A still from Game of Thrones.
Highlights
- Game of Thrones won record-breaking 12 awards last year
- The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story scored 22 nods
- Benedict Cumberbatch and Bryan Cranston are competing for Best Actor
Los Angeles:
Fantasy drama
Game of Thrones led the field for television's coveted Primetime Emmy awards Thursday for a third straight year, with nominations in 23 categories.
HBO's fantasy epic about noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne will compete for the prestigious outstanding drama series trophy for the fifth year in a row, the Television Academy announced.
The show, which raked in a record-breaking 12 awards last year, faces competition from
House of Cards,
Better Call Saul,
Mr. Robot,
Downton Abbey,
The Americans and
Homeland.
FX's hotly-tipped
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story scored the second highest tally with 22 nods, followed by
Fargo with 18.
Anthony Anderson, star of ABC's hit series
black-ish, and
Gilmore Girls actress Lauren Graham presented the nominations for the 68th Emmy Awards at the Television Academy in Los Angeles.
Mr Anderson whooped when Ms Graham read out his name in the Best Comedy Actor category, shouting: "Hi momma - I know you're watching!"
HBO's political comedy
Veep, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus as hapless President Selina Meyer - scored 17 nominations for television's equivalent of the Oscars, to be handed out on September 18 in Los Angeles.
Several hotly tipped shows missed out on widely-expected nods, however, including
The Good Wife, which was shut out of best show honors, and Netflix's prison comedy drama
Orange is the New Black which failed to pick up a single nomination.
"Television dominates entertainment conversation and is enjoying the most spectacular run in its history. Today marks the start of our annual celebration of the best of the best," said Academy chairman Bruce Rosenblum.
Star-studdedEmpire, Fox's debut melodrama about family feuds in a musical empire, picked up just one nomination despite its success with TV viewers, 17.6 million of whom tuned into the first season finale.
That went to Taraji P. Henson in the Best Actress in a Drama category for her portrayal of family matriarch Cookie Lyon. Ms Henson would be only the second African American actress to pick up prize.
Another black actress, Viola Davis, won the category last year and is nominated in the same category for her work on ABC's
How to Get Away with Murder.
Comedy show
Saturday Night Live scored 16 nominations to squeeze into the top five, edging out political thriller
House of Cards, which managed 13 nods.
The Television Academy's 19,000 members were given two weeks in June to sift through a crowded field of more than 8,000 entries from shows aired during the previous 12 months across 113 categories.
The most star-studded category was perhaps lead actor in a limited series or TV movie which included six-time Emmy winner Bryan Cranston, who has received rave reviews for anchoring HBO's Lyndon B. Johnson biopic
All the Way.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba, Cuba Gooding Jr, Tom Hiddleston and Courtney B. Vance were also nominated while other big name contenders in the category including Bill Murray and Johnny Depp missed out.
The topic of race figured heavily in the Limited Series category - formerly known as "Outstanding Miniseries" - with
The People v. O.J. Simpson matched up with historical saga
Roots and ABC's
American Crime.
Downton Abbey, which picked up eight nominations last year but won only for hairstyling, marks its final season with 10 nods, including a fourth in the Prestigious Outstanding Drama Category. Emmy nominees in key categories:
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIESBetter Call SaulDownton AbbeyGame of ThronesHomelandHouse of CardsMr. RobotThe AmericansOUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIESblack-ishMaster of NoneModern FamilySilicon ValleyTransparentUnbreakable Kimmy SchmidtVeepLEAD ACTOR, DRAMAKyle Chandler,
BloodlineRami Malek,
Mr. RobotBob Odenkirk,
Better Call SaulMatthew Rhys,
The AmericansLiev Schreiber,
Ray DonovanKevin Spacey,
House of CardsLEAD ACTRESS, DRAMAClaire Danes,
HomelandViola Davis,
How to Get Away with MurderTaraji P. Henson,
EmpireTatiana Maslany,
Orphan BlackKeri Russell,
The AmericansRobin Wright,
House of CardsLEAD ACTOR, COMEDYAnthony Anderson,
black-ishAziz Ansari,
Master of NoneWill Forte,
The Last Man on EarthWilliam Macy,
ShamelessThomas Middleditch,
Silicon ValleyJeffrey Tambor,
TransparentLEAD ACTRESS, COMEDYEllie Kemper,
Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtJulia Louis-Dreyfus,
VeepLaurie Metcalf,
Getting OnTracee Ellis Ross,
black-ishAmy Schumer,
Inside Amy SchumerLily Tomlin,
Grace and FrankieSUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMAJonathan Banks,
Better Call SaulPeter Dinklage,
Game of ThronesKit Harington,
Game of ThronesMichael Kelly,
House of CardsBen Mendelsohn,
BloodlineJon Voight,
Ray DonovanSUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMAEmilia Clarke,
Game of ThronesLena Headey,
Game of ThronesMaggie Smith,
Downton AbbeyMaura Tierney,
The AffairMaisie Williams,
Game of ThronesConstance Zimmer,
UnREALSUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDYLouie Anderson,
BasketsAndre Braugher,
Brooklyn Nine-NineTituss Burgess,
Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtTy Burrell,
Modern FamilyTony Hale,
VeepKeegan-Michael Key,
Key & PeeleMatt Walsh,
VeepSUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDYAnna Chlumsky,
VeepGaby Hoffman,
TransparentAllison Janney,
MomJudith Light,
TransparentKate McKinnon,
Saturday Night LiveNiecy Nash,
Getting OnLEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIEBryan Cranston,
All The WayBenedict Cumberbatch,
Sherlock: The Abominable BrideIdris Elba,
LutherCuba Gooding Jr.,
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime StoryTom Hiddleston,
The Night ManagerCourtney Vance,
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime StoryLEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIEKirsten Dunst,
FargoFelicity Huffman,
American CrimeAudra McDonald,
Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & GrillSarah Paulson,
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime StoryLili Taylor,
American CrimeKerry Washington,
ConfirmationTELEVISION MOVIEA Very Murray ChristmasAll the WayConfirmationLutherSherlock: The Abominable BrideTop five programs with most nominations:Game of Thrones - 23
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story - 22
Fargo - 18
Veep - 17
Saturday Night Live - 16
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)