The 2022 Emmy nominations are jam-packed with surprises and queer talent

Even in the era of “peak TV,” this past year has seen a near overwhelming amount of television offerings—enough new and returning shows to fill up those watch queues for many, many months to come.

Still, some series just managed to stand out, and this year’s crop of Emmy nominees, which were announced this morning by the actors J.B. Smoove and Melissa Fumero, highlights the best of the best.

To Queerty‘s delight, some of our personal queer and queer-adjacent favorites scored major nominations (The White Lotus, Hacks, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Yellowjackets etc…), and we’re pleased to report plenty of LGBTQ talent is represented in the lineup.

Below, we’ve got a round-up of the nominees in the major categories—as well as some hot takes on who (and who didn’t) make the cut. You can see a complete list of nominees on the Emmys website, and don’t miss the live show, airing Monday, Sept. 12 on NBC.

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Outstanding Comedy Series

• Abbott Elementary
• Barry
• Curb Your Enthusiasm
• Hacks
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Only Murders In The Building
• Ted Lasso
• What We Do In The Shadows

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Well, we’ve got to shout out Hacks here—one of TV’s queerest ensembles with a killer sophomore season. But how about newcomer Abbott Elementary claiming its place as the sole network series among all the nominees? Huzzah! And even our cold, dead vampire hearts are warmed by that What We Do In The Shadows nom.

Outstanding Drama Series

• Better Call Saul
• Euphoria
• Ozark
• Severance
• Squid Game
• Stranger Things
• Succession
• Yellowjackets

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Pleased to report that a lot of the Drama nominees have “Big Queer Energy,” including Euphoria and Stranger Things, as well as the buzzed-about Yellowjackets and the wholly surprising Severance. Of course, many prognosticators are predicting a Succession vs. Squid Game showdown, and we can’t wait to see the Roy family go head-to-head in a game of “Red Light, Green Light.”

Outstanding Lead Actress, Comedy

• Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
• Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
• Elle Fanning, The Great
• Issa Rae, Insecure
• Jean Smart, Hacks

Queerty’s Hot Takes: This one’s Jean Smart’s to lose, having nabbed the gold last year for Hacks, so we can’t see anyone beating out the perennial Emmy favorite. But the whole field is exciting—especially Issa Rae, who really ended Insecure on a high note, and first-time nominee Quinta Brunson, who deserves all the Emmys love for bringing us Abbott Elementary. Oh, and some are already saying Only Murders In The Building star/pop icon Selena Gomez was snubbed!

Outstanding Lead Actor, Comedy

• Donald Glover, Atlanta
• Bill Hader, Barry
• Nicholas Hoult, The Great
• Steve Martin, Only Murders In The Building
• Martin Short, Only Murders In The Building
• Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Plenty of great comedy legends in here, new and old, but we read Nicholas Hoult’s name and immediately started daydreaming—have you seen him lately? Hubba, hubba.

Outstanding Lead Actress, Drama

• Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
• Laura Linney, Ozark
• Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets
• Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
• Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show
• Zendaya, Euphoria

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Every gay loves a dramatic actress, so, naturally, this category has us hooting and hollering. Zendaya’s coming in hot after a surprise win for Euphoria‘s first season, but we’re positively thrilled that ever-reliable character actor Melanie Lynskey is getting the awards love she’s long deserved. And you’ll hear no complaints from us about those double Killing Eve nominations—we may have been let down by the final season, but those two have made the spy series a true sapphic delight.

Outstanding Lead Actor, Drama

• Jason Bateman, Ozark
• Brian Cox, Succession
• Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game
• Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
• Adam Scott, Severance
• Jeremy Strong, Succession

Queerty’s Hot Takes: It’s our bias speaking, but this category was never going to thrill us as much as the actresses. Though we’re big Succession heads, we’ve got to throw our hat in the ring for Squid Game‘s Lee Jung-jae—what a brilliant performance!

