LGBTQ+ Talent Shines in 77th Emmy Nominations
BY ORLY LYONNE
The nominations for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, set for Sunday, September 14, highlight a significant surge in LGBTQ+ talent and inclusive storytelling.
Nonbinary actor Bella Ramsey made history with their second nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for “The Last of Us,” becoming the only nonbinary performer with multiple acting Emmy nods.
The Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series category is notably queer, featuring Colman Domingo (“The Four Seasons”), Jeff Hiller (“Somebody Somewhere”), Michael Urie (“Shrinking”), and Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live”). Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”) also earned a Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nomination.
Reality television continues strong LGBTQ+ representation, with RuPaul Charles receiving his record 10th consecutive nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program for “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” which garnered 10 nominations itself.
Further notable nominations include Tramell Tillman (“Severance”) vying to be the first Black actor to win Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series this century, and Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”) making history as the first Black woman nominated for both Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in the same year.
Cooper Koch (“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story”) and Nyle DiMarco (“Deaf President Now!”) also received nominations, alongside documentary nods for “Will & Harper” and “Pee-wee as Himself.” “The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula” earned its first Primetime Emmy nominations.
While celebrating these queer milestones, some outlets note a slight decrease in overall diversity for actors of color since 2019. Nevertheless, the strong LGBTQ+ presence underscores their growing visibility and impact in television.
