The LGBTQ+ Highlights of the 2026 Emmy Nominations

We went into the 2026 Emmy nominations with pretty modest expectations, and, honestly, that says a lot about where LGBTQ+ television is right now.  When we put together our Pride Month television recommendations a few weeks ago, we found ourselves in an unfamiliar position. For the first time in four years, filling our annual list with 30 new LGBTQ+ shows wasn’t easy. 

We talked then about how fewer queer-led series are making it to our screens, and this year’s Emmy nominations reflect that reality. There may not be a single LGBTQ+ series leading the conversation, but queer stories, creators, performers, and characters are still showing up across television’s biggest awards.

Although Heated Rivalry became one of the biggest television success stories of the year, the Canadian drama wasn’t eligible for the Primetime Emmy Awards because of the Television Academy’s eligibility rules for non-U.S. productions. Should the series be submitted, it could still compete at the International Emmy Awards. That said, it wasn’t a complete shutout for the Heated Rivalry family, as Connor Storrie picked up a Guest Actor in a Comedy Series nomination for Saturday Night Live. We’re thrilled to see him recognized, even if we’ll never get to see the series itself get its well-deserved Emmy moment.

Meanwhile, The Vampire Lestat also missed out, but only because of timing. The series premiered after this year’s Emmy eligibility window closed, meaning it won’t be considered until next year’s ceremony. After three seasons of outstanding work from the cast—dating back to Interview with the Vampire—we’re hoping the Academy finally gives these performances the recognition they’ve deserved all along.

Among this year’s major categories, the lack of queer-centered series was hard to ignore. Instead, many of the nominees reflected a different trend: mainstream shows making room for LGBTQ+ characters within larger ensemble casts. In Outstanding Comedy Series, Shrinking stood out as the only nominee featuring an openly gay main character as part of its core ensemble. Brian’s (Michael Urie) story focuses on marriage, family, and adulthood rather than on coming out or his sexuality becoming the central conflict. Abbott Elementary, Hacks, Only Murders in the Building, and Margo’s Got Money Troubles also feature LGBTQ+ characters, even if those stories aren’t their primary focus.

The drama categories painted a similar picture. Pluribus and The Gilded Age both earned Outstanding Drama Series nominations while featuring LGBTQ+ characters as central parts of their stories, while The Pitt continued its impressive awards run with recognition for a series that includes multiple queer characters and LGBTQ+ performers throughout its ensemble. Across the acting categories, several nominees were also recognized for portraying LGBTQ+ characters in series like Pluribus, Euphoria, The Beast in Me, and Love Story, showing that queer representation continues to thrive even when it isn’t always the primary focus of a show.

The acting categories also featured plenty of familiar LGBTQ+ faces. Out performers, including Megan Stalter, Hannah Einbinder, Michael Urie, Cherry Jones, Alan Cumming, Kristen Kish, RuPaul, Richard Gadd, Jeff Hiller, Colman Domingo, and Ayo Edebiri, all received nominations. Behind the camera, out filmmaker Jim Rash also earned recognition as the writer and director of Miss You, Love You, which was nominated for Outstanding Television Movie.

Reality television, as always, remained one of the strongest showcases for LGBTQ+ talent. The Outstanding Reality Competition Program category included RuPaul’s Drag Race alongside The Traitors, Top Chef, Survivor, and Dancing with the Stars, while the Outstanding Host race was nearly a celebration of queer excellence, with nominations for Alan Cumming, Kristen Kish, RuPaul, and Ariana Madix.

Once again, RuPaul’s Drag Race proved to be an Emmy powerhouse. Across the flagship series and RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, the franchise collected 11 2026 Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Reality Competition Program, Outstanding Host, Directing, Choreography, Casting, Hairstyling, Production Design, Picture Editing, Sound Mixing, and Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program for Untucked.

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will air on September 14, and while we would’ve loved to see even more LGBTQ+ series in the mix, it’s still encouraging to see queer creators, performers, and stories continue earning recognition across television’s biggest night.

If you wanna check out every nomination across all categories can find the complete list on the official Emmy Awards nominees page.

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Featured Image: Image Courtesy of the Television Academy.