The 2022 Emmy Nominations Are Here And Oh-So-Queer

This morning, the Television Academy, with the help of actors Melissa Fumero and JB Smoove, announced this year’s Emmy nominations and there was plenty of queer love to go around. The gays have been giving all across the small screen this year and it shows.

Among the LGBTQ+ inclusive series and actors to get the nod from the Academy were The White Lotus for Outstanding Limited Series and What We Do in the Shadows for Outstanding Comedy Series, while Yellowjackets and Euphoria both got the nod for Outstanding Drama Series. Speaking of Euphoria, both Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney got some well-deserved love from the Academy. And of course, Mama Ru and herDrag Race empire continue to dominate in the Outstanding Reality-Competition category.

Here are the rest of the queer actors and queer-inclusive programming up for an Emmy win this year, and who they’ll be competing with.

Outstanding Drama Series

Talk about an embarrassment of riches. It’s going to be practically impossible to pick a favorite from group nominees that include the super-queer Yellowjackets and Euphoria. Or the queer-inclusive Stranger Things. Add to that one of the sweetest and most unexpected queer love stories in Severance, and you have a recipe for a lot of brunch-time debates. 

Better Call Saul (AMC)

Ozark (Netflix)

Severance (Apple TV+)

Squid Game (Netflix)

Stranger Things (Netflix)

Succession (HBO)

Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Euphoria (HBO)

Outstanding Comedy Series

The gays are here and we are hilarious; just look at all these nominees. Hacks continued to be so gay and so brilliant in season two, Barry’s Noho Hank is the gay anti-hero we love. The camp glamour and queerness of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel keeps us laughing, loving, and living. Abbott Elementary’s sweet queer story stole our hearts. And What We Do In The Shadows? Forgetaboutit!

Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Barry (HBO)

Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO)

Hacks (HBO Max)

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime Video)

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

What We Do In the Shadows (FX)

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

OK, so maybe this category isn’t so gay, but with John Oliver, Stephen Colbert, and Trevor Noah in the mix it’s chock full of allies. Honestly, any of these would be a win this year. Well, maybe we’d have to give Jimmy Kimmel a little side-eye.

The Daily Show With Trevor Noah (Comedy Central)

Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)

Late Night With Seth Meyers (NBC)

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (CBS)

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

You better werk RuPaul! Another nomination for the drag queen extraordinaire, this year’s nominations bring the show to a cumulative 56 lifetime nods. Wild! But sashaying on the stage to compete for the Emmy is Lizzo’s incredible Watch Out For the Big Grrrls and Nailed it! 

The Amazing Race (CBS)

Nailed It! (Netflix)

RuPaul’s Drag Race (Logo/VH1)

Top Chef (Bravo)

The Voice (NBC)

Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls (Amazon Prime Video)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

This category offers even more love for some queer-inclusive shows with Abbot Elementary, Hacks, and Mrs. Maisel stars getting nominated. Also, Jean Smart is a queer icon. Fight me. 

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)

Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary (ABC)

Issa Rae, Insecure (HBO)

Jean Smart, Hacks (HBO Max)

Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)

Elle Fanning, The Great (Hulu)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

As in the case of the lead actresses, we have to celebrate more love going to queer-inclusive shows like Barry in this category.

Donald Glover, Atlanta (FX)

Bill Hader, Barry (HBO)

Nicholas Hoult, The Great (Hulu)

Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)

Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie

While there’s no shortage of heartthrobs in this category (Oscar Isaac and Sebastian Stan, swoon) it’s Dustin Lance Black’s Under the Banner of Heaven and Colin Firth playing bi in The Staircase that catch our queer eye. 

Colin Firth, The Staircase (HBO)

Andrew Garfield, Under the Banner of Heaven (Hulu)

Oscar Isaac, Scenes From a Marriage (HBO)

Michael Keaton, Dopesick (Hulu)

Himesh Patel, Station Eleven (HBO Max)

Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy (Hulu)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Movie

Literally, everyone in this category is a queen deserving of a win, but it’s Sarah Paulson bringing the LGBTQ+ representation that just edges out the rest. 

Toni Collette, The Staircase (HBO Max)

Julia Garner, Inventing Anna (Netflix)

Lily James, Pam & Tommy (Hulu)

Sarah Paulson, Impeachment: American Crime Story (FX)

Margaret Qualley, Maid (Netflix)

Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout (Hulu)

Outstanding Limited Series

The White Lotus gets some well-deserved love. And if the best rimming scene was a category, it would deserve that nod, too. But seriously, it’s so exciting to see it included in this list.

Dopesick (Hulu)

The Dropout (Hulu)

The White Lotus (HBO)

Inventing Anna (Netflix)

Pam & Tommy (Hulu)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

You know when a category’s nominations are so good they might just end your friendships fighting over them? Yeah, that’s this year’s Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Just look at these names: Zendaya, Melanie Lynskey, Jodie Comer, Sandra Oh. How do you even begin to pick a winner? 

Laura Linney, Ozark (Netflix)

Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Zendaya, Euphoria (HBO)

Jodie Comer, Killing Eve (AMC)

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve (AMC)

Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Severance for all the awards, please. Thank you. 

Jason Bateman, Ozark (Netflix)

Brian Cox, Succession (HBO)

Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game (Netflix)

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul (AMC)

Adam Scott, Severance (Apple TV+)

Jeremy Strong, Succession (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

There can never be too much love for Euphoria or Yellowjackets, so this list makes us very happy. Truly any list that includes Christina Ricci and Sydney Sweeney is already a winner in our books. 

