We know Academy members are high achievers, but a quick skim of the nominees for this weekend’s Emmy Awards reminds us just how busy they stay—and how much they create outside the world of movies, too.
Take Cynthia Erivo, for example. The actress, singer and songwriter (and recent Venice Film Festival jury member) has been recognized for The Color Purple on Broadway, for Harriet at the movies and now for her performance in the limited series Genius: Aretha at the Emmys. (And that’s saying nothing of her debut album as a solo musical artist, which just so happens to release today.)
Olivia Colman, too, must keep her calendar full. The Favourite actress and Oscar winner is being recognized again for playing royalty, this time as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for The Crown. And she’s not alone. The British drama is a magnet for talented Academy members like Gillian Anderson, Helena Bonham Carter, Claire Foy and Emerald Fennell, all of whom are Emmy-nominated this year for their performances on the Netflix show.
The brilliant and bonkers series Lovecraft Country is also a hub for Academy talent and the Emmy nominations that follow. Despite its mix of genres (sci-fi! horror! mystery! romance!), Lovecraft is considered a Drama Series, and some of the recognizable names making Emmy-nominated contributions to it include: executive producers J.J. Abrams and Jordan Peele (which makes a lot of sense); composers Laura Karpman and Raphael Saadiq; and actors Jurnee Smollett, Jonathan Majors, Aunjanue Ellis and the late Michael K. Williams.
In the comedy categories, SNL performers got a lot of love, no surprise: Those include current cast members like Kate McKinnon, guests hosts like Dave Chappelle and recent Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya, and returning alumni like Maya Rudolph and Kristen Wiig. Another graduate of SNL is making a big Emmys splash, but for another show: Jason Sudeikis in Ted Lasso. He’s up for both writing and personifying everybody’s new favorite soccer coach, and his co-star (and Academy member) Juno Temple joins him as an acting nominee.
Many people don’t realize that the Emmys are actually a two-weekend party. They’d take up way too much airtime if winners in all categories were announced live, so awards for nearly 100 additional categories are actually handed out on the weekend prior. These are mostly crafts-focused: cinematography, makeup, costumes, editing, musical score, etc.
Academy members were all over that field of nominees too. Mayes C. Rubeo, the Oscar-nominated costume designer of Jojo Rabbit, won the fantasy/sci-fi costume design Emmy for making Westview come to life across several decades in WandaVision. And Ludwig Göransson, composer of the Oscar-winning Black Panther score, got some TV love for creating the music on The Mandalorian.
And last but not least—the Oscars might win an Emmy? It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, but because movies’ biggest night is broadcast on TV, the Oscars are technically eligible for Emmy recognition. In the Outstanding Variety Special (Live) category, that’s happened quite often: We’ve been nominated every year since 2007, in fact. This year, the competition includes the Super Bowl, the Grammys and Stephen Colbert’s election night special. Wish us luck!
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards will air Sept. 19 on CBS and Paramount+.
