The 2026 Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Award nominations are out, and they are filled top to bottom with Black talent.
Whether they be rising stars, established names or even a few surprising individuals to put on your radar for the future, Black men and women filled out this year’s nominations list from acting to writing, directing, producing and more, showcasing the range and aptitude of Black stories and Black creativity across several mediums.
Quinta Brunson and “Abbott Elementary” continue to rack up nominations. A previous Emmy winner, Brunson was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the show’s “Team Building” episode. Her fellow “Abbott” castmates, Tyler James Williams and Janelle James, also earned noms, with each earning a Supporting Actor and a Supporting Actress nom. “Abbott” was also nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series.
Despite a heavily criticized final season, “Euphoria” picked up two notable nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for Zendaya and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for Colman Domingo. It’s not the only Emmy nomination for Domingo, as he also earned an Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nomination for Netflix’s “The Four Seasons.”
Apple TV’s “Shrinking” has become a hit for the streaming platform and one of its biggest stars is none other than former “Daily Show” correspondent Jessica Williams. Williams was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, joining James in a stacked category.
Among streaming shows, Sterling K. Brown’s “Paradise” earned five nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor (Brown), and Outstanding Director for Hanelle M. Culpepper. Fellow director Salli Richardson-Whitfield earned two directing noms of her own, for two vastly different shows. She earned Outstanding Director nominations for episodes of “The Gilded Age” and “Task,” both of which air on HBO Max.
Rising stars like Ayo Edebiri and Chase Infiniti also secured nominations, with Infiniti scoring an Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series nomination for “The Testaments” and Edebiri landing yet another Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series nomination for “The Bear.”
When it comes to intriguing noms, none might be bigger than 50 Cent. Serving as the producer of “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” he earned a nomination for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series, while the documentary’s director, Alexandria Stapleton, earned two nominations, one for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series and one for Outstanding Directing Documentary or Nonfiction Series.
See the full list of Black primetime Emmy nominees below.
Quinta Brunson
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series — “Abbott Elementary”
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series — “Abbott Elementary” (“Team Building”)
Ayo Edebiri
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series — “The Bear”
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series — “Wonder Man”
Chase Infiniti
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series — “The Testaments”
Zendaya
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series — “Euphoria”
Sterling K. Brown
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — “Paradise”
Janelle James
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series — “Abbott Elementary”
Jessica Williams
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series — “Shrinking”
Colman Domingo
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series — “The Four Seasons”
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series — “Euphoria”
Tyler James Williams
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series — “Abbott Elementary”
Joy Sunday
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie — “DTF St. Louis”
Salli Richardson-Whitfield
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series — “The Gilded Age”
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series — “Task”
Ernest Harden Jr.
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series — “The Pitt”
Hanelle M. Culpepper
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series — “Paradise”
RuPaul
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program — “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Steve Harvey
Outstanding Host for a Game Show — “Celebrity Family Feud”
Dave Chappelle
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) — “Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable…”
Rikki Hughes
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special — “Dave Chappelle: The Unstoppable…”
Wanda Sykes
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special — “Wanda Sykes: Legacy”
Julie Dash
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special — “Wanda Sykes: Legacy”
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series — “Sean Combs: The Reckoning”
Alexandria Stapleton
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series — “Sean Combs: The Reckoning”
Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program — “Sean Combs: The Reckoning”
Henry Louis Gates Jr.
Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series or Special — “Finding Your Roots”
Salimah El-Amin
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series — “The American Revolution”
Additionally, several Black creatives whose work extends beyond the camera and is rooted in technical achievement were recognized by the Creative Arts Emmy Awards The nominees are…
Kimberly Kimble
Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling — “Euphoria”
Sharif Poston
Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling — “All’s Fair”
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program — “Wicked: One Wonderful Night”
Charm La’Donna
Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming (“The Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny”)
Jamal Sims
Outstanding Choreography for Variety or Reality Programming — “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Christian John-Devi Vincent
Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming — “Noah’s Arc: The Movie”
Tony Hardmon
Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program — “My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay”
