Quinta Brunson of ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” Ayo Edebiri of FX on Hulu’s “The Bear,” Stephen Graham of Netflix’s “Adolescence,” Sterling K. Brown of Hulu’s “Paradise,” and RuPaul Charles of MTV’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race” were among the Black artists who received multiple nominations for the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards. The nominations were announced today. For the first time in Primetime Emmy history, Black women are the majority (three out of five) of the nominees in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.

The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze, will be presented Sept. 14 at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live and broadcast live on CBS. Paramount+ will livestream the show.

The Apple TV+’s “Severance” scored the most nominations (27) for the awards, including Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Zach Cherry (who plays Dylan George on the show) and Tramell Tillman, who has the role of Seth Milchick. Nominees and winners of the Primetime Emmy Awards are voted for by the Television Academy, which has about 26,000 members.

“Abbott Elementary” creator/showrunner Brunson received nominations as an executive producer, actress, and screenwriter for the show, in which she portrays Philadelphia elementary school teacher Janine Teagues. Brunson is nominated in the categories of Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series. She previously won Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (at the 74th Primetime Emmys) and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (at the 75th Primetime Emmys).

Also nominated this year in the category for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series is Edebiri, who has the role of Chicago restaurant chef Sydney Adamu on “The Bear.” Edebiri is also nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. Edebiri previously won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series at the 75th Primetime Emmys.

Uzo Aduba of Netflix’s “The Residence” is another Black Emmy winner who’s nominated this year for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, in which she had the role as Washington, D.C.-based detective Cordelia Cupp. Aduba won two Emmys for her role as incarcerated Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black” in 2014 and 2015. For her role as politician Shirley Chisholm in FX’s 2020 limited series “Mrs. America,” Aduba took home an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.

Even though “The Residence” (which had Shonda Rhimes as one of the executive producers) was a popular hit when the show’s first season premiered in March, it was announced on July 2 that Netflix canceled “The Residence.” As Black News & Views previously reported, the cancellation is part of an alarming trend of TV networks and streaming services reducing the number of Black-led scripted TV series for the 2025-2026 primetime TV season.

“Paradise” star/executive producer Brown (who has the role of Secret Service agent Xavier Collins on the show) received two Emmy nods for the show’s first season: Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Brown has previously won two Primetime Emmys: In 2017, he won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, for his role as prosecutor Christopher Darden in FX’s “American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson.” In 2018, he won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, for his role as Randall Pearson in NBC’s “This Is Us.”

“Adolescence” star/executive producer Graham (who identifies as mixed-race with Black Jamaican heritage) is a first-time Emmy nominee. In the British series “Adolescence,” Graham portrays Eddie Miller, the father of a 13-year-old boy who has been accused of killing a female classmate. For “Adolescence,” Graham is nominated for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

Emmy winner RuPaul Charles (who has 14 Emmy Awards so far) is once again an Emmy contender for drag-queen series “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” for which he received nominations this year for Outstanding Reality Competition Program and Outstanding Host for Reality or Reality Competition Program.

Black people were shut out of nominations for these major Primetime Emmy categories this year: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Here’s a select list of other Black people who are nominated for the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards:

·        Beyoncé: Outstanding Variety Special (Live) (Netflix’s “Beyoncé Bowl”)

·        Liza Colón-Zayas: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (FX on Hulu’s “The Bear”)

·        Colman Domingo: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Netflix’s “The Four Seasons”)

·        Idris Elba: Outstanding Narrator (National Geographic’s “Erased: WW2’s Heroes of Color”)

·        Nathalie Emmanuel: Outstanding Performer In a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (The Roku Channel’s “Die Hart: Hart to Kill”)

·        Cynthia Erivo: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (Peacock’s “Poker Face”)

·        Giancarlo Esposito: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Prime Video’s “The Boys”)

·        Henry Gates Jr.: Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special (PBS’s “Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr.”)

·        Steve Harvey: Outstanding Host for a Game Show (ABC’s “Celebrity Family Feud”)

·        Jay-Z (also known as Shawn Carter): Outstanding Variety Special (Live) (Fox’s “The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar”)

·        Daymond John: Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program (ABC’s “Shark Tank”)

·        Kevin Hart: Outstanding Performer in a Short Form Comedy r Drama Series (The Roku Channel’s “Die Hart: Hart to Kill”) 

·        Brian Tyree Henry: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Apple TV+’s “Dope Thief”)

·        Janelle James: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (ABC’s “Abbott Elementary”)

·        Rashida Jones: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Netflix’s “Black Mirror”)

·        Zoë Kravitz: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series (Apple TV+’s “The Studio”)

·        Kendrick Lamar: Outstanding Variety Special (Live) (Fox’s “The Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show Starring Kendrick Lamar”)

·        Anthony Mackie: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (Apple TV+’s “The Studio”)

·        Ruth Negga: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Apple TV’s “Presumed Innocent”)

·        Barack Obama: Outstanding Narrator (Netflix’s “Our Oceans”)

·        Sheryl Lee Ralph: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (ABC’s “Abbott Elementary”)

·        Natasha Rothwell: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (HBO’s “The White Lotus”)

·        Maya Rudolph: Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Netflix’s “Big Mouth”)

·        Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special (Hulu’s “Sly Lives! (Aka The Burden of Black Genius)”)

·        Ashley Walters: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie (Netflix’s “Adolescence”)

·        Forest Whitaker: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (Disney+’s “Andor”)

·        Jessica Williams: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Apple TV+’s “Shrinking”)

·        Jeffrey Wright: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series (HBO’s “The Last of Us”) and Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance (Disney+’s “What If…?”)

 The 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards (for technical categories) will be presented on Sept. 6 and Sept. 7, at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live. It will be a TV special on FXX on Sept. 13 and on Hulu through Oct. 7.

A complete list of nominations for the Primetime Emmy Awards can be found on the official Primetime Emmy website.