The 2020 Primetime Emmy nominations are in and, as always, NYU talent is well represented among the performers and behind-the-scenes creators who will compete for television’s highest honor when the 72nd awards ceremony, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, airs on Sunday, September 20.
Tisch Graduate Acting alumnus Sterling K. Brown picked up two nominations—one for his depiction of the beloved character Randall Pearson on NBC’s This is Us, and a second for his supporting role on Amazon Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel—adding to his previous three Emmy nominations and two Emmy wins. Grad Acting alumni Billy Crudup, Marin Hinkle, and Bob Kirsh also each received a nomination, while Mahershala Ali earned two, including one for his performance on Hulu’s breakout comedy, Ramy.
Tisch Drama alumna Rachel Brosnahan picked up her fifth Emmy nomination for her starring role as Miriam "Midge" Maisel in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Brosnahan won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2018. Vince Gilligan, the creator of AMC’s critically-acclaimed series Breaking Bad and an alumnus of the Kanbar Institute of Film and Television, picked up three nominations this year for his work on Better Call Saul and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, which was released on Netflix six years after the series finale.
HBO’s Watchmen took the top spot for program nominations with 26 in total, including two nods for Grad Film alumna Nicole Kassell, the show’s director and executive producer, one for executive producer Ryan Fleck, and one for writer Damon Lindelof.
The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards honor the best in U.S. prime time television programming from June 1, 2019 through May 31, 2020, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, recognizing the storytellers who have elevated their craft during an unprecedented time for the entertainment industry.
With more than 500,000 NYU alumni spanning the globe, we’re still working to confirm all of our possible nominees, and so the list below will be updated regularly.
Outstanding Animated Program
BoJack Horseman • The View From Halfway Down
- Shauna McGarry (TSOA '05), Supervising Producer
Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Contemporary Program (One Hour Or More)
Succession • This Is Not for Tears
- Stephen H. Carter (TSOA '90), Production Designer
- Carmen Cardenas (TSOA '09) Art Director
Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Special
The Oscars
- Jason Sherwood (TSOA '12), Production Designer
Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series (One Hour)
Ozark
- Ben Kutchins (TSOA '00), Director of Photography
Outstanding Period Costumes
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel • It's Comedy Or Cabbage
- Marina Reti (TSOA '07) Assistant Costume Designer
Outstanding Directing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special
Watchmen • It’s Summer And We’re Running Out Of Ice
- Nicole Kassell (TSOA '02), Director
Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah • Trump's Coronavirus Address (Bloopers Included) And Trevor's Audience Tribute Song
- Mark Paone (TSOA '82), Editor
Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize For American Humor
- Brad Gilson (TSOA '99), Editor
Outstanding Picture Editing For A Nonfiction Program
Beastie Boys Story
- Zoe Schack (TSOA '04), Editor
The Last Dance • Episode 1
- Devin Concannon (TSOA '12), Editor
Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem And Madness • Cult Of Personality
- Nicholas Biagetti (TSOA '12), Editor
- Geoffrey Richman (TSOA '97), ACE, Editor
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Series
Saturday Night Live • Host: John Mulaney
- Richard McGuinness (TSOA '82), Lighting Director
Outstanding Period And/Or Character Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)
Pose • Acting Up
- Jessica Padilla (TSOA), Makeup Artist
Outstanding Music Direction
Saturday Night Live • SNL At Home #1 • NBC
- Lenny Pickett (STEINHARDT, Faculty), Music Director
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
This Is Us
- Sterling K. Brown (TSOA '01) as Randall Pearson
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Rachel Brosnahan (TSOA '12) as Miriam 'Midge' Maisel
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Sterling K. Brown (TSOA '01) as Reggie
Ramy
- Mahershala Ali (TSOA '00) as Sheikh Malik
