2026 Emmys On-Screen Diversity Hits Eleven-Year Low

The number of 2026 Emmy nominees from diverse backgrounds in the actor, actress, reality and game show host categories fell to an 11-year low of 22.

The last time Emmy nominees of color were at a lower tally was 2015, with 18 performers.

At their peak, Emmy-nominated diverse actors and hosts were at their highest in 2021, when the Television Academy recognized 49, largely fueled by HBO drama series Lovecraft Country and Disney+ movie Hamilton, which together counted 30 nominations.

Noms for actors of color in 2026 were down 21% from last year’s 28 who were recognized.

There are four categories with no nominees of color this year: Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Guest Drama Actress and Guest Comedy Actor and Actress. That’s one more than last year’s three categories that didn’t reflect any diversity (Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Guest Actress in a Drama Series and Lead Actor in a Comedy Series).

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As for those with more than one nomination, there’s Colman Domingo, who is up for Comedy Series Supporting Actor for Netflix’s The Four Seasons in addition to Guest Actor Drama for HBO’s Euphoria. He’s the only person of color to be recognized in two acting slots this year.

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Also, Abbott Elementary creator and actress Quinta Bronson was recognized in Outstanding Comedy Series for the ABC sitcom along with Lead Actress Comedy Series and Writing for a Comedy Series. Bronson takes her Emmy nom count to 15 with two career wins (2022 Comedy Series Writing and 2023 Lead Comedy Actress). Oscar Issac is up for both Lead Actor Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Netflix’s Beef, and being an EP on the series in its respective best program category. There’s also two for Charles Melton, who stars in the upcoming Nic Winding Refn-directed Neon movie Her Private Hell: He is up for Supporting Actor in a Limited Series as well as being an EP on Netflix’s Beef in the Limited/Anthology/Movie category.

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Zendaya counted her sixth Emmy nom for the final season of Euphoria with a Best Actress Drama Series nod; the Spider-Man and Dune thespian already has two at home, with Drama Series Actress wins in 2020 and 2022 on HBO’s edgy HBO young-adult series.

Last year, Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Lead Actress in a Comedy Series counted the most diverse noms at four and three, respectively. This year, the most any category received was two: Lead Actress in a Drama Series, Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or a Movie, Reality Show Host and Guest Actor Drama.

Behind the camera, Sally Richardson Whitfield made history as the first Black woman to score two drama directing noms for HBO’s The Gilded Age and Task.

First-time nominees include The Testaments’ Chase Infiniti in Lead Actress Drama, The Pitt’s Sepideh Moafi in Supporting Actress Drama, Pluribus‘ Carlos-Manuel Vesga for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, DTF St. Louis‘ Joy Sunday in Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Charles Melton for Beef, Minari Oscar winner Youn Yuh-jong in Supporting Actress in a Limited/Anthogy Series/Movie for Beef and Ernest Harden Jr. in Best Guest Actor Drama for The Pitt.

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Other shout-outs from Wednesday’s noms: Sterling K. Brown (Lead Actor Drama Series for Hulu’s Paradise), Ayo Edebiri (Lead Actress Comedy Series for FX’s The Bear), Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for Disney+/Marvel’s Wonder Man), Riz Ahmed (Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Prime Video’s Bait), Janelle James (Supporting Actress Comedy Series for Abbot Elementary), Jessica Williams (Supporting Actress Comedy Series for Apple TV’s Shrinking), Tyler James Williams (Supporting Actor Comedy Series for Abbott Elementary), Steve Harvey (Game Show Host for Celebrity Family Feud), RuPaul (Reality or Reality Competition Program Host for MTV’s RuPaul Drag Race) and Kristen Kish (Reality or Reality Competition Program) for Bravo’s Top Chef).

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