LGBTQ shows score big in Emmy Award nominations

From Sarah Paulson to RuPaul’s Drag Race, out stars and creative talent and a number of LGBTQ inclusive shows have been nominated for the 70th Annual Emmy Awards.

The nominees were announced on Tuesday, and Paulson, Samira Wiley, Ricky Martin, Lily Tomlin and Evan Rachel Wood led the LGBTQ actors who scored a place on the acting nominees list.

Wiley was recognised for her role in The Handmaid’s Tale, Paulson for American Horror Story: Cult, Tomlin for Grace and Frankie, and Rachel Wood for Westworld. Wiley was one of the hosts who announced the nominees, and was shocked to discover during the ceremony that she was among those being recognised by the Emmys.

Martin was nominated for Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for playing Versace’s lover, Anthony D’Amico, in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace. The series, which featured major LGBT themes, scored 18 nominations, including Best Limited Series. The Handmaid’s Tale, which also included LGBTQ characters and storylines, was nominated for Best Drama series.

The other out actors who received nominations were Titus Burgess for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Kate McKinnon for Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Saturday Night Live), Cherry Jones for Guest Actress in a Drama Series (The Handmaid’s Tale), and Wanda Sykes and Jane Lynch for Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (Black-ish and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, respectively).

LGBTQ reality shows, like RuPaul’s Drag Race and Queer Eye, also did well, as did those that are LGBTQ inclusive: The Voice, The Amazing Race, and Project Runway. Queer individuals dominated the Host For a Reality or Reality-Competition Program category, namely: RuPaul, Ellen DeGeneres (Ellen’s Game of Games), Tim Gunn (Project Runway, alongside Heidi Klum), and Lynch (Hollywood Game Night).

GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis described this year’s list of diverse Emmy nominees as “a milestone moment for LGBTQ inclusion on television.”

She commented that, “With a surge of out actors and creators nominated alongside LGBTQ-inclusive scripted programming and LGBTQ-focused shows like Queer Eye and RuPaul’s Drag Race, the Television Academy is finally reflecting how audiences and critics embrace diverse LGBTQ images on television.

“Emmy voters today sent a clear message of inclusion and acceptance which should be a signal for Hollywood to continue to tell powerful and impactful LGBTQ stories,” added Ellis.

The 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will take place on 17 September.