Everything to expect from the 2022 Emmy nominations

(Image credit: Illustrated | Getty Images)

By Brendan Morrow

published 9 July 2022

The 2022 Emmy nominations will be revealed on July 12. Will your favorite shows make it in? Here are our predictions:

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The other slots could go a number of ways. But we're betting Showtime's buzzy Yellowjackets will be honored for its freshman season after getting nominated at the Critics' Choice Awards and Television Critics Association Awards, and past nominee This Is Us should earn one last nod for its farewell season. But keep an eye on Yellowstone, one of TV's biggest hits and a Screen Actors Guild Awards nominee, to finally sneak in — maybe instead of the other "yellow" show.

This category looks like a battle between reigning champ Ted Lasso and Hacks, which put up a good fight last year with writing and directing wins. Beyond those, one of the most well-received sitcoms in years, Abbott Elementary, will provide network TV some love, and it may be a dark horse winner. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Barry, and Atlanta have been nominated every season, so don't expect that to change, and Hulu's mystery-comedy Only Murders in the Building should crack the list after nods at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and more.

Dopesick and Maid, two well-reviewed miniseries about important topics like the opioid epidemic and domestic violence, are locks, and HBO's The White Lotus should maintain its momentum after being a water-cooler hit last summer. Two recent true-crime streaming shows that had strong word-of-mouth, The Dropout and The Staircase, will likely flesh out the list, though it wouldn't be shocking if either is replaced with another true-crime series a bit fresher in voters' minds: Under the Banner of Heaven.

Nearly this entire category consists of past nominees, and the Succession stars are particularly strong candidates after another great season. The only likely newcomer is Lee Jung-jae for Squid Game, who won at the SAG Awards in an upset. Odenkirk, who has fewer past nominations than Brown, is arguably the weakest contender, so don't be stunned if he's missing in favor of Severance's Adam Scott or perhaps Yellowstone's Kevin Costner. But come on, the guy did nearly die making this season.

Jennifer Aniston getting nominated again is somewhat questionable given The Morning Show continues to get mixed reviews, but she did get a second nod at the SAG Awards. Kelly Reilly has also been earning lots of buzz for Yellowstone, so she may be that show's only major acting nominee. But if the Television Academy is all in on Severance, Britt Lower replacing Aniston is in play. We'd normally list Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer, but Killing Eve's widely disliked ending may have ended their chances.

Nicholas Braun, Kieran Culkin, and Matthew Macfadyen were all nominated before, and Alan Ruck has potential to join them, in which case Succession would dominate half the category. But we're thinking a final season bump for Better Call Saul will get past nominees Jonathan Banks and Giancarlo Esposito in again (though Saul will technically be eligible next year too), and Billy Crudup, who won in 2020 and was nominated at the SAG Awards, should repeat. The wave of Squid Game hype could give a remaining spot to Oh Young-soo, and as perhaps the heart of Severance, John Turturro looks like that series' best opportunity for an acting nod.

Sarah Snook and Julia Garner are locked based on their previous nominations and critical acclaim, and Jung Ho-yeon will get a nod after winning a SAG Award, while category newcomers should include Patricia Arquette for Severance and J. Smith-Cameron for Succession. Millie Bobby Brown could get in for Stranger Things, as she's been nominated twice before. But her co-star Sadie Sink arguably had the meatier role in season four, so it seems more likely she'll be running up that hill to a nomination. And yes, after years of Better Call Saul fans wondering how Rhea Seehorn hasn't been nominated, a final season boost should finally end her streak of snubs.

Donald Glover, Bill Hader, and Jason Sudeikis have all won this award, so they'll likely get another nomination. The same goes for Anthony Anderson, who's been nominated for Black-ish a whopping seven times and is eligible for the final season. Plus, how could the Academy resist a chance to honor industry legends like Steve Martin and Martin Short? They were both nominated at the SAG Awards, and if the Emmys follow suit, Larry David may have to curb his enthusiasm for a nod.

Let's be honest: nobody here has a chance other than Jean Smart, who won last year and is crushing it on Hacks. But we expect Rachel Brosnahan, Tracee Ellis Ross, and Kaley Cuoco to compete again, and they'll be joined by newcomer Quinta Brunson given that, as the creator of Abbott Elementary, so much of the talk about the show revolves around her. The last spot is up for grabs, but the fact that Only Murders in the Building's cast was promoting the new season right in the middle of Emmy voting could help Selena Gomez snag her first nomination ever.

There may be no room for newcomers here, as each of these contenders has been nominated before. But Brett Goldstein, Tony Shalhoub, and Henry Winkler are particularly strong as past winners, while non-winners Kenan Thompson and Anthony Carrigan aren't guaranteed to repeat. If they don't, watch out for Barry's Stephen Root or Ted Lasso's Brendan Hunt, especially since Hunt had an episode of his own this season.

It's the battle of the Hannahs once again! Hannah Waddingham, last year's winner, is set for a rematch against Hannah Einbinder from Hacks. But also expect to see Juno Temple, Sarah Goldberg, Alex Borstein, and Kate McKinnon's names read after they were nominated and/or won before — especially McKinnon, who's in the mix for her final season on Saturday Night Live. The Abbott Elementary momentum also seems strong enough to secure not one, but two nominations for that show's hilarious supporting players.

Michael Keaton should easily win here after taking the Golden Globe and SAG Award and delivering an emotional speech paying tribute to his late nephew. But transformations into real people always tend to get awards voters' attention, so Sebastian Stan, Jared Leto, and Colin Firth will likely get nods alongside two more well-received performances from stars known more for movies than TV: Andrew Garfield and Oscar Isaac. Alternatively, Sam Elliott could get in for 1883 — assuming those controversial Power of the Dog comments didn't hurt his chances.

Margaret Qualley is a shoo-in after being nominated at the SAG Awards, and Jessica Chastain looks set to follow up her Oscar win with an Emmy nod. Lily James will also probably get in for her transformation into Pamela Anderson, and Julia Roberts' star power alone could secure her a nomination, even if few people seemed to watch Gaslit. Julia Garner may also get two nominations in one year thanks to her portrayal of Anna Delvey.

Jennifer Coolidge should easily win for her phenomenal performance in The White Lotus, and that show had enough memorable female roles to dominate much of the category. Heck, Sydney Sweeney might end up making it in. But don't forget about two industry legends in Andie MacDowell and Laurie Metcalf, while Kaitlyn Dever should get her first nomination after a truly unbelievable snub for Unbelievable, meaning at least one of the stars of Booksmart will be honored. Sorry, Beanie Feldstein — your Monica Lewinsky performance was a winner in our hearts.

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.