The 2026 Emmy Awards have sparked controversy two months before the ceremony, with several major shows and stars surprisingly omitted from the nominations. The 78th annual Emmys, honoring outstanding television achievements, announced nominees that left fans and critics stunned by notable absences.
Major Snubs Include Stranger Things and Its Stars
Despite a cult following and expectations for a Best Drama Series nomination, Netflix's Stranger Things was completely blanked in above-the-line categories for its final season. The polarizing send-off season failed to secure nods for stars David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, and Jamie Campbell Bower, who played the scene-stealing villain Vecna. However, the show did receive nominations in technical categories, according to the Emmys announcement.
The Bear's Lead Actors Miss Out
FX's The Bear, which earned a nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, saw its lead actor Jeremy Allen White snubbed after winning the award twice previously for the show's first three seasons. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, a two-time winner for supporting actor, also missed a nomination. Both actors had been nominated for each of the show's prior seasons.
Euphoria Fails to Land Top Drama Nomination
HBO's Euphoria, starring Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney, returned for its highly anticipated final season but was unable to secure a spot in the Outstanding Drama Series category. The psychological drama, which previously won Zendaya a lead actress Emmy, was shut out of the top category entirely.
Rooster Saved by Steve Carell
Steve Carell's HBO series Rooster, about sexual politics in college life, nearly failed to earn any nominations. Carell, a 12-time Emmy nominee, secured a Best Actor nod, preventing a complete shutout for the show. Fans hope he will win in September to give the series at least one award.
Selena Gomez and Kathy Bates Snubbed
Selena Gomez was again overlooked in the Lead Actress in a Comedy Series category for Only Murders in the Building, despite co-star Martin Short receiving his fourth consecutive nomination for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Gomez has only earned one Emmy nomination over the show's run.
Kathy Bates, who won an Emmy in 2025 for her role in the Matlock reboot on CBS, was entirely omitted from the 2026 nominations. Bates plays Madeline “Matty” Matlock, a lawyer investigating her daughter's death while exposing corporate corruption.
Leading Nominees: The Pitt Dominates
HBO's medical drama The Pitt led all nominees with 25 nods, following a breakout first season that also performed well at the 2025 Emmys. Other top nominees include The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Paradise, Pluribus, Slow Horses, and Your Friends & Neighbours. The ceremony is set for September 2026.
