{"id":623033,"date":"2026-08-06T05:29:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T05:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/623033\/"},"modified":"2026-08-06T05:29:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T05:29:24","slug":"some-of-tvs-top-stars-have-yet-to-win-an-emmy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/623033\/","title":{"rendered":"Some of TV’s Top Stars Have Yet to Win an Emmy"},"content":{"rendered":"

The following article is an excerpt from the new edition of \u201c<\/strong>IndieWire\u2019s The Lead Up<\/strong><\/a>,\u201d a weekly newsletter in which our\u00a0<\/strong>Awards<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0Editor Marcus Jones takes readers on the awards trail, interviewing key figures responsible for some of the most compelling stories of the season, and offering predictions on who will win.\u00a0<\/strong>Subscribe here<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to receive the newsletter in your inbox each week.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we head for the home stretch of Emmy campaigns, I\u2019ve become a little bored with repeating over and over again exactly who I think will win Emmys and why<\/a>. If there are any aspects left of the TV<\/a> awards race still capable of shocking you all, I believe it is highlighting some of the people who have been nominated several times over, yet never won.<\/p>\n

\"'Sterling<\/a> \"'The<\/a> <\/p>\n

To be clear, some of the names that have had a long stretch of receiving an acting nomination for their performance on one particular show, like Gary Oldman on \u201cSlow Horses,\u201d or Jessica Williams on \u201cShrinking,\u201d or Tyler James Williams and Janelle James on \u201cAbbott Elementary,\u201d I\u2019ve excluded. Even \u201cDTF: St. Louis\u201d producer\/star David Harbour ended up on the bubble since the two shows he\u2019s best known for are the two shows he has been nominated for.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While I will list all the nominees in the lead and supporting categories this year that have not won an Emmy though, just to be fair, what I really wanted to look at are names that not only stood out as actors this year, but have played a key role in award-winning series several times over.<\/p>\n

Steve Carell<\/a>, \u201cRooster\u201d (11 Emmy nominations)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"SteveSteve Carell in \u2018Rooster\u2019Courtesy of Katrina Marcinowski \/ HBO<\/p>\n

Having played one of the most iconic sitcom characters of the 21st century on \u201cThe Office,\u201d and having since built up a successful career as a film star to the point of being nominated for an Oscar for his dramatic turn in \u201cFoxcatcher, it still often comes as a shock that Carell has never received an award from the Television Academy<\/a>. The aforementioned NBC sitcom delivered the majority of the Emmy nominations he has received, but Carell has recently come back into the prestige TV fold, earning a nod for his memorable supporting performance on Apple TV\u2019s \u201cThe Morning Show,\u201d and appearing in the Emmy-nominated Netflix comedy \u201cThe Four Seasons\u201d last year before receiving awards recognition for his latest lead role on the HBO comedy \u201cRooster.\u201d<\/p>\n

Will They Finally Win This Year?<\/strong> Painfully, the Emmy is closer in reach than normal, as there has not been a true consensus favorite in the category up until nominations day. But the end-of-season peak praise for \u201cWidow\u2019s Bay<\/a>\u201d has put star Matthew Rhys ahead of the pack, which includes two more Emmy winners: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Martin Short.<\/p>\n

Keri Russell, \u201cThe Diplomat\u201d (8 Emmy nominations)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"'TheKeri Russell in \u2018The Diplomat\u2019Courtesy of Netflix<\/p>\n

Speaking of Rhys, his Emmy win for \u201cThe Americans\u201d is one of the more inspired choices voters have made in years. However, Russell, his co-star (and partner in life), who has had a much more storied career on American television, has yet to receive an award herself. Keep in mind, before she was one of the faces of the critical darling FX series about Russian spies, she was America\u2019s sweetheart on \u201cFelicity,\u201d a series that launched several careers, including the ones of co-creators J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves. Both she and her new Netflix series \u201cThe Diplomat\u201d have been nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Outstanding Drama Series all three seasons the show has been on so far.<\/p>\n

Will They Finally Win This Year?<\/strong> There is a lot of hope for Russell stemming off of her Actor Award win<\/a> this year, but she is nominated against two other women who are also on this list. At this point, the most likely scenario would be her winning the Emmy for the final season of her series, as was the case when Rhys won for \u201cThe Americans.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jason Segel, \u201cShrinking\u201d (6 Emmy nominations)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"JasonJason Segel in \u2018Shrinking\u2019Apple TV<\/p>\n

