This morning, the 2021 Primetime Emmy Award nominations were announced and we have a lot of nominees to root for during this year’s ceremony. Hosted by Cedric The Entertainer, the 73rd annual Emmy Awards will air live on Sunday, Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS. Viewers can also stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.
To much pleasure, Michaela Coel’s I May Destroy You was awarded a long overdue nomination for Outstanding Drama Series, and Jurnee Smollett earned her first Outstanding Lead Actress nomination for Lovecraft Country. In historic news, MJ Rodriguez nabbed her first Emmy nomination for ‘Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series’ for her role as Biana on FX’s Pose. Not only that, but she has made history as the first transgender actress to be nominated in a lead category. You go, girl!
Ahead, check out the full list of Black actors, directors, and writers nominated for this year’s Emmys.
01
‘Pose’
FX’s ‘Pose’ has been nominated for Best Drama Series.
Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for ESSENCE
02
Misha Green
Misha Green’s hit HBO series ‘Lovecraft Country’ starring Jurnee Smollett and Jonathan Majors has been nominated for Best Drama Series.
03
‘In Treatment’
HBO’s psychotherapy-focused show star Uzo Aduba was nominated for Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
04
Mj Rodriguez
Rodriguez was nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
Photo by Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
05
Jurnee Smollett
Smollett was nominated for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
06
Sterling K. Brown
Brown was nominated for his role in ‘This Is Us’ for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. The show was also nominated for Best Drama Series.
Courtesy of Cascade
07
Jonathan Majors
Jonathan Majors was nominated for his role as Atticus ‘Tic’ Freeman in HBO’s Lovecraft Country for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Jonathan Majors | Photo credit: Elizabeth Morris/HBO
08
Regé-Jean Page
The British ‘Bridgerton’ star has been nominated for ‘Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series.’
09
Billy Porter
Porter, who will be making his magical ‘Cinderella’ debut soon alongside Camila Cabello, was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images
10
Aunjanue Ellis
The ‘Handsmaid’s Tale’ actress was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images
11
Samira Wiley
The former ‘OITNB’ actress was nominated for her role in Hulu’s ‘The Handsmaid’s Tale’ as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
12
O-T Fagbenle
The ‘Handsmaid’s Tale’ actor was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for dunhill
13
‘Black-Ish’
The ABC comedy series was nominate for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Photo by Earl Gibson III/Getty Images for NAACP
14
Tracee Ellis Ross
The ‘Black-ish’ actress earned an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy nomination.
Craig Sjodin via Getty Images
15
Anthony Anderson
Anthony Anderson earned an Emmy nomination in the outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for his role in ABC’s black-ish.
16
Kenan Thompson
Thompson earned a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his NBC show, ‘Kenan’. The ‘Kenan and Kel’ alumni also got a nod for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for ‘Saturday Night Live’
Photo: Todd Williamson/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
17
‘Bridgerton’
The Shondaland-produced series earned a total of 12 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series.
18
Nicole Byer
Nicole Byer earned a nod in the outstanding host in a reality or competition program for doing her thing on Nailed It!
19
I May Destroy You
Michaela Coel’s ‘I May Destroy You’ earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Limited Series. Coel also earned a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series, Movie or Anthology
20
Dave Chappelle
The former ‘Chappelle Show’ host earned three nominations for Outstanding Variety Special, Writing for a Variety Special and Directing for a Variety Special for “8:46”
Dave Chappelle | Will Heath/NBC
21
The Underground Railroad
Amazon Prime’s “The Underground Railroad” by Barry Jenkins was nominated for Outstanding Limited Series.
22
Cynthia Erivo
For her role as Aretha Franklin in ‘Genius: Aretha’, Erivo earned a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series.
National Geographic/Richard DuCree
23
Leslie Odom, Jr.
The ‘One Night In Miami…’ actor earned a nomination for Lead Actor, Limited Series, Movie or Anthology for ‘Hamilton.’
Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock
24
Daveed Diggs
Diggs earned a nomination for his role in Disney+ ‘Hamilton’ for Supporting Actor, Limited Series, Movie or Anthology.
25
Renée Elise Goldsberry
Renée Elise Goldsberry killed her role as Angelica Schuyler in ‘Hamilton,’ resulting in a nomination for Outstanding Actress, Limited Series, Movie or Anthology
Hamilton’s The Schuyler Sisters / Disney Plus
26
Moses Ingram
For Ingram’s role in ‘The Queen’s Gambit,’ she earned a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, Movie or Anthology.
27
Stacey Abrams
Stacey Abrams earned a nomination for Outstanding Voice Over Performance on ‘Black-Ish’
Stacey Abrams | Photo credit: Kevin Lowery
28
Paapa Essiedu
Essiedu earned a nomination for his role in ‘I May Destroy You’ for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, Movie or Anthology
Paapa Essiedu / Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
29
Sylvie’s Love
Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha in Sylvie’s Love
Tessa Thompson wears a Monica Ivena dress, Le Silla boots and TASAKI earrings and ring. On Nnamdi Asomugha, Brunello Cucinelli suit, Burberry shirt, Bulgari watch and Christian Louboutin shoes. | Photography by JD Barnes
30
‘Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia’
The Lifetime biopic executive produced by Robin Roberts earned a nomination for Outstanding TV Movie.
31
Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah earned a nod for Outstanding Variety Talk Series.
32
Amber Ruffin
‘The Amber Ruffin Show’ earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.
Amber Ruffin | Peacock
33
A Black Lady Sketch Show – HBO MAX (4/23)
The HBO sketch series was nominated for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.
34
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’
Not only was the VH1 show nominated for Outstanding RuPaul’s Drag Race, but RuPaul himself was nominated for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program. ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race Untucked’ also earned an Emmy nod for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program.
35
Oprah Winfrey
Winfrey’s CBS special ‘Oprah With Meghan And Harry: A CBS Primetime Special’ earned herself an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special.
(Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images for Global Citizen)