This is crazy.
Oh No! Alexis Bledel Had To Pull Out Of The Emmy's Because Of This "Dumb" New Rule.

Alexis Bledel made a blink-and-you’ll-sob return as Emily in The Handmaid’s Tale series finale—but despite the impact of her cameo, she won’t be eligible for an Emmy this year.
Here’s what went down: Bledel was submitted in the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series category, which would’ve made sense given her limited screen time. But the Emmy rules recently changed, and that caused a bit of a roadblock. And it's safe to say fans aren't thrilled.
"The new Emmy rule for the Guest acting categories is dumb," one X user tweeted.
Keep reading to see why Alexis Bledel won't be receiving an Emmy for The Handmaid's Tale this year.
Alexis Bledel is no longer eligible for 'The Handmaid's Tale' "Best Guest Actress" at the Emmys.
According to Variety, actors who’ve previously been nominated in the lead or supporting categories for a series can no longer be considered in the guest category for the same show. That’s exactly what happened with Bledel, who already won a Guest Actress Emmy for her Handmaid's Tale role in 2017, then earned a supporting nod in 2018, and returned to guest contention again in 2020 and 2021.
This time, the Television Academy said she’d need to be moved into the supporting actress pool instead. But Bledel and her team opted to withdraw her name from the race entirely. It feels like a quiet, classy exit — one that mirrors how she left the show in the first place. There’s a certain grace in stepping back on your own terms, especially in an industry that often demands spectacle and drama. Her decision shows confidence in the work she’s done and respect for the story she helped tell.
But the 'Gilmore Girls' actress loved returning to the show.
Bledel announced she was stepping away from The Handmaid’s Tale ahead of Season 5, calling it a personal decision. Her character, Emily, was written off with care, and not in a dramatic, forced way. That’s why her surprise return in the series finale, which aired May 27, felt so special.
For longtime fans, it was a full-circle moment that gave Emily’s arc the closure it truly deserved, wrapping up her journey with the quiet dignity that reflected both the character and the actress’s departure.
“It was an immediate yes,” Bledel told The Hollywood Reporter about coming back. “It felt right to bring closure to Emily’s journey and offer the audience a sense of completion.”
'The Handmaid's Tale' still has a great Emmy's presence.
She added that working with Bruce Miller and the original crew again was like returning to a family, one for whom she clearly still holds deep respect.
Despite her Emmy withdrawal, The Handmaid’s Tale still has a strong presence in this year’s awards conversation, with 35 submissions across various categories, per Variety. And while Bledel’s name won’t be on the ballot, her final scene made an emotional impact that doesn't need an award to validate.
With The Testaments—the sequel series—already in the works, fans are hopeful the legacy of Gilead will continue to evolve. But for now, Bledel’s final moment as Emily stands as a powerful sendoff: graceful, understated, and true to the character we watched grow stronger with each season.
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