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Comedy

• Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
• Janelle James, Abbott Elementary
• Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
• Sarah Niles, Ted Lasso
• Sheryl Lee Ralph, Abbott Elementary
• Juno Temple, Ted Lasso
• Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Pride 50 honoree Kate McKinnon was the first SNL cast member to ever get an Emmy nom for the show, so we’re pleased to see her show up again for her final season. Abbott Elementary scene-stealers Janelle James and (legend) Sheryl Lee Ralph are also excellent additions, somehow both receiving only their first nominations. And we love that Hannah Einbinder is in again for Hacks, but what do we have to do to get Megan “Hi gay!” Stalter in here, too???

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Comedy

• Anthony Carrigan, Barry
• Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso
• Toheeb Jimoh, Ted Lasso
• Nick Mohammed, Ted Lasso
• Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
• Tyler James Williams, Abbott Elementary
• Henry Winkler, Barry
• Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live

Queerty’s Hot Takes: All hail Bowen Yang! With his second Emmy nomination in a row, the SNL star and all-around gay icon is truly unstoppable. If we have one gripe with the category, its that Chris Perfetti—Abbott Elementary‘s gay cutie Jacob—didn’t turn up, but we love to see his handsome co-star Tyler James Williams make the cut.

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Drama

• Patricia Arquette, Severance
• Julia Garner, Ozark
• Jung Ho-yeon, Squid Game
• Christina Ricci, Yellowjackets
• Rhea Seehorn, Better Call Saul
• J. Smith-Cameron, Succession
• Sarah Snook, Succession
• Sydney Sweeney, Euphoria

Queerty’s Hot Takes: It felt like all anyone could talk about through the entirety of Euphoria‘s second season run was Sydney Sweeney’s hot mess Cassie, so her inclusion here feels incredibly deserved among so many greats. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but we’re pretty thrilled by overnight global superstar Jung Ho-yeon’s turn in Squid Game.

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Drama

• Nicholas Braun, Succession
• Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
• Kieran Culkin, Succession
• Park Hae-soo, Squid Game
• Matthew Macfadyen, Succession
• John Turturro, Severance
• Christopher Walken, Severance
• Oh Yeong-su, Squid Game

Queerty’s Hot Takes: It’s another category that feels like a Succession vs. Squid Game showdown, but we’re thrilled to see both John Turturro and Christopher Walken repping Severance—their characters’ sweet yet heartbreaking queer romance was one of the great, gay surprises of the TV season.

Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series

• Dopesick
• The Dropout
• Inventing Anna
• Pam & Tommy
• The White Lotus

Queerty’s Hot Takes: The White Lotus was all we could talk about last summer, but, considering it premiered before last year’s Emmys even aired, it wasn’t a complete certainty it would end up here with such a crowded TV year, though we’re so thrilled it did. Also, shout out to Pam & Tommy, the only nominee to feature a talking penis.

Outstanding Television Movie

• Chip ‘n’Dale: Rescue Rangers
• Ray Donovan: The Movie
• Reno 911!: The Hunt For QAnon
• The Survivor
• Zoey’s Extraordinary Christmas

Queerty’s Hot Takes: This has become an increasingly strange field, but how wonderful to see long-time comedy fave Reno 911 among the nominees for the ridiculous new feature-length flick that premiered on The Roku Channel, of all places.

Outstanding Lead Actress, Limited/Anthology/Movie

• Toni Collette, The Staircase
• Julia Garner, Inventing Anna
• Lily James, Pam & Tommy
• Sarah Paulson, American Crime Story: Impeachment
• Margaret Qualley, Maid
• Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Lots of big, bold, daring performances here, but of course we’re excited for Sarah Paulson, queer royalty, even if Impeachment feels like it came and went.

Outstanding Lead Actor, Limited/Anthology/Movie

• Colin Firth, The Staircase
• Andrew Garfield, Under The Banner Of Heaven
• Oscar Isaac, Scenes From A Marriage
• Michael Keaton, Dopesick
• Himesh Patel, Station Eleven
• Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Himesh Patel is a welcome surpris—he was so great in HBO’s Station Eleven. But we’re also excited to see noted Drag Race fan Andrew Garfield, daddy Oscar Issac, and Sebastian Stan (and, again, that talking penis) make it in.