Including Segel could be seen as a bit of a cheat, since all his nominations stem from him being the co-creator and star of the hit Apple TV series \u201cShrinking.\u201d But his TV roots run way deeper. This is one of the stars of \u201cFreaks and Geeks,\u201d a one-season-wonder still being praised to this day. Years later, shortly before he began a decade-long run as a bankable lead of studio comedies, he spent nine seasons on network sitcom \u201cHow I Met Your Mother,\u201d which earned 10 Emmys<\/a> throughout its run. His first effort as a creator\/star, AMC series \u201cDispatches from Elsewhere,\u201d earned a GLAAD Media Award nomination, and he appeared on the Emmy-nominated \u201cWinning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty\u201d as well.<\/p>\n

Will They Finally Win This Year?<\/strong> Segel is in a similar boat to Carell, where fellow Apple TV comedy \u201cWidow\u2019s Bay\u201d casts a shadow over he and his show\u2019s Emmy chances. But \u201cShrinking\u201d does seem to be more and more popular among TV Academy members year by year, so he could still be considered a dark horse in the Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category (one of the three categories he is nominated in this year).<\/p>\n

Linda Cardellini, \u201cDTF St. Louis\u201d (4 Emmy nominations)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"LindaLinda Cardellini in \u2018DTF: St. Louis\u2019HBO<\/p>\n

Even more the star of the beloved, gone-too-soon \u201cFreaks and Geeks,\u201d Cardellini has appeared in over a dozen series since then, most notably earning her first Emmy nomination for her guest role in \u201cMad Men\u201d Season 6, and two more Emmy nominations for the Netflix comedy \u201cDead to Me\u201d opposite Christina Applegate. Even her time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe circled back to her appearing on another TV show, the limited series \u201cHawkeye.\u201d In terms of actresses synonymous with great television, Cardellini lands toward the top of the list, with \u201cDTF: St. Louis\u201d being another example that keeps the momentum going.<\/p>\n

Will They Finally Win This Year?<\/strong> Finally, some positive news on this front. Cardellini is sitting pretty comfortably as the frontrunner of this year\u2019s Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie race, as her HBO series is in the sweet spot of being well seen enough to overperform on nominations day, but not overexposed enough to where there isn\u2019t a healthy chunk of the TV Academy giving \u201cDTF: St. Louis\u201d a first watch to see what all the fuss is about.<\/p>\n

Carrie Coon, \u201cThe Gilded Age\u201d (4 Emmy nominations)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"'TheCarrie Coon in \u2018The Gilded Age\u2019Courtesy of Karolina Wojtasik \/ HBO<\/p>\n

Carrie Coon is one of those actresses where if she is in a project, then you know it\u2019s good. Even when she ends up in an MCU movie, it\u2019s \u201cAvengers: Infinity War.\u201d Ultimately, it is fascinating that the only series that she has been Emmy-nominated for are \u201cFargo,\u201d \u201cThe White Lotus,\u201d and now \u201cThe Gilded Age\u201d two times over, when a whole a swarm of critics would argue she deserved to win an Emmy for her work on all three seasons of the cult HBO series \u201cThe Leftovers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Will They Finally Win This Year?<\/strong> We have not even gotten through all of this year\u2019s Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series nominees that are on this list, and all of them are on shows that got nominated for Outstanding Drama Series too. Ultimately, Coon is in a position where she can star in more than just \u201cThe Gilded Age\u201d in one calendar year, so my guess would be her eventual Emmy win will be for another lauded project.<\/p>\n

Rhea Seehorn<\/a>, \u201cPluribus\u201d (4 Emmy nominations)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"RheaRhea Seehorn in \u2018Pluribus\u2019Courtesy of Apple TV<\/p>\n

Although she is another person whose history with the Emmys only extends to one other TV performance, if you search the keywords \u201cRhea Seehorn Emmy snub,\u201d you\u2019re going to get thousands of results. Not only did she not earn an Emmy for her breakout role as Kim Wexler on \u201cBreaking Bad\u201d follow-up \u201cBetter Call Saul,\u201d after finally being nominated for her work on the sixth and final season of the AMC series (which was split in half, netting two go\u2019s at bat), but the show itself went zero and 53 at the ceremony. Though her first post-\u201dSaul\u201d show \u201cCooper\u2019s Bar\u201d also earned her an Emmy nomination in the Short Form category, her new Apple TV sci-fi series \u201cPluribus\u201d is both Seehorn and creator Vince Gilligan\u2019s grand return to the awards stage.<\/p>\n

Will They Finally Win This Year?<\/strong> All signs point to this finally being Seehorn\u2019s year. Even if she lost the Actor Award to Russell recently, her show \u201cPluribus\u201d earned more than double the amount of Emmy nominations than \u201cThe Diplomat,\u201d positioning it as the only drama that serves as a threat to recent Emmys juggernaut \u201cThe Pitt.\u201d Seehorn is quite literally the center of the universe on her series, so if members of several TV Academy branches give the series a chance, her showstopping performance will be top of mind when it comes time to vote.<\/p>\n

