Emmy Awards’ most outrageous snubs in TV history
If it were up to us, all of these shows would be winners.
Throughout the years, there have been countless jaw-dropping Emmy snubs. Whether a nominee didn’t win or an actor was never up for an award, there is a long list of missed opportunities.
The Television Academy honors the best on television every year, and the competition is stiff. While snubs are expected, fans will still demand explanations for why their favorite shows and stars were left out.
Do you remember the one “Friends” cast member who never won an Emmy despite 10 seasons on the iconic sitcom? Or, that Steve Carell never took home a tiny gold statue for his work on “The Office?”
Can’t believe it? Keep scrolling to see some of television’s most shocking Emmy snubs.
Steve Carell – “The Office”
The manager at Dunder Mifflin was never recognized for his socially inept personality despite “The Office” winning multiple Emmys. Carell, 62, was nominated six times over his nine seasons but never took home the coveted award.
His co-star Rainn Wilson took issue with this outcome, tweeting in 2011: “The world of TV should be ashamed of itself that Steve Carell never won an Emmy for Michael Gary Scott.”
Anthony Anderson – “Black-ish”
Another sitcom that was nominated seven times over its eight seasons but didn’t strike gold? Freeform’s “Black-ish,” starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Anthony Anderson, Marcus Scribner and Yara Shahidi.
Anderson, 54, was not only the show’s leading man but also served as an executive producer on the series. He told People in September 2021 that he had hoped his streak of nominations but no wins was at an end.
“This is the seventh nomination. Eleven total, but yeah, I’m done with the nomination part,” Anderson confessed ahead of the 73rd Emmys, where “Black-ish” was up for outstanding comedy series for the fourth time. “It’s time for a win. I’ll be honest. It’s time for a win.”
That year, Anderson was in the running for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, but lost to Jason Sudeikis from “Ted Lasso.”
Though the star still remains without an Emmy, he returned to host the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards in January. The ceremony was originally set to happen in September 2023 but was delayed due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
Amy Poehler – “Parks and Recreation”
Fan-favorite comedy “Parks and Recreation” didn’t get the kudos it deserved when it came to its leading lady, Amy Poehler.
The 52-year-old was nominated six times for playing Leslie Knope, the beloved protagonist of the NBC series. Much like Carell, Poehler is comedy royalty and was never recognized by the academy for her long-running role. Instead, there was an overlap with HBO’s “Veep,” which saw Julia Louis-Dreyfus enjoy a winning streak for her role as former Sen. Selina Meyer.
Poehler and Dreyfus went on to arrange a comedy sketch at the Emmys based around Poehler getting snubbed in 2012. Poehler has been nominated for an Emmy over 20 times but only won once, for her guest appearance on “SNL” alongside bestie Tina Fey in 2016.
Hugh Laurie – “House, M.D.”
Moving onto medical drama, Fox’s “House” saw Hugh Laurie’s Dr. Gregory House save lives for eight seasons. Despite his quick-witted bedside manner, it wasn’t enough to secure a win.
Laurie was nominated — and lost — six times in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama category. The 65-year-old also lost once as an executive producer when “House, M.D.” was nominated but did not win Outstanding Drama Series in 2009.
Ed O’Neill – “Married… with Children”
It’s evident that Ed O’Neill has more than made up for being snubbed by the Emmys earlier in his career since earning three Emmy nominations for playing Jay Pritchett on “Modern Family.”
But the actor first caught the viewers’ eyes on “Married… with Children” as Al Bundy, the blunt and lovable patriarch of a Chicago family constantly at each other’s throats.
O’Neill, 78, starred on the popular sitcom for over a decade but never received a single Emmy nod in any of the 11 seasons!
His co-star Katey Sagal, who portrayed Al’s wife, Peggy Bundy, also went without a single nomination from the Television Academy.
In 2015, Sagal, 70, took home a Golden Globe for playing Gemma Teller Morrow on “Sons of Anarchy,” but continued to receive zero Emmy attention throughout the seven seasons.
Charlie Hunnam – “Sons of Anarchy”
Charlie Hunnam, the series’ resident bad boy, who played Jax Teller for seven seasons, was also snubbed. Zero noms and therefore zero wins.
Courteney Cox – “Friends”
Despite still bringing us joy 30 years later, Courteney Cox was never nominated for her time as Monica on “Friends.”
All of her co-stars received at least one Emmy nod and a couple of wins throughout the years. Being shut out in 2001 was especially hard on the actress, 60, who confessed to TV Line, per Digital Spy: “I had a hard time not taking it personally when it was both Lisa and Jennifer [getting nominated] at the same time. … Both girls and not me? It hurt.”
Lauren Graham – “Gilmore Girls”
For seven seasons, Lauren Graham brought to life Lorelai Gilmore, the witty single mom raising a teen daughter in small-town Connecticut. Still, it wasn’t enough to garner her an acting award.
The only Emmy “Gilmore Girls” was ever nominated for was Outstanding Makeup for a Series (Non-Prosthetic), for which they took home the award.
Michael Landon – “Little House on the Prairie”
The classic series, which aired from 1974 to 1983, saw beloved actor Michael Landon portray the warm patriarch Charles Ingalls alongside Melissa Gilbert, Karen Grassle, Melissa Sue Anderson, and many others over nine years.
But, inexplicably, he earned zero Emmy nominations.
Sandra Oh – “Grey’s Anatomy”
Paging the Television Academy… what were you thinking with this one?
Sandra Oh was nominated for an Emmy five times for playing Dr. Christina Yang in “Grey’s Anatomy” but never won. The series took home other awards, including Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Miniseries, Movie or a Special in 2010 and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2011, which was awarded to Loretta Devine, who played Adele Webber.
Diana Rigg – “Game of Thrones”
Lastly, Diana Rigg was up for the statue four separate times for her guest performance as Lady Olenna Tyrell, the matriarch of House Tyrell, in “Game of Thrones,” but sadly never walked away with the award.
The late icon first appeared in Season 3 and was wickedly good until her last scene in Season 7. The cast of the HBO drama was regularly nominated for Emmy Awards during the show’s eight-season run, but Peter Dinklage was the only actor to win.
