Every year, the Emmys reveal which shows, actors and producers are up for awards, and each year, there are always some worthy candidates who get left behind. This year, there's a lot of stink about Diego Luna not getting a nod in the Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series category for his performance as the title character in Star Wars: Andor, definitely one of the most arresting dramas of 2025. Genevieve O’Reilly, who played Mon Mothma, also didn't get a nod.
“These aren’t great moment-to-moment [performances],” showrunner Tony Gilroy told Deadline about his overlooked actors. “These are epic, long-term character studies that they’ve done over 24 episodes. I think the ultimate victory is that these performances will be celebrated and discussed for years to come. I feel confident about that.”
For the record, the nominees in the Outstanding Lead Actor category include Sterling K. Brown (Paradise), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Pedro Pascal, (The Last of Us), Adam Scott, (Severance) and
Noah Wyle (The Pitt). As for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama, the nominees are Kathy Bates (Matlock), Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters), Britt Lower (Severance), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us)
and Keri Russell (The Diplomat). If any of them had to be dropped to make room for the stars of Andor, who would it be?
Netflix executive "disappointed" for Squid Game shutout
Andor did score one Primetime Emmy nomination: Forest Whittaker is up for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for playing crazed rebel leader Saw Gerrera (and Alyn Tudyk got a nod for voicing K-2SO, but that's a separate ceremony).
One show that got zero Primetime Emmy noms was Squid Game, which recently wrapped up its third and final season on Netflix. The Korean-language show about poor people manipulated into fighting to the death is the most-watched show in Netflix's history, and the snubs surprised chief content officer Bela Bajaria. “Squid Game had an incredible cultural impact. Biggest show in the world,” she told Variety. “That first season really made Emmy history, and people loved this last season too. I am disappointed for Director Hwang [Dong-hyuk] and the cast. For Director Hwang to not be recognized in that way, considering the amount of audiences around the world who loved it so much and that it really resonated with people… I’m disappointed when it doesn’t get recognized in the way that it should have.”
The third season of Squid Game just came out and wasn't eligible for this round of Emmys, so Bajaria is upset specifically about the snubs for the second season. "[H]ere’s the thing, I think if you’re really looking at excellence in television and excellence in storytelling, it is in every single way. So when you deliver that, yes, it’s surprising when it doesn’t get recognized,” she said.
I get where Bajaria is coming from, although award ceremonies have never fully been about what shows are deserving and what shows aren't. It's nice when it works out that way, but a lot of the time it comes down to what the people who are nominating shows have seen and heard about. If it were purely about merit, The Wheel of Time would have been nominated in the category of Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes instead of being shut out completely, but so it goes.
Maybe Squid Game season 3 can pick up some nominations at the next Emmy ceremony. For now, the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards will air on CBS on Sunday, September 14 at 8:00 p.m. EST.
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