The Biggest Snubs and Surprises From the 2026 Emmy Nominations
From first-time nominees Chase Infiniti, Meg Stalter, and Connor Storrie to a few notable exclusions.
The wait is over—past Emmy winners Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear) and Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere) finally announced the nominations for the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards this morning. While some were delighted to hear their names read, others throughout Hollywood will undoubtedly feel a little snubbed.
Last year’s Best Drama Series winner, The Pitt, led this year with a total of 25 nominations. Stars Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, and Shawn Hatosy were nominated once again, with supporting cast Patrick Ball, Gerran Howell, Taylor Dearden, Fiona Dourif, and Sepideh Moafi all entering the competition this year, too.
Comedy darling Hacks, which concluded its fifth and final season last month, followed closely behind with 24, breaking Schitt’s Creek’s 2020 record for most nominations in a single season for a comedy (including a first-time nod for Meg Stalter—more on that, below).
Pluribus, the Apple TV sci-fi drama which reunited Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan with Saul star Rhea Seehorn, also fared well, as did the streamer’s new mystery, Widow’s Bay. FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette launched a wave of fashion copycats this year, but only nabbed three nods, including one for best limited series , one for its lead, Sarah Pidgeon, and one for Constance Zimmer, who played Bessette’s mother.
The final season of Euphoria received eight nominations, including nods for past winners Colman Domingo and Zendaya. The latter made Emmys history in 2020 when she became the youngest actor to win best actress in a drama for her portrayal of the troubled teen drug addict, Rue. She followed it up with another win in 2022. Should she win again, she will be 3-for-3—and the odds are in her favor despite the season’s lackluster critical reception.
This year’s ceremony will take place on Monday, September 14, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock starting at 8:00 pm ET. Emmy winner and TV icon Mariska Hargitay will host, making her the first woman to do so in 15 years—since 2011, when Jane Lynch acted as emcee.
But until then, take a look at the biggest snubs and surprises from the 2026 Emmy nominations:
Surprise: The Bear
The Bear has proved to be consistent Emmy bait since its premiere in 2022, despite its highly controversial classification as a comedy rather than a drama. Still, season four in particular was considered a bit of a dud, plotwise—but apparently still good enough to nab an Outstanding Comedy Series nod.
Snub: Industry
Despite being both critically acclaimed and developing a cult following, Industry to date has received zero Emmy nominations—and this year was no different.
Surprise: Chase Infiniti for The Testaments
Newcomer Chase Infiniti has had a breakout year, to say the least. Still, she was snubbed by Academy voters for last year’s Oscar winning One Battle After Another, despite her starring role in the film. She wasn’t a lock for The Handmaid’s Tale follow-up The Testaments, either, but the Emmys have given her a nod for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Snub: Cailee Spaeny for Beef
Three of the core four cast of Beef season two—Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, and Charles Melton (not to mention the series itself)—were all nominated for Emmys, except for Cailee Spaeny. She deserved better!
Snub: Jeremy Allen White for The Bear
Back to The Bear: Jeremy Allen White won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy for his portrayal of tortured chef Carmy in the first two seasons of the series and was nominated for the third. Not this year, though.
Surprise: Meg Stalter for Hacks
Hacks has been another Emmy darling since its 2021 premiere, with leads Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder taking home Outstanding Lead Actress and Supporting Actress in a Comedy, respectively. This marks the first nod for Meg Stalter, though, for her role as a clueless nepo-baby assistant.
Snub: Sydney Sweeney for Euphoria
Despite being the (controversial) face of nearly every Euphoria meme, Sydney Sweeney was left off the nominations list this year for her portrayal of Cassie Howard (she did receive a nod for season two, though she didn’t win).
Snub: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje for Euphoria
The veteran actor won over audiences with his portrayal of crime lord Alamo, but Emmy voters failed to recognize his work.
Surprise: Joy Sunday and Richard Jenkins for DTF St. Louis
The quirky limited series gave Emmy voters plenty to love, including nods for leads David Harbour, Jason Bateman (a two-time nominee this year), and Linda Cardellini—but in a pleasant surprise, Wednesday’s Joy Sunday and Richard Jenkins, who played out their own buddy-cop-comedy side plot—were recognized, too.
Snub: The Stranger Things Cast
The final season of the mega-hit series was recognized in some of the technical categories, like production design and music supervision, but its cast, which has literally grown up on the show since first premiering in 2016, was shut out of any noms.
Surprise: Connor Storrie for Saturday Night Live
Fans will notice that 2025’s biggest runaway hit, Heated Rivalry, is completely off the list—but that’s because, despite later finding a US streaming partner in HBO, the series was an exclusively Canadian production, making it ineligible for the awards. Emmys voters still found a way to get in on Heated Rivalry fever, though, recognizing Connor Storrie for his work hosting Saturday Night Live in February. It’s highly likely that he and Hudson Williams will show up as presenters—the fans might riot, otherwise.