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
The Morning Show
- Billy Crudup (TSOA '94) as Cory Ellison
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Marin Hinkle (TSOA '91) as Rose Weissman
Outstanding Comedy Series
Insecure
- Melina Matsoukas (TSOA '03), Executive Producer
- Laura Kittrell (TSOA '08), Co-Executive producer
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
- Daniel Goldfarb (TSOA '95 '97), Producer
- Matthew Shapiro (TSOA '06), Producer
- Sono Patel (TSOA '13), Producer
Schitt's Creek
- David West Read (TSOA '10), Executive Producer
Outstanding Drama Series
Better Call Saul
- Vince Gilligan (TSOA '89), Co-Creator, Executive Producer
- Thomas Schnauz (TSOA '88), Executive Producer
The Handmaid's Tale
- Kira Snyder (TSOA '98), Co-Executive Producer/Supervising Producer
Killing Eve
- Gina Mingacci (TSOA '93), Producer
Outstanding Limited Series
Mrs. America
- Tanya Barfield (TSOA '92), Producer
- Ryan Fleck (TSOA '00), Executive Producer
Watchmen
- Nicole Kassell (TSOA '02), Executive Producer
- Damon Lindelof (TSOA '95), Executive Producer
Outstanding Television Movie
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie
- Vince Gilligan (TSOA '89), Producer
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
- Jeremy Tchaban (TSOA '03), Supervising Producer
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show
- John Skidmore (TSOA '08), Producer
73rd Annual Tony Awards
- Allen Kelman (TSOA '77), Supervising Producer
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
Dave Chappelle: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize For American Humor
- David Jammy (TSOA '97), Executive Producer
- John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch
- Ravi Nandan (TSOA '99), Executive Producer
- Marika Sawyer (TSOA '05), Executive Producer
Outstanding Short Form Comedy Or Drama Series
Better Call Saul Employee Training: Legal Ethics With Kim Wexler
- Vince Gilligan (TSOA '89), Executive Producer
Reno 911!
- Thomas Lennon (TSOA '92), Executive Producer
- Robert Ben Garant (TSOA), Executive Producer
RuPaul's Drag Race Out Of The Closet
- Joseph Gerbino (TSOA '12), Senior Producer
Outstanding Children's Program
Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance
- Louis Leterrier (TSOA '96), Executive Producer
- Jeffrey Addiss (TSOA '01), Co-Executive Producer
- Ritamarie Peruggi (TSOA '80), Producer
We Are The Dream: The Kids Of The Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest
- Mahershala Ali (TSOA '00), Executive Producer
Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Special
Beastie Boys Story
- Jason Baum (TSOA '08), Producer
Outstanding Documentary Or Nonfiction Series
Hillary
- Nanette Burstein (TSOA '94 ’04), Executive Producer
- Timothy Moran (TSOA '10), Producer
- Tal Ben-David (TSOA '92), Producer
McMillion$
- Archie Gips (TSOA '97), Executive Producer
Outstanding Structured Reality Program
Shark Tank
- Phil Gurin (TSOA '83), Executive Producer
A Very Brady Renovation
- Bob Kirsh (TSOA '87), Executive Producer
Outstanding Competition Program
Top Chef
- Hillary Olsen (TSOA '94), Co-Executive Producer
The Voice
- Kyra Thompson (TSOA '86), Executive Producer
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Special
Devs
- Robert Malone (TSOA '09), Sound Effects, Editor
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Variety Series Or Special
The Oscars
- John Perez (TSOA '85), VO Mixer
Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Special
2019 American Music Awards
- Eric Becker (TSOA '04), Technical Director
Live In Front Of A Studio Audience: "All In The Family" And "Good Times"
- Eric Becker (TSOA '04), Technical Director
The Oscars
- Eric Becker (TSOA '04), Technical Director
- Shaun Harkins (TSOA '81), Camera
- Rob Balton (TSOA), Camera
Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series
Schitt's Creek
- David West Read (TSOA '10), Writer
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
Better Call Saul
- Thomas Schnauz (TSOA '88), Writer
Outstanding Writing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special
Mrs. America • Shirley
- Tanya Barfield (TSOA '92), Writer
Watchmen • This Extraordinary Being
- Damon Lindelof (TSOA '95), Writer
Outstanding Writing For A Variety Series
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
- Devin Delliquant (TSOA '06), Writer
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
- Charlie Redd (TSOA '14), Writer