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 Jimmy Kimmel, the 72nd PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS -- a virtual event -- is broadcast live on Sunday, September 20, 2020 from 8-11pm ET/5-8pm PT on ABC. Kimmel hosts live from downtown LA's Staples Center, which also serves as the command center to coordinate video feeds from over 100 nominees socially distancing at home or elsewhere.

H.E.R. performs music for the "In Memoriam" segment, highlighting Diahann Carroll, Regis Philbin, Carl Reiner and nearly 50 more stars and icons of television who recently passed.

Celebrity presenters include: Anthony Anderson, Jason Bateman, Sterling K. Brown, Ty Burrell, RuPaul Charles, The Count (SESAME STREET), Laverne Cox, America Ferrera, Morgan Freeman, Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson, Ken Jeong, Mindy Kaling, Tatiana Maslany, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Bob Newhart, D-Nice, Randall Park, Issa Rae, Patrick Stewart, Jason Sudeikis, Gabrielle Union, Lena Waithe, J.J. Watt, Oprah Winfrey, and maybe more.

Nominees include:

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, BLACK-ISH
Don Cheadle, BLACK MONDAY
Ted Danson, THE GOOD PLACE
Michael Douglas, THE KOMINSKY METHOD
Eugene Levy, SCHITT'S CREEK
Ramy Youssef, RAMY

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, DEAD TO ME
Rachel Brosnahan, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Linda Cardellini, DEAD TO ME
Catherine O'Hara, SCHITT'S CREEK
Issa Rae, INSECURE
Tracee Ellis Ross, BLACK-ISH

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Andre Braugher, BROOKLYN NINE-NINE
William Jackson Harper, THE GOOD PLACE
Alan Arkin, THE KOMINSKY METHOD
Sterling K. Brown, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Tony Shalhoub, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Mahershala Ali, RAMY
Kenan Thompson, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Daniel Levy, SCHITT'S CREEK

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Alex Borstein, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
D'Arcy Carden, THE GOOD PLACE
Betty Gilpin, GLOW
Marin Hinkle, THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
Kate McKinnon, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Annie Murphy, SCHITT'S CREEK
Yvonne Orji, INSECURE
Cecily Strong, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Uzo Aduba, MRS. AMERICA
Toni Collette, UNBELIEVABLE
Margo Martindale, MRS. AMERICA
Jean Smart, WATCHMEN
Holland Taylor, HOLLYWOOD
Tracey Ullman, MRS. AMERICA

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Dylan McDermott, HOLLYWOOD
Jim Parsons, HOLLYWOOD
Tituss Burgess, UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, WATCHMEN
Jovan Adepo, WATCHMEN
Louis Gossett Jr., WATCHMEN

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Jeremy Irons, WATCHMEN
Hugh Jackman, BAD EDUCATION
Paul Mescal, NORMAL PEOPLE
Jeremy Pope, HOLLYWOOD
Mark Ruffalo, I KNOW THIS MUCH IS TRUE

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Cate Blanchett, MRS. AMERICA
Shira Haas, UNORTHODOX
Regina King, WATCHMEN
Octavia Spencer, SELF MADE
Kerry Washington, LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE

Outstanding Limited Series
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE
MRS. AMERICA
UNBELIEVABLE
UNORTHODOX
WATCHMEN

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Giancarlo Esposito, BETTER CALL SAUL
Bradley Whitford, THE HANDMAID'S TALE
Billy Crudup, THE MORNING SHOW
Mark Duplass, THE MORNING SHOW
Nicholaus Braun, SUCCESSION
Kieran Culkin, SUCCESSION
Matthew Mcfadyen, SUCCESSION
Jeffrey Wright, WESTWORLD

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Helena Bonham Carter, THE CROWN
Laura Dern, BIG LITTLE LIES
Julia Garner, OZARK
Thandie Newton, WESTWORLD
Fiona Shaw, KILLING EVE
Sarah Snook, SUCCESSION
Meryl Streep, BIG LITTLE LIES
Samira Wiley, THE HANDMAID'S TALE

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, OZARK
Sterling K. Brown, THIS IS US
Steve Carell, THE MORNING SHOW
Brian Cox, SUCCESSION
Billy Porter, POSE
Jeremy Strong, SUCCESSION

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Jennifer Aniston, THE MORNING SHOW
Olivia Colman, THE CROWN
Jodie Comer, KILLING EVE
Laura Linney, OZARK
Sandra Oh, KILLING EVE
Zendaya, EUPHORIA

Outstanding Comedy Series
CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM
DEAD TO ME
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
INSECURE
THE KOMINSKY METHOD
THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL
SCHITT'S CREEK
WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS

Outstanding Drama Series
BETTER CALL SAUL
THE CROWN
THE HANDMAID'S TALE
KILLING EVE
THE MANDALORIAN
OZARK
STRANGER THINGS
SUCCESSION

Outstanding Competition Program
THE MASKED SINGER
NAILED IT!
RUPAUL'S DRAG RACE
TOP CHEF
THE VOICE