Plot Synopsis

Each year since 1949, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has recognized outstanding performances by professionals in the TV industry, including directors, actors, writers, and the creative arts. The first Emmy Awards ceremony was held on January 25, 1949, at the Hollywood Athletic Club, and was devoted solely to programming that originated from Los Angeles, where the Television Academy was founded. Starting in 1955 when the Emmys were nationally televised for the first time -- and simulcast from Los Angeles and New York -- award nominees expanded to include programming aired throughout the United States. Since 1971, the Emmys have been held only in Los Angeles. In 1974, the Emmys were split into two events: The Daytime Emmy Awards and The Primetime Emmy Awards.
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Hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, the 73rd PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS is broadcast live on Sunday, September 19, 2021 from 8-11pm ET/5-8pm PT on CBS and Paramount+. The 2021 EMMYS make their return to Microsoft Theater, with a limited in-person audience made up of nominees and their guests.

Band leader Reggie Watts is the DJ for the evening. Leon Bridges and Jon Batiste perform a special "In Memoriam" song.

Talent scheduled to appear during the broadcast include: Paulina Alexis, Anthony Anderson, Angela Bassett, Kate Beckinsale, Adrien Brody, Stephen Colbert, Jennifer Coolidge, Kaley Cuoco, Lane Factor, Beanie Feldstein, Allyson Felix, America Ferrera, Sterlin Harjo, Devery Jacobs, Ken Jeong, Mindy Kaling, Vanessa Lachey, Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Jessica Long, Annie Murphy, Catherine O'Hara, Sarah Paulson, Amy Poehler, Billy Porter, Michaela Jae (Mj) Rodriguez, Seth Rogen, Tracee Ellis Ross, Hailee Steinfeld, Patrick Stewart, Wilmer Valderrama, Kerry Washington, D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Bowen Yang. Other celebrities scheduled to appear include: Annaleigh Ashford, Awkwafina, Misty Copeland, Michael Douglas, Ava DuVernay, Taraji P. Henson, Gayle King, LL COOL J, Dolly Parton, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Ellen Pompeo, Yara Shahidi, Rita Wilson and Catherine Zeta-Jones,

Nominees include:

Drama Series
THE BOYS (Amazon)
BRIDGERTON (Netflix)
THE CROWN (Netflix)
THE HANDMAID'S TALE (Hulu)
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY (HBO)
THE MANDALORIAN (Disney+)
POSE (FX)
THIS IS US (NBC)

Lead Actress, Drama
Uzo Aduba (IN TREATMENT)
Olivia Colman (THE CROWN)
Emma Corrin (THE CROWN)
Elisabeth Moss (THE HANDMAID'S TALE)
Mj Rodriguez (POSE)
Jurnee Smollett (LOVECRAFT COUNTRY)

Lead Actor, Drama
Sterling K. Brown (THIS IS US)
Jonathan Majors (LOVECRAFT COUNTRY)
Josh O'Connor (THE CROWN)
Rege-Jean Page (BRIDGERTON)
Billy Porter (POSE)
Matthew Rhys (PERRY MASON)

Supporting Actress, Drama
Aunjanue Ellis (LOVECRAFT COUNTRY)
Gillian Anderson (THE CROWN)
Helena Bonham Carter (THE CROWN)
Emerald Fennell (THE CROWN)
Madeline Brewer (THE HANDMAID'S TALE)
Ann Dowd (THE HANDMAID'S TALE)
Yvonne Strahovski (THE HANDMAID'S TALE)
Samira Wiley (THE HANDMAID'S TALE)

Supporting Actor, Drama
Michael K. Williams (LOVECRAFT COUNTRY)
John Lithgow (PERRY MASON)
Tobias Menzies (THE CROWN)
O-T Fagbenle (THE HANDMAID'S TALE)
Max Minghella (THE HANDMAID'S TALE)
Bradley Whitford (THE HANDMAID'S TALE)
Giancarlo Esposito (THE MANDALORIAN)
Chris Sullivan (THIS IS US)

