One Toronto-shot series earned a handful of Emmy Award nominations for its final season 鈥 another was almost completely snubbed. And “The Studio,” a show co-created by two Vancouver natives,聽received the most nominations ever for a new comedy series in a single year.
Overall, there were few surprises when the U.S. Television Academy announced nominations Tuesday morning for the prime-time Emmy Awards, honouring the best in American TV.
The top drama nominee 鈥 and top nominee overall 鈥 was 鈥淪everance鈥 with 27, while the top comedy entry was 鈥淭he Studio,鈥 tying 鈥淭he Bear鈥濃檚 23 nods in 2024, but besting the record for most nominations for a freshman comedy set in 2021 by 鈥淭ed Lasso.鈥
“What We Do in the Shadows,” the vampire comedy that took over a studio on Eastern Avenue for all six of its seasons, was nominated for outstanding comedy series, its fourth swing at the prize 鈥 although a hoped-for nod for at least one of its stars, British actor Matt Berry, didn’t materialize.
The show also picked up nominations for production design, picture editing, hairstyling and makeup.聽
But the Toronto-shot “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which ended in May after six seasons, was almost completely shut out, despite predictions of a best actress nomination for American star Elisabeth Moss or even a best drama nom, a category the show won in 2017, while Moss took lead actress that same year and was nominated in the category three more times.
Elisabeth Moss, left, with Cherry Jones, who got the sole Emmy nomination this year for “The Handmaid’s Tale.”聽
Steve Wilkie/Disney via The Associated PressIts sole nomination on Tuesday morning came for guest actress Cherry Jones, who won the category in 2019. She’s up against stiff competition this time around, facing three “Severance” guest stars 鈥 Jane Alexander, Gwendoline Christie and Merritt Weaver 鈥 and Kaitlyn Dever and Catherine O’Hara of “The Last of Us.”
Torontonian O’Hara was a double nominee, earning a supporting actress in a comedy series nod for Apple TV’s Hollywood satire “The Studio.”
That was part of an avalanche of nominations for the series, which was co-created by Canadians Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Among its 23 nominations is best comedy series. It’s up against last year’s winner, “Hacks,” plus “Shadows,” “The Bear,” “Nobody Wants This,” “Abbott Elementary,” “Only Murders in the Building” and “Shrinking.”
B.C. native Seth Rogen鈥檚 cringe comedy "The Studio" set a record with its first season on Apple TV Plus. Here鈥檚 what you need to know about Canadians receiving Emmy Awards nominations. (July 15, 2025)
The Canadian PressRogen, who stars in the show as the head of a fictional movie studio, also received an expected lead actor nod, while Ike Barinholtz nabbed supporting actor and Kathryn Hahn joined O’Hara in supporting actress. Where “The Studio” appears unassailable is in the guest actor category, where it took five of the six spots for heavyweights Bryan Cranston, Dave Franco, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie and Martin Scorsese. Only past winner Jon Bernthal of “The Bear” stands between one of them and an Emmy.
But it could well scoop up the big prize in September if it can hold off a 鈥淗acks鈥 repeat. The other serious contender, 鈥淭he Bear,鈥 is unlikely to prevail given its reduced nominations this year and the fact that no one seriously believes it鈥檚 a true comedy.
Seth Rogen and Catherine O’Hara in “The Studio.” They’re both up for acting Emmys for the show.
Apple TV PlusIn the guest actress in a comedy聽category, Zo毛 Kravitz is the sole “Studio” representative, up against Cynthia Erivo of “Poker Face,” Robby Hoffman and Julianne Nicholson of “Hacks,” and Olivia Colman and former winner Jamie Lee Curtis of “The Bear.”
Speaking of “The Bear,” its past dominance of the comedy categories evaporated on Tuesday.聽It reaped just six nominations this year compared to 23 in 2024 and 13 in 2023, when it won outstanding comedy series.聽
One of its comedy competitors, Disney’s “Only Murders in the Building,” also saw its nominations tally drop drastically, with just two compared to 21 last year. One of those was for Hamilton-born actor Martin Short in the best lead actor category, while his co-leads Steve Martin and Selena Gomez were snubbed.
On the drama side, the most nominated series was Apple’s “Severance,” with 27 nods for its critically acclaimed second season.
鈥淪everance鈥 separated itself from the field with 27 Emmy nominations Tuesday, while 鈥淭he Studio鈥 led comedy nominees with a record-tying 23 in a dominant year for Apple TV+. (July 15, 2025)
It’s up for best drama against “Andor,” “The Diplomat,” “The Last of Us,” “Paradise,” “Slow Horses,” “The White Lotus” and everybody’s favourite medical show throwback, “The Pitt.”
That latter series brought star Noah Wyle, up for lead actor in a drama, his first acting nomination since 1999 when he was nominated for supporting actor for his previous medical drama, 鈥淓R.鈥
Adam Scott and Britt Lower, lead actor and actress nominees for “Severance.”
Apple TV Plus via The Associated Press“Severance” also garnered a lead actor nomination for Adam Scott and lead actress for Britt Lower, as well as supporting actor for Zach Cherry, Tramell Tillman聽and John Turturro, and supporting actress for Patricia Arquette.聽
Canada’s Jessica Lee Gagn茅 picked up a best directing nomination for “Severance” alongside one for executive producer Ben Stiller, while Dan Erickson got a writing nod.聽
In the limited or anthology series category, much less competitive this year than other years, the critically acclaimed Netflix teen crime drama “Adolescence” picked up a best series nod, alongside “The Penguin,” “Dying for Sex,” “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” and the seventh season of “Black Mirror.”
"Adolescence" stars Ashley Walters and Erin Doherty say the Netflix limited series, which landed 13 Emmy nominations Tuesday, became "something that people needed to see." (July 15, 2025)
AP VideoNominations in the major categories were largely surprise-free, although I didn’t have Sharon Horgan of “Bad Sisters” getting a lead actress in a drama nod on my bingo card.
As for snubs, the biggest, besides 鈥淭he Handmaid鈥檚 Tale,鈥 were to 鈥淎ndor鈥 and 鈥淪quid Game.鈥
The latter, a best drama series nominee in 2022 and lead actor winner for Lee Jung-jae, was skunked this year.
As for the critically adored 鈥淎ndor,鈥 its 14 nominations left out its main actors, especially Diego Luna, who missed out again on a lead actor nod. It got recognition for guest actor Forest Whitaker and for voice-over actor Alan Tudyk. It was also recognized for writing and for craft categories.
The Emmys announcement was good, however, for a couple of senior actors.
鈥淪tar Wars鈥 legend Harrison Ford, 83, got his first ever Emmy nomination for the comedy 鈥淪hrinking,鈥 while Kathy Bates, 77, got her 14th acting nomination, and her first since 2016, for the drama 鈥淢atlock,鈥 making her the oldest lead actress in a drama nominee.
The Emmy Awards air Sept. 14 on CBS and CTV.
See for a complete list of nominees.
To join the conversation set a first and last name in your user profile.
Sign in or register for free to join the Conversation