s too important to not care about it or to not try and be out of the box in some sort of way."
Jason Bateman Slips in for Drama
In a bit of a surprise, Bateman became a two-time Emmy nominee -- not for his comedic work on Arrested Development, but for starring in and directing the dark Netflix drama Ozark. While Bateman received some flack for controversial comments made during a New York Times roundtable, it didn't affect his nominations at all. Could Bateman, who was previously nominated twice for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Arrested Development, win his first Emmy for drama? We shall see.
Jesse Plemons Is a First-Timer
The former Friday Night Lights star pulled it off, landing his first career nomination for the standout Black Mirror episode, USS Callister. While the installment was a lock to earn an Emmy nomination, it was unclear if Plemons or co-star Cristin Milioti (she didn't earn a nomination) would be able to squeeze through. Plemons is up against some big-name competition, like John Legend, Benedict Cumberbatch and Antonio Banderas. Still though, impressive.
Tatiana Maslany Is Back in the Picture
This was a true shocker: The Orphan Black star scored an Emmy nomination for the final season of Orphan Black. It may feel like it ended years ago and we'd understand why; the fifth and final season ended nearly a year ago in August 2017. She won the Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emmy in 2016, but missed the cut last year -- and when you slip out of a competitive category, it's very rare for you to find your way back on the shortlist.
Issa Rae Gets Emmy Love, Finally
After getting shut out for season one, Rae finally made the cut, landing her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. All we have to say is... It's about damn time.
John Legend Is Very Close to an EGOT
The Jesus Christ Superstar star is one step closer to completing the EGOT after scoring an Emmy nomination for his star turn in NBC's live musical production this past Easter. Could he add an Emmy statuette to his loaded arsenal of awards? His wife, Chrissy Teigen, thinks so! (And, Legend's co-star, Sara Bareilles, also scored a nomination!)
SNUBS
Several This Is Us Stars Miss the Cut
The beloved family drama earned eight total nominations on Thursday morning, and while stars Sterling K. Brown, Milo Ventimiglia, Gerald McRaney and Ron Cephas Jones landed their second straight nominations, many of their co-stars were left out in the cold. We're shocked that Chrissy Metz, Mandy Moore and Justin Hartley missed the cut for their stellar performances in the sophomore season and we're 100 percent certain that their omissions are going to be one of the year's biggest snubs.
Freddie Highmore's Elusive First Emmy
We were almost certain that The Good Doctor star would finally come through with his first career nomination for playing Dr. Shaun Murphy on broadcast's top new drama series last year, but we were thoroughly mistaken. Highmore, who received critical acclaim for his work on the Psycho prequel Bates Motel, has never been nominated by the Television Academy before.
Jodie Comer Misses Out for Killing Eve
We can't really be mad about Comer's snub because her partner-in-crime, Sandra Oh, got her just due for Killing Eve. But honestly, Comer's performance as the sexy, ruthless assassin, Villanelle, was stunning and worthy of every award ever. It would have been amazing if both Oh and Comer were co-nominees in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category (they were both submitted for it -- and rightly so), but alas, we can't get everything we want. But here's a silver lining: Creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge also earned an Emmy nomination for writing an episode of Killing Eve. She is the lone female nominee in the category.
The Good Place Gets Some Love, But It's Not Enough
NBC's critically acclaimed series scored two deserved nominations for Ted Danson and guest Maya Rudolph, but how did one of television's most inventive comedies miss out on Outstanding Comedy Series? There were eight total comedies nominated in the top category, including Atlanta, Barry, GLOW and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but The Good Place couldn't slip in? Emmy voters, do better!
Past Emmy Favorites Get Omitted
Previous Emmy stalwarts like Orange Is the New Black and Modern Family were shunned, but we're not really surprised. It's well past time for them to pass the torch to the new. The return of Will & Grace didn't dominate the top comedy categories, though Megan Mullally earned her eighth career nomination -- and all told, the series notched five noms.
The 70th Emmy Awards, co-hosted by Saturday Night Live’s Colin Jost and Michael Che, will air live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 17, starting at 5 p.m. PT on NBC.
Check out the full list of nominees and follow ET’s ongoing Emmy coverage here.
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