GoT, Netflix lead diverse 70th Emmy Awards nominations

The 70th Emmy Awards nominations turned out to be more diverse than last year. Fantasy drama "Game of Thrones" has earned 22 nominations for the coveted Awards, where HBO's 17-year streak as the most nominated network has been broken by Netflix. Sandra Oh became the first Asian actress nominated for lead in a drama series, and celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain was nominated posthumously for "Parts Unknown".

The Television Academy had Samira Wiley and Ryan Eggold present the nominations here on Thursday morning.

This year's Emmy nominations have set a new record in recognising the work of performers from diverse backgrounds. Last year, 27 diversity nominees in the acting categories across drama, comedy and limited series/movie, and this year that figure has shot up to a record 36. On counting reality TV hosts, that number moves up to 38 versus 30 nominees last year -- putting up a great example for diversity and inclusion, according to deadline.com

For the "Game of Thrones", the nominations announcement turned special given that in 2017, the HBO entertainer was ineligible to compete for the Emmys due to its seventh season's later-than-usual summer debut. Now it has scored the most nominations for any single show at the 2018 Emmys.

However, HBO does not lead all nominees as Netflix beat its 108 score with 112 nominations, reports hollywoodreporter.com.

"Parts Unknown", by Bourdain, whose death last month left the industry in mourning, notched a total of six nominations for 2018, five of them in Creative Arts Emmy categories.

History was made when Oh, who had been named five times in the supporting category for her work on "Grey's Anatomy", was announced as a nominee for an Emmy for lead actress in a drama series, becoming the first actress of Asian descent to achieve the feat, variety.com reported.

The actress, born in Canada to Korean immigrant parents, has received the nomination for the critically acclaimed thriller "Killing Eve", in which she plays Eve Polastri, a MI5 officer who is tailing an assassin.

Also, "Saturday Night Live" star Kenan Thompson bagged his first Emmy nomination after 15 years, since joining the series in 2003. He has been nominated for best supporting actor in a comedy series.

It is for the first time since 2011, that perennial winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus is not up for best actress in a comedy. Rachel Brosnahan, Tracee Ellis Ross and Issa Rae are among those vying for the award.

As for Netflix, The New York Times reports that its growth at the Emmys is staggering. In 2015, the streaming service had 34 nominations. In 2016, it had 54. Last year, that number was up to 91, second only to HBO's. And this time, it has 112.

After "Game of Thrones", "Westworld" and "Saturday Night Live" are the most nominated shows with a mention in 21 categories each.

"The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" drew the most nominations for a limited series with 18 nods, while "Atlanta" was the most nominated comedy series at 16.

Also, "Roseanne", the comedy series which was cancelled in May after star Roseanne Barr's racist Twitter comments, has earned a pair of nominations.

There was an oops moment at the nomination announcement too.

The Television Academy had accidentally omitted -- or "left off" -- one of the nominations earned by the long-running sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" from its communications. The show was nominated in the comedy series directing category.

Colin Jost and Michael Che will host the 70th Annual Primetime Emmys, to be held at the Microsoft Theater here on September 17. It will be aired in India on Star World and Star World HD.

--IANS

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