The Crown and The Mandalorian lead nominations for the Emmy Awards, the highest honours in television, in a field packed with newcomers.
Emma Corrin was nominated for her role as Princess Diana in The Crown. Photo: AFP / Photo12 / 7e Art / Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
HBO and HBO Max led all networks with 130 nominations, followed by Netflix Inc with 129.
Best drama series contenders include Netflix's British royal series The Crown for a season that focused on the early years of the disastrous marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
The Crown nabbed a leading 24 nods, including nine for actors such as Josh O'Connor and newcomer Emma Corrin as the royal newlyweds and Olivia Colman as a middle-aged Queen Elizabeth.
British 19th-century romance Bridgerton won a best drama series nod as well as an acting nomination for breakout star Reg+-Jean Page. Pose star Mj Rodriguez became the first transgender performer to pick up a major Emmy acting nomination in the drama series about the LGBTQ underground ballroom scene.
Star Wars spinoff drama The Mandalorian tied with 24 nominations, mostly for writing and special effects.
In the comedy field, 75 percent of the nominees were new to field, led by the Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso, about an underdog English soccer team coached by an American, which scored 20 nods, including for its star and co-writer Jason Sudeikis.
Its competitors for best comedy series include the HBO Max streaming shows The Flight Attendant, with Kaley Cuoco, and Hacks, about a veteran female comic played by Jean Smart. Crime story Mare of Easttown, starring Kate Winslet, and British rape drama I May Destroy You, starring and created by Michaela Coel, will face off in a strong field for best limited series.
Other nominations went to innovative superhero dramedy WandaVision which got 23 nominations, including for stars Paul Bettany and Elizabeth Olsen, chess drama The Queen's Gambit and harrowing slavery tale The Underground Railroad.
In the documentary race, "Framing Britney Spears" about the pop singer's career and long-running conservatorship battle, picked up a nod.
The coronavirus pandemic disrupted production of TV shows, meaning some, including last year's drama series winner Succession, did not return in time for Emmy consideration.
The Emmy Awards will be handed out at a ceremony in Los Angeles on 19 September hosted by actor Cedric the Entertainer.
New Zealanders wanting to watch the 2021 Emmy Awards will be able to do so on the 20 September on Vibe (Sky channel 6 and streaming on Sky Go).
- Reuters