Nyle DiMarco
The nominations for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced on Tuesday, July 15, and it’s clear that LGBTQ+ talent and inclusive storytelling are making significant strides in television.
With a ceremony set for Sunday, September 14, on CBS and Paramount+, this year’s Emmys are shaping up to be one of the queerest on record.
Nonbinary actor Bella Ramsey has made history, securing their second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for their powerful role as Ellie in HBO’s “The Last of Us.” This marks a significant milestone as they become the only nonbinary performer to receive multiple acting Emmy nods.
The Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category is brimming with queer excellence, featuring nominations for Colman Domingo (“The Four Seasons”), Jeff Hiller (“Somebody Somewhere”), Michael Urie (“Shrinking”), and Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live”). Bisexual actor Hannah Einbinder also received a nomination for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “Hacks.”
Reality television continues to be a strong platform for LGBTQ+ representation. RuPaul Charles earned his record-setting 10th consecutive nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program for “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” He is joined in the category by Alan Cumming (“The Traitors”) and Kristen Kish (“Top Chef”). “RuPaul’s Drag Race” itself garnered an impressive 10 nominations, contributing to its franchise total of 99 nominations since 2015.
Additional Notable Nominations
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Colman Domingo also earned his second Emmy nomination for “The Four Seasons,” building on his historic 2022 win as the first gay Black man to win for guest actor in a drama for “Euphoria.”
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Tramell Tillman of “Severance” is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and a win would make him the first Black actor to take the award in the 21st century.
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Ayo Edebiri of “The Bear” made history with nominations for both Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, making her the first Black woman to be nominated in both categories in the same year.
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Cooper Koch received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role in “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.”
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Nyle DiMarco also garnered two Emmy nominations for his Apple TV+ project “Deaf President Now!” He is nominated for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special and for Outstanding Directing for a Documentary or Nonfiction Program as co-director.
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The documentary film “Will & Harper,” featuring Will Ferrell and his trans friend Harper Steele, received a nomination for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.
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“Pee-wee as Himself,” a posthumous documentary exploring the life of Paul Reubens, who came out as gay in the film, also received an Emmy nod.
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“The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula” secured its first-ever Primetime Emmy nominations, including for Outstanding Hairstyling and Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Program.
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The fourth season of “Hacks,” which features out individuals like Hannah Einbinder, garnered 14 nominations.
While the 2025 Emmy nominations celebrate significant queer milestones, some outlets have noted that overall diversity in acting nominations, particularly for actors of color, has seen a slight decrease since 2019. Nevertheless, the strong showing of LGBTQ+ talent and narratives underscores the growing visibility and impact of queer stories in the television landscape.
