Emmy Awards: The nominations are in

Emmy Awards: The nominations

The nominations for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards for the best television shows and performances have been released.

Three shows stand out with a good pile of nominations – Game of Thrones, with 23 nominations, The People v. O J Simpson: American Crime Story with 22 nominations and Fargo, with 18 nominations.

Performances from Game of Thrones were recognised, with three nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark, Emilia Clark, who plays Daenerys Clark, mother of dragons and Lena Headey, who plays Cersei Lannister.

Actors Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow and Peter Dinklage, Tyrion Lannister, have been nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor, alongside Michael Kelly from House of Cards and Jonathan Banks of Better Call Saul.

Saturday Night Live and House of Cards also did well, with 16 and 13 nominations respectively.

This year is the first time a south-Asian actor nominated for an Emmy for a leading role - Aziz Ansari for his performance in Master of None.

Aziz Ansari stars in comedy-drama series 'Master of None', created with Alan Yang.

Award shows have been coming in for criticism over the past few years for a lack of diversity. No performers of colour were nominated in the four acting categories in the 2016 Academy Awards, prompting a resurgence of the use of the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag.

This year's Emmy awards see actors of colour nominated in all six of the leading actor categories, including Tracee Ellis Ross for Black-ish, Rami Malek for Mr Robot and Cuba Gooding Jr and Courtney B Vance, both for The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story.

Kirsten Dunst has been nominated for Best Actress, Limited Series or TV Movie for her performance as Peggy in Fargo, alongside Sarah Paulson from The People v. O.J. Simpson and Felicity Huffman, American Crime.

The nominations look at television between the dates of June 1 2015 and May 31 2016. The award show will take place on September 18.

Best Drama

The Americans

Better Call Saul

Downton Abbey

Game of Thrones

Homeland

House of Cards

Mr. Robot

Best Comedy

black-ish

Master of None

Modern Family

Silicon Valley

Transparent

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Veep

Best Limited Series

American Crime

Fargo

The Night Manager

The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

Roots

Television Movie

A Very Murray Christmas

All The Way                                                         

Confirmation

Luther

Sherlock: The Abominable Bride

Best Actor, Drama

Kyle Chandler, Bloodline

Rami Malek, Mr. Robot

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

Matthew Rhys, The Americans

Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan

Best Actress, Drama

Claire Danes, Homeland

Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder

Taraji P. Henson, Empire

Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black

Keri Russell, The Americans

Robin Wright, House of Cards

Best Actor, Comedy

Anthony Anderson, black-ish

Aziz Ansari, Master of None

Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth

William H. Macy, Shameless

Thomas Middleditch, Silicon Valley

Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

Best Actress, Comedy

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Laurie Metcalf, Getting On

Ellie Kemper, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Tracee Ellis Ross, black-ish

Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer

Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

Best Actor, Limited Series or TV Movie

Bryan Cranston, All the Way

Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock: The Abominable Bride

Idris Elba, Luther

Cuba Gooding Jr., The People v. O.J. Simpson

Tom Hiddleston, The Night Manager

Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson

Best Actress, Limited Series or TV Movie

Kirsten Dunst, Fargo

Felicity Huffman, American Crime

Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill

Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson

Lili Taylor, American Crime

Kerry Washington, Confirmation

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