Emmy Nominations 2025: The Biggest Snubs, Surprises, and Frontrunners Revealed
Discover the full breakdown of the 2025 Emmy nominations! From "Severance" and "The Studio" dominating to major snubs for Selena Gomez, Elisabeth Moss, and "Squid Game," plus exciting surprises.
The Television Academy has once again delivered a nominations list that has the entertainment world buzzing. On Tuesday, July 15, 2025, the nominations for the 77th Annual Emmy Awards were announced, setting the stage for what promises to be a highly debated awards season. While familiar favorites secured their spots, there were plenty of shocking omissions and delightful inclusions that captivated critics and fans alike.
Here’s a deep dive into the 2025 Emmy nominations, highlighting the shows and stars that soared, those that were surprisingly overlooked, and the unexpected gems that broke through.
The Reigning Contenders: Top Nominees of 2025
This year, a few shows truly dominated the nominations, signaling a strong performance for their respective networks and streamers:
Apple TV+'s Triumph: Apple TV+ had a banner year, with "Severance" leading all dramas with an impressive 27 nominations, cementing its status as a critical darling. In the comedy sphere, "The Studio" set a new record for a first-season comedy with 23 nominations, showcasing Apple's growing prestige.
Continued Dominance: Other strong contenders include HBO's "The White Lotus" (third season), which garnered numerous acting nominations, and "The Penguin" (HBO), making a significant splash in the Limited Series categories. Established favorites like "The Bear," "Hacks," and "Abbott Elementary" continued their strong Emmy runs in comedy.
The Shockwaves: Major Snubs of the 2025 Emmys
Every year brings its share of "how could they miss them?" moments, and 2025 was no exception. Several high-profile actors and acclaimed series found themselves surprisingly absent from the nominee list:
Major Lead Actress Omissions: The drama and comedy lead actress categories saw some glaring snubs. Renée Zellweger ("Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy"), Hilary Swank ("Yellowjackets"), Melissa McCarthy ("Only Murders in the Building"), and Elisabeth Moss ("The Handmaid's Tale," especially for its final season) were notably left out.
"Only Murders" Duo Overlooked: Despite "Only Murders in the Building" receiving a nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series, Selena Gomez and Steve Martin were conspicuously absent from the acting categories, leaving Martin Short as the sole nominee from the beloved trio.
Big Shows Shut Out (or Nearly):
"Squid Game" Season 2: After its historic first season, the second season of the Netflix global phenomenon received a shocking zero nominations.
"House of the Dragon" & "1923": Both popular and critically acclaimed series were largely shut out of the drama categories.
"The Handmaid's Tale": The long-running Hulu drama received a quiet goodbye, securing only a single nomination (for guest actress) in its final season, a stark contrast to its past Emmy dominance.
"The Voice": For the first time since 2012, the long-running reality competition was snubbed in its usual category.
Other Notable Acting Snubs: Natasha Lyonne ("Poker Face"), Diego Luna ("Andor"), Allison Janney ("The Diplomat"), and Bridget Everett ("Somebody Somewhere") were among the acclaimed performers whose names were surprisingly not called.
The Delightful Breakthroughs: Unexpected Surprises
Amidst the snubs, the Emmys also celebrated new talent and breakout hits, proving that the Television Academy still has a few surprises up its sleeve:
"Paradise" Emerges: Hulu's "Paradise" made a significant unexpected entry, earning a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, with surprising acting nods for James Marsden and Julianne Nicholson.
"Presumed Innocent" Shines: The Apple TV+ limited series "Presumed Innocent" had a strong showing, with nominations for stars like Jake Gyllenhaal, Bill Camp, Peter Sarsgaard, and Ruth Negga.
Individual Acting Surprises:
Uzo Aduba ("The Residence") earned a nod despite her show's cancellation.
Sharon Horgan ("Bad Sisters") received a lead actress nomination for the Apple TV+ dramedy.
Jeff Hiller ("Somebody Somewhere") secured a much-deserved supporting actor nomination for the HBO comedy.
Meghann Fahy ("Sirens") earned her first lead actress nomination.
Kristen Bell ("Nobody Wants This") also received her first-ever Emmy nomination.
Hollywood veterans Harrison Ford ("Shrinking") at 83, and iconic directors Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese (both for guest acting in "The Studio") received surprising first-time acting nominations.
"The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives": This Hulu series picked up a nomination for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program, signaling a fresh face in the reality categories.
Reflecting on the 2025 Emmy Landscape
The 2025 Emmy nominations highlight a few key trends. Apple TV+ has firmly established itself as an awards powerhouse. While established darlings like "The Bear" and "Hacks" continue to be recognized, voters also showed a willingness to reward critically acclaimed performances and breakout shows, even those that might fly under the radar for a broader audience. The cold shoulder given to some long-running series in their final seasons also sparked considerable discussion, underscoring the ever-evolving nature of television excellence recognized by the Academy.
As the industry now turns its attention to the Emmy Awards ceremony in September, the debates surrounding these nominations are sure to fuel conversations about who truly deserves to take home the coveted golden statues.
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