Comedy Series
BLACK-ISH (ABC)
COBRA KAI (Netflix)
EMILY IN PARIS (Netflix)
HACKS (HBO Max)
THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT (HBO Max)
THE KOMINSKY METHOD (Netflix)
PEN15 (Hulu)
TED LASSO (Apple TV+)

Lead Actress, Comedy
Aidy Bryant (SHRILL)
Kaley Cuoco (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT)
Allison Janney (MOM)
Tracee Ellis Ross (BLACK-ISH)
Jean Smart (HACKS)

Lead Actor, Comedy
Anthony Anderson (BLACK-ISH)
Michael Douglas (THE KOMINSKY METHOD)
William H. Macy (SHAMELESS)
Jason Sudeikis (TED LASSO)
Kenan Thompson (KENAN)

Supporting Actress, Comedy
Hannah Einbinder (HACKS)
Aidy Bryant (SNL)
Kate McKinnon (SNL)
Cecily Strong (SNL)
Juno Temple (TED LASSO)
Hannah Waddingham (TED LASSO)
Rosie Perez (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT)

Supporting Actor, Comedy
Carl Clemons-Hopkins (HACKS)
Kenan Thompson (SNL)
Bowen Yang (SNL)
Brett Goldstein (TED LASSO)
Brendan Hunt (TED LASSO)
Nick Mohammed (TED LASSO)
Jeremy Swift (TED LASSO)
Paul Reiser (THE KOMINSKY METHOD)

Limited Series
I MAY DESTROY YOU (HBO)
MARE OF EASTTOWN (HBO)
THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT (Netflix)
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD (Amazon)
WANDAVISION (Disney+)

TV Movie
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (Netflix)
Oslo (HBO)
Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (Lifetime)
Sylvie's Love (Prime Video)
Uncle Frank (Prime Video)

Lead Actor, Limited Series, Movie or Anthology
Paul Bettany (WANDAVISION)
Hugh Grant (THE UNDOING)
Ewan McGregor (HALSTON)
Lin-Manuel Miranda (HAMILTON)
Leslie Odom, Jr. (HAMILTON)

Lead Actress, Limited Series, Movie or Anthology
Michaela Coel (I MAY DESTROY YOU)
Cynthia Erivo (GENIUS: ARETHA)
Elizabeth Olsen (WANDAVISION)
Anya Taylor-Joy (THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT)
Kate Winslet (MARE OF EASTTOWN)

Supporting Actress, Limited Series, Movie or Anthology
Phillipa Soo (HAMILTON)
Renee Elise Goldsberry (HAMILTON)
Jean Smart (MARE OF EASTTOWN)
Julianne Nicholson (MARE OF EASTTOWN)
Moses Ingram (THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT)
Kathryn Hahn (WANDAVISION)

Supporting Actor, Limited Series, Movie or Anthology
Daveed Diggs (HAMILTON)
Jonathan Groff (HAMILTON)
Anthony Ramos (HAMILTON)
Paapa Essiedu (I MAY DESTROY YOU)
Evan Peters (MARE OF EASTTOWN)
Thomas Brodie-Sangster (THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT)

Variety Talk Series
CONAN (TBS)
THE DAILY SHOW WITH TREVOR NOAH (Comedy Central)
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! (ABC)
LAST WEEK TONIGHT WITH JOHN OLIVER (HBO)
THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT (CBS)

Competition Series
THE AMAZING RACE (CBS)
NAILED IT! (Netflix)
RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE (VH1)
TOP CHEF (Bravo)
THE VOICE (NBC)

Variety Special (Live)
Celebrating America: An Inauguration Night Special (Multiple Platforms)
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)
The Oscars (ABC)
The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show Starring The Weeknd (CBS)
Stephen Colbert's Election Night 2020: Democracy's Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020 (Showtime)