Outstanding Supporting Actress, Limited/Anthology/Movie

• Connie Britton, The White Lotus
• Jennifer Coolidge, The White Lotus
• Alexandra Daddario, The White Lotus
• Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick
• Natasha Rothwell, The White Lotus
• Sydney Sweeney, The White Lotus
• Mare Winningham, Dopesick

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Yes. Absolutely yes. The White Lotus is an embarrassment of actress riches, and it’s truly so deserved that 5 of the show’s supporting players show up. They’re all worthy, but there’s no way Jennifer Coolidge isn’t taking the gold here.

Outstanding Supporting Actor, Limited/Anthology/Movie

• Murray Bartlett, The White Lotus
• Jake Lacy, The White Lotus
• Will Poulter, Dopesick
• Seth Rogen, Pam & Tommy
• Peter Sarsgaard, Dopesick
• Michael Stuhlbarg, Dopesick
• Steve Zahn, The White Lotus

Queerty’s Hot Takes: And, speaking of The White Lotus, the mustachioed Aussie hunk Murray Bartlett is our favorite to win among this eclectic crop of nominees. We can’t wait to see the dashing Bartlett all dressed up on the red carpet. *swoons*

Outstanding Competition Program

• The Amazing Race
• Lizzo‘s Watch Out For The Big Girls
• Nailed It!
• RuPaul’s Drag Race
• Top Chef
• The Voice

Queerty’s Hot Takes: It’s honestly incredible that a campy, queer, once-thought-to-be-niche show like Drag Race has become such a dominant player at the Emmys, and its nomination here feels like a given (as does a win). But hello to Lizzo, who broke into a field of returning nominees with her delightful dance competition series!

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series

• Jane Adams, Hacks
• Harriet Sansom Harris, Hacks
• Jane Lynch, Only Murders In The Building
• Laurie Metcalf, Hacks
• Kaitlin Olson, Hacks
• Harriet Walter, Ted Lasso

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Longtime fave Jane Lynch is always a welcome sight, and we’ve gotta applaud Hacks‘ deep bench of guest stars for sneaking into four slots—especially Laurie Metcalf who had a hilarious but all-too-brief turn as Deborah Vance’s butch tour manager.

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series

• Jerrod Carmichael, Saturday Night Live
• Bill Hader, Curb Your Enthusiasm
• James Lance, Ted Lasso
• Nathan Lane, Only Murders In The Building
• Christopher McDonald, Hacks
• Sam Richardson, Ted Lasso

Queerty’s Hot Takes: We’re calling it now: The Nathan Lane-aissance is upon us! What an absolute legend. Also, these “guest role” categories are typically rife with SNL hosts, so big ups to the newly out Jerrod Carmichael for being the lone host nominee this year. His opening monologue, especially, is one for the history books.

Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series

• Hope Davis, Succession
• Marcia Gay Harden, The Morning Show
• Martha Kelly, Euphoria
• Sanaa Lathan, Succession
• Harriet Walter, Succession
• Lee You-mi, Squid Game

Queerty’s Hot Takes: Honestly, we love all these women, but our vote would go to either Squid Game‘s Lee You-mi or Euphoria‘s Martha Kelly, who has truly been turning up in everything lately.

Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series

• Adrien Brody, Succession
• James Cromwell, Succession
• Colman Domingo, Euphoria
• Arian Moayed, Succession
• Tom Pelphrey, Ozark
• Alexander Skarsgård, Succession

Queerty’s Hot Takes: And, finally, Succession is the big player here, but we’re most excited for the one and only Colman Domingo, an incredible gay actor who’s only just receiving his first Emmy nomination. He’s just so good, we’re sure there are plenty more awards in his future.