Oscar Isaac, \u201cBeef\u201d (3 Emmy nominations)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"OscarOscar Isaac in \u2018Beef\u2019Courtesy of Netflix<\/p>\n

At this moment in time, Oscar Isaac is the person on this list most seen as a movie star. He did just play the title character in the Oscar-winning Netflix film \u201cFrankenstein\u201d after all. Film even plays into the appeal of him being on \u201cBeef\u201d Season 2, as it reunites him with his \u201cDrive\u201d and \u201cInside Llewyn Davis\u201d co-star Carey Mulligan. But between memorable roles in everything from \u201cEx Machina\u201d and \u201cA Most Violent Year\u201d to \u201cStar Wars; The Force Awakens\u201d and \u201cDune,\u201d Isaac has led some incredible, underrated limited series like David Simon\u2019s \u201cShow Me a Hero,\u201d which earned him a Golden Globe nomination, and the recent \u201cScenes from a Marriage\u201d remake, which earned him his very first Emmy nomination.<\/p>\n

Will They Finally Win This Year?<\/strong> Being the star of a show like \u201cBeef,\u201d which nearly swept the Limited or Anthology Series categories its first season, and is the nominations frontrunner this year, put Isaac in a great position to win his first Emmy. But once again I mention Rhys, whose second Emmy nomination this year is for fellow Netflix series \u201cThe Beast in Me.\u201d Either way it goes is likely a win for the streaming services, which boasts having four out of five of the nominees in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Emmy category.<\/p>\n

Other nominees who have yet to win an Emmy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Comedy Series:<\/strong> Elle Fanning, \u201cMargo\u2019s Got Money Troubles\u201d; Harrison Ford, \u201cShrinking\u201d; Stephen Root, \u201cWidow\u2019s Bay\u201d; Tyler James Williams, \u201cAbbott Elementary\u201d; Michael Urie, \u201cShrinking\u201d; Kate O\u2019Flynn, \u201cWidow\u2019s Bay\u201d; Michelle Pfeiffer, \u201cMargo\u2019s Got Money Troubles\u201d; Dale Dickey, \u201cWidow\u2019s Bay\u201d; Janelle James, \u201cAbbott Elementary\u201d; Jessica Williams, \u201cShrinking\u201d; Megan Stalter, \u201cHacks\u201d<\/p>\n

Drama Series: <\/strong>Gary Oldman, \u201cSlow Horses\u201d; Rufus Sewell, \u201cThe Diplomat\u201d; Chase Infiniti, \u201cThe Testaments\u201d; Patrick Ball, \u201cThe Pitt\u201d; Tom Pelphrey, \u201cTask\u201d; Carlos-Manuel Vesga, \u201cPluribus\u201d; Gerran Howell, \u201cThe Pitt\u201d; Jack Lowden, \u201cSlow Horses\u201d; Karolina Wydra, \u201cPluribus\u201d; Sepideh Moafi, \u201cThe Pitt\u201d; Taylor Dearden, \u201cThe Pitt\u201d; Fiona Dourif, \u201cThe Pitt\u201d<\/p>\n

Limited or Anthology Series or Movie: <\/strong>Charlie Hunnam, \u201cMonster: The Ed Gein Story\u201d; Sarah Pidgeon, \u201cLove Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette\u201d; Carey Mulligan, \u201cBeef\u201d; David Harbour, \u201cDTF St. Louis\u201d; Charles Melton, \u201cBeef\u201d; Constance Zimmer, \u201cLove Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette\u201d; Youn Yuh-jung, \u201cBeef\u201d; Dakota Fanning, \u201cAll Her Fault\u201d; Joy Sunday, \u201cDTF St. Louis\u201d<\/p>\n

See IndieWire\u2019s full list of\u00a02026 Emmy predictions<\/a>, complete with frontrunners, contenders, and long shots on our website. As\u00a0a reminder, my email is\u00a0majones@indiewire.com<\/a>\u00a0if you\u2019d like to share any feedback.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The following article is an excerpt from the new edition of \u201cIndieWire\u2019s The Lead Up,\u201d a weekly newsletter…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":623034,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[268],"tags":[434,18,7612,117,19,17,97443,33771,5746,250048,128],"class_list":["post-623033","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-celebrities","tag-celebrities","tag-eire","tag-emmys","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-rhea-seehorn","tag-steve-carell","tag-television-academy","tag-the-lead-up","tag-tv"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ie\/117046920803961147","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623033","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=623033"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623033\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/623034"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=623033"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=623033"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=623033"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}