The 12 Most Surprising Emmy Nomination Snubs For 2025

Miss Casey was already a beloved character in Severance season 1, but Dichen Lachman brought the woman behind Miss Casey to life with the highly impressive sophomore season. In episode 7 ("Chikhai Bardo"), Lachman delivered a gut-wrenching performance as Gemma, Mark's allegedly "late" wife who's actually trapped in Lumon's basement as a perpetual test subject for severance. The nuance and depth of her depiction of the character was more than enough to earn at least a nomination, if not a win.

Elisabeth Moss has brought June Osborne to life on our screens for almost a decade, navigating the horrors of this dystopian reality in which women are merely viewed as vessels for pregnancy. She's been nominated (and won!) many times for her incredible work throughout the run of The Handmaid's Tale, but didn't earn a nomination for the final season of the show. It's safe to say that fans who've followed her gritty and emotional performance throughout the last six seasons are shocked that she's not being noted for finally landing this dystopian show's plane.

Let me be clear: there are many, many actors who produced incredible work on The Pitt and weren't nominated — but I'd be lying if I said Taylor Dearden didn't stand out. While many may criticize nepo babies for their work, Bryan Cranston's daughter set herself apart from that pack, delivering a layered, nuanced performance as the doctor-in-training, Dr. King. From her ability to effortlessly bring back the "Savage" dance (LOL) to her authentic depiction of caregiver fatigue peppered with unconditional love, it's a huge surprise she wasn't acknowledged with a nomination.

It's no surprise that fans and critics didn't particularly love Yellowjackets season 3. Still, there was one performance that genuinely broke my heart and made it's mark on the show. Lauren Ambrose adopted Van's story in season 2, bringing the adult version of one of our favorite characters to life — and she only upped the ante of her portrayal in season 3. I don't want to give anything away for those who aren't caught up, but the scene pictured above truly said it all for me. She definitely deserved a nomination.

The Studio definitely got plenty of Emmy nominations in 2025, but I'm genuinely surprised breakout star Chase Sui Wonders wasn't acknowledged. Her hilarious performance was absolutely a fan-favorite, as she held her own next to comedy greats like Seth Rogen, Catherine O'Hara, Kathryn Hahn, and more. I'm shocked she didn't make the cut, but I'm staying hopeful that she lands a nomination after season 2.

Clearly Selena Gomez is a big favorite over here across the board, so it's not surprising that we would absolutely love her performance as Mabel Mora. The previously Emmy-nominated actress has masterfully lead this multi-season comedy alongside greats like Martin Short and Steve Martin with her dry humor and great timing. So why was she ignored this year? I know the categories are stacked across the board, but given how much everyone adores Gomez in this show, we're shocked to say the least.

I feel like defending Steve Martin writes itself. The man is an absolute comedy legend that's been at the helm of some of our biggest belly laughs. So unless nominating Martin Short and not Steve Martin is a part of their lifelong competitive bit, I'm not sure what's going on here.

I wanted to hate him. You wanted to hate him. We all wanted to hate this nepo baby's performance — and character, frankly. However, Patrick Schwarzenegger gave Saxon Ratliff the arc of a lifetime. Schwarzenegger took Saxon from a despicable bro to a deeply tortured, complex man. I'm not sure why he's not getting his flowers for this performance, but I'm actually surprised.

I know, I know — it's Star Wars. But if you can look past any gimmick or preconceived notions about the franchise, Andor is a very complex tale of political upheaval, resistance, and perseverance against all odds. And truly none of that would be possible without Diego Luna's amazing portrayal of Cassian Andor. He brings the depth of the resistance to life, capturing the deep pain and toll action takes on a person, and giving us a hero that isn't exactly what you'd necessarily picture.

Taylor Sheridan's projects — and Westerns in general — may not be everyone's cup of tea, but you can't tell me that 1923 season 2 wasn't riveting. The devastating heartbreak that this season gave us was delivered with care and hurt and grit and ultimately left us wanting more from Brandon Sklenar, Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, and the cast as a whole. So why was this highly regarded show left out? This season was definitely divisive, stirring the pot among fans and critics alike, so maybe that explains the lack of nominations. However, we definitely think it deserves critical acclaim nonetheless!

The epic conclusion to this three-part show was simultaneously incredibly captivating and devastatingly depressing. After following Seong Gi-hun's intense trials and tribulations in desperately trying to take down the machine that made him his money, I can't believe this impeccably wrapped up conclusion didn't earn a nomination. Lee Jung-jae brought this character in all his complexities to a gut-wrenching end, exposing the unfortunate realities and underbelly of class warfare — and that absolutely should have earned him a nod.

I've never heard more people rave about an awkward man on TV than I have with Nathan Fielder's The Rehearsal. The first season was adored, and the second even more so. And while not everyone may understand this brand of humor, there's no denying that it's making its mark on the comedy world, one extremely painful interaction at a time. By its own essential reinvention of the genre, I am genuinely surprised the ingenuity and authenticity wasn't rewarded with a nomination for the show itself. (But was for writing and directing? Confusing.)