Patricia Arquette, Severance (Apple TV+)

Julia Garner, Ozark (Netflix)

Jung Ho-yeon, Squid Game (Netflix)

Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul (AMC)

J. Smith-Cameron, Succession (HBO)

Sarah Snook, Succession (HBO)

Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria (HBO)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

This year we’re hoping for a Drag Race All Stars 4-style twist that results in a double win for John Turturro and Christopher Walken for their heart-exploding romance in Severance. Is that too much to ask? No. No it’s not. 

Nicholas Braun, Succession (HBO)

Billy Crudup, The Morning Show (Apple TV+)

Kieran Culkin, Succession (HBO)

Park Hae-soo, Squid Game (Netflix)

Matthew Macfadyen, Succession (HBO)

John Turturro, Severance (Apple TV+)

Christopher Walken, Severance (Apple TV+)

Oh Yeong-su, Squid Game (Netflix)

Outstanding Television Movie

It’s all about queer laughter in the TV Movie category with Reno 911!: The Hunt For QAnon and Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas is in the running for this year’s Emmy.

Chip ‘n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers (Disney+)

Ray Donovan: The Movie (Showtime)

Reno 911!: The Hunt For QAnon (Paramount+)

The Survivor (HBO/HBO Max)

Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas (The Roku Channel)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Another category is packed with worthy queer — and queer-playing — ladies like Hannah Einbinder, Kate McKinnon, and Alex Borstein. 

Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Hannah Einbinder (Hacks)

Janelle James (Abbott Elementary)

Kate McKinnon (Saturday Night Live)

Sarah Niles (Ted Lasso)

Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary)

Juno Temple (Ted Lasso)

Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Carrigan and Tyler James Williams brought two of our fave queer characters to life this year in Barry and Abbott Elementary, respectively. And Bowen Yang is, well, Bowen Yang. Love.

Anthony Carrigan (Barry)

Brett Goldstein (Ted Lasso)

Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso)

Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso)

Tony Shalhoub (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel)

Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary)

Henry Winkler (Barry)

Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Sydney Sweeney and Jennifer Coolidge give us two of our faves to root for this year.

Connie Britton (The White Lotus)

Jennifer Coolidge (The White Lotus)

Alexandra Daddario (The White Lotus)

Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick)

Natasha Rothwell (The White Lotus)

Sydney Sweeney (The White Lotus)

Mare Winningham (Dopesick)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Murray Bartlett for the win! He gave, ahem, quite the performance and deserves all the kudos. 

Murray Bartlett (The White Lotus)

Jake Lacy (The White Lotus)

Will Poulter (Dopesick)

Seth Rogen (Pam & Tommy)

Peter Sarsgaard (Dopesick)

Michael Stuhlbarg (Dopesick)

Steve Zahn (The White Lotus)

More nominations for Euphoria? We love to see it. 

Hope Davis (Succession)

Marcia Gay Harden (The Morning Show)

Martha Kelly (Euphoria)

Sanaa Lathan (Succession)

Harriet Walter (Succession)

Lee You-mi (Squid Game)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

Colman Domingo is one of the greatest living queer actors, period. So we’d be more surprised if he didn’t show up on this list. 

Adrien Brody (Succession)

James Cromwell (Succession)

Colman Domingo (Euphoria)

Arian Moayed (Succession)

Tom Pelphrey (Ozark)

Alexander Skarsgård (Succession)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

Jane Lynch getting nominated for her guest spot on Only Murders in the Building just feels very correct. 

Jane Adams (Hacks)

Harriet Sansom Harris (Hacks)

Jane Lynch (Only Murders in the Building)

Laurie Metcalf (Hacks)

Kaitlin Olson (Hacks)

Harriet Walter (Ted Lasso)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

What we said about Jane Lynch’s nom, that goes for Nathan Lane’s guest spot on the series as well. 

Jerrod Carmichael (Saturday Night Live)

Bill Hader (Curb Your Enthusiasm)

James Lance (Ted Lasso)

Nathan Lane (Only Murders in the Building)

Christopher McDonald (Hacks)

Sam Richardson (Ted Lasso)

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

Whomever takes home the statue in this category, the real winner is us, the audience, because we got to watch them both.  

A Black Lady Sketch Show (HBO/HBO Max)

Saturday Night Live (NBC)

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program

If gays know how to do one thing, it’s host! The whole Queer Eye crew gets the nod this year alongside Nicole Byer and the juggernaut who is RuPaul Charles. 

Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, Jonathan Van Ness (Queer Eye)

Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman (Making It)

Nicole Byer (Nailed It!)

Barbara Corcoran, Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, Kevin O’Leary (Shark Tank)

Padma Lakshmi (Top Chef)

RuPaul (RuPaul’s Drag Race)

Outstanding Animated Program

Bobs Burger’s always has our heart for being queer-inclusive, but Arcane won us over with its romance between Vi and Caitlyn. 

Arcane • “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down” • Netflix • A Riot Games and Fortiche Production for Netflix

Bob’s Burgers • “Some Like It Bot Part 1: Eighth Grade Runner” • FOX • 20th Television

Rick and Morty • “Mort Dinner Rick Andre” • Adult Swim • Rick and Morty LLC

The Simpsons • “Pixelated and Afraid” • FOX • A Gracie Films production in association with 20th Television Animation

What If…? • “What If… Doctor Strange Lost His Heart Instead of His Hands?” • Disney+ • Marvel Studios

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