Emmy Nominations 2020: Top 10 Surprises and Snubs
Although Tuesday’s Emmy nominations were won by “Watchmen,” “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Schitt’s Creek,” there were also a few shows — and performers — that did not make the cut. Then there were the shows and artists which were a long shot to get on the ballot this year.
We will have to wait till September to see who ends up bringing Emmys home but here are some of the shows that have been the most shocking nominations and the ones that have been snubbed up.
♦ Surprise: The Mandalorian
Upon watching “The Mandalorian” on Disney+, it became fairly obvious that it was expected to earn Emmy awards in visual effects, prosthetic makeup, and sound mixing for its technical accomplishments. None would have thought that the best drama series would be nominated by The Child and Mando. Within the genre the series has strong competition like “The Crown,” “Ozark” and “Succession.”
♦ Snub: Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon has been left without an opportunity to win an acting award, despite featuring in three Emmy-nominated series. The actress appeared in “The Morning Show,” “Big Little Lies” and “Little Fires Everwhere,” yet on this year’s vote, it was her co-stars who found themselves.
Jennifer Aniston has been recognized for “The Morning Show,” Kerry Washington has received a nomination for “Little Fires Everywhere” and Laura Dern and Meryl Streep have gained praise for “Big Little Lies” in the supporting actress classification.
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♦ Surprise: Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt’s appearance on “Saturday Night Live” back in April was short but unforgettable enough to earn him an Emmy nomination in a comedy film for his portrayal of Dr. Anthony Fauci for exceptional guest actor. Such awards usually go to stars who have hosted a full episode of “SNL.”
Snub: Bob Odenkirk
Bob Odenkirk has been a regular acting candidate in the lead actor category of the Emmy since 2015 but the actor is not included on the ballot this year. Fresh to the line-up of leading actor candidates is Steve Carell for his work on “The Mornings Show,” and Jeremy Strong for “Succession.” Meanwhile, Jason Bateman (“Ozark”), Sterling K. Brown (“This is Us”), Brian Cox (“Succession”) and Bill Porter (“Pose”) replay their places on the list.
♦ Surprise: “What We Do In The Shadows”
Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi’s vampire mockumentary’s cult-favourite FX show adaptation received eight nominations Tuesday including one for best comedy series. The surreal comedy was a big hit with audiences but was ignored last year in the wake of “Barry,” “Veep,” “Russian Doll” and “Fleabag” awards, all of which are missing this year.
♦ Snub: Aaron Paul
Unlike Witherspoon, this year, Aaron Paul had several chances of being nominated for an Emmy. In the Netflix movie “El Camino,” the star repeated his role as Jesse Pinkman, played an ex-soldier with PTSD in “Westworld” of HBO, and was a murder suspect on Apple TV + in “Truth Be Told.” The veteran actor walked away empty-handed on Tuesday.
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♦ Surprise: Zendaya
Critics lauded Zendaya ‘s turn as Rue Bennett in HBO’s “Euphoria” and the Emmy voting body did not ignore her performance. Together with television heavyweights Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”), Olivia Colman (“The Crown”), Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”), Laura Linney (“Ozark”) and Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”), she was recognized for best actress in a drama show. It is her first nomination to Emmy.
♦ Snub: “Hunters”
Emmy Nominations: Oscar-winner Al Pacino returned to television in this year’s Nazi-killing thriller “Hunters” by Amazon Prime Video but both the star and the series struggled to receive nominations in major categories. This year’s drama group is particularly challenging with “The Crown,” “Ozark” and “Succession” all facing off. “Better Call Saul,” “Handmaid’s Tale,” “Killing Eve,” “Stranger Things” and, surprise, “The Mandalorian” are all in the mix.
♦ Surprise: “Insecure”
Two years ago Issa Rae, “Insecure” star and co-creator, gained a lead actress nomination for her comedy work, but the series got a few other nominations. Rae is up for best lead actress in a comedy show again this year and “Insecure” is up for best comedy series. “Insecure” gets a chance to shine with “Barry,” “Veep,” “Russian Doll” and “Fleabag” missing from this year’s awards contest.
♦ Snub: Kaitlyn Dever and Merritt Wever
Emmy Nominations: Although four awards were won by Netflix‘s constrained series “Unbelievable,” including one for best-supported actress (Toni Collette), its leads were left off the ballot by Kaitlyn Dever and Merritt Wever. “Unbelievable” is about a woman (Dever) reporting a rape, then recanting her story. Instead two detectives (Wever and Collette) discover evidence showing a series of identical viols.
