This Is What’s Queer about the 2019 Emmy Awards Nominations

Written by | Entertainment, Headlines, Stage

RuPaul Wins an Emmy

Though we’ve still got months before big screen awards season heats up, TV gets its big night September 22. Some of last year’s big LGBTQ-themed winners included The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story for Outstanding Limited Series and RuPaul’s Drag Race for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program.

This year’s show will air live starting at 8pm on Fox, and there’s plenty of LGBTQ talent and content to root for:

Comedy

Netflix’s excellent Outstanding Comedy nominee Russian Doll boasts several LGBTQ characters, including Lizzi played by Rebecca Henderson. And Henderson is married to one of the show’s writer/directors, Leslye Headland.

We’re also rooting for pansexual-positive Schitt’s Creek – which is a nominee for Outstanding Comedy, Lead Actor (Eugene Levy) and Lead Actress (Catherine O’Hara) and Outstanding Contemporary Costumes.

Amazon’s stunning Fleabag – also an Outstanding Comedy nominee – featured a lesbian subplot this year. It involved Lead Actress nominee and show creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Kristin Scott Thomas, nominated for Guest Actress. Fiona Shaw is another nominee for Guest Actress for playing a therapist on the show. Olivia Colman (a recent Oscar Winner for playing queer Queen Ann in The Favorite) is nominated for Fleabag’s overbearing mother-in-law-to-be. Meanwhile Sian Clifford is nominated for playing her sister.

Other notable queer nominees in comedy include Kate McKinnon as Supporting Actress for Saturday Night Live. In the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel department, Jane Lynch is a nominee for Guest Actress, and Alex Bornstein is a nominee for Supporting Actress for her gender-stereotype-defying role.

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Drama

Game of Thrones, Ozark and This Is Us have all featured queer characters and grabbed nods for Outstanding Drama. In the Supporting Actress category, to of Thrones‘ gender-stereotype defiers (Gwendoline Christie – Brienne, Masie Williams – Arya) will square off against two of their co-stars (Lena Headey – Cersei, Sophie Turner – Sansa). And Ron Cephas Jones, the bisexual granddad from This Is Us will vie for a Guest Actor award.

Who we’re really rooting for is Outstanding Drama nominee Pose. It’s got the largest cast of recurring LGBTQ actors ever featured on a scripted series. That includes Metrosource cover gent Billy Porter, who could take home a trophy for Lead Actor.

But don’t count out Killing Eve, which stars Sandra Oh as a British investigator and Jodie Corner as the assassin with whom she shares a complicated infatuation. The show is a candidate for Outstanding Drama Series and for Lead Actress awards recognizing for both Oh and Corner.

It’s also worth noting that Cherry Jones garnered a nod in the category of Guest Actress for Handmaid’s Tale. She’ll go up against Laverne Cox in that category for Orange Is the New Black.

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Limited Series or Movie

The gay intrigue of A Very English Scandal snagged a nominations for Hugh Grant (Lead Actor) as a corrupt Member of Parliament and Ben Whishaw (Supporting Actor) as his erstwhile lover. Stephen Frears also snagged a nod for directing the sexy and sinister series.

However, we’re standing up for backstage drama of Fosse/Verdon. It’s a nominee for Outstanding Limited Series or Movie. Both Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams earned nominees for their white hot performances as the Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. Margaret Qualley (Ann Reinking) is also in the running for Supporting Actress. The series earned nods in the directing category, too.

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More LGBTQ Emmy Nominees

Former Metrosource cover gal Amy Sedaris will be a contender for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series. And our former cover guy, RuPaul, is in the running for Host — one of a 14 nominations for RuPaul’s Drag Race this year. Others hoping to be recognized as Host include Ellen DeGeneres for Ellen’s Game of Games and the Queer Eye Guys (as Host for a Non-Competition Program).

Rent:Live will try for Outstanding Live Variety Special. Queer comedians Wanda Sykes and Hannah Gadsby will compete for Outstanding Pre-Recorded Variety Special for Not Normal and Nannette, respectively.

LGBTQ representation is rich in the Emmy’s Shortform categories, as well. Ryan O’Connell’s Special, thecomedy about being gay with cerebral palsy is in the running for Outstanding Shortform Comedy or Drama. Outstanding Shortform Nonfiction nods went to behind-the-scenes looks at Fosse/Verdon, Pose and TWO Drag Race spin-offs. Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson will compete against each other for acting in Hack Into Broad City. Billy Eichner‘s Billy on the Street will go up against Gay of Thrones and The Randy Rainbow Show in Shortform Variety Series.

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Last modified: July 23, 2019