Emmy nominees who have never won

Written by:
September 6, 2018
Bryan Bedder // Getty

Emmy nominees who have never won

Since the first-ever Emmy ceremony in 1949, the awards have aimed to reward the top television talent in acting, directing, writing, production, and more. Back in the 1940s, tickets cost $5 and . Today, the Television Academy comprises of  depending on their speciality. In fact, there are so many statuettes to give out that the Emmys now . Still, among those many prizes, the acting awards are among the most coveted.

Often times, the voters succeed at rewarding TV's top talent. On other occasions, the Academy misses the mark. As a result, some vaunted actors who have been nominated countless times have gone home empty-handed despite immense performances.

Which television stars have been nominated for the Emmys but have never won? The answers may surprise you. 麻豆原创 took a look at some of the world's most accomplished actors who have been snubbed by the Emmys again and again.

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Robin Wright

Actress Robin Wright鈥檚 first Emmy nomination came in 1986鈥, that is, for her work on the soap opera 鈥淪anta Barbara.鈥 This is the first of three such noms. After starring on the big screen in 鈥淭he Princess Bride,鈥 鈥淔orrest Gump,鈥 and others, the Primetime Emmy Awards were also a swing and a miss for Wright.  starting in 2013, plus two nominations for Outstanding Drama Series as the show鈥檚 executive producer. However, she has never won an Emmy.

David Duchovny

Though Duchovny earned heartthrob status as Fox Mulder on 鈥淭he X-Files,鈥 , despite two nominations. Two other nominations for 鈥淟ife with Bonnie鈥 and 鈥淭he Larry Sanders Show鈥 didn鈥檛 pan out, either鈥攁nd he was never nominated for an Emmy for his starring role in Showtime鈥檚 acclaimed 鈥淐alifornication.鈥

Kristen Wiig

When it comes to the Emmys, Wiig is always the bridesmaid and never the bride. While she was  for her wacky, over-the-top characters on 鈥淪aturday Night Live,鈥 and once for her performance in  mini-series, she has never won.

Christina Hendricks

Playing secretary-turned-partner Joan on 鈥淢ad Men鈥 earned Hendricks a place in pop culture history and , but no statuettes for her acting. In fact, despite nearly three dozen collective nominations, the only actor to win Emmys from 鈥淢ad Men鈥 was star Jon Hamm鈥攁fter eight years of misses.

George Clooney

The role of Doug Ross on "ER" got Clooney . He was, however, honored with the  for his human rights work. While Clooney is not an Emmy winner, he does have two Oscars under his belt.

Angela Lansbury

If noms without wins were a race, Angela Lansbury would best everyone on this list. The actress has earned a whopping 18 nominations. Some thought that the 92-year-old actress had  for her role as Aunt March on 鈥淟ittle Women,鈥 .

David Schwimmer

Schwimmer was  for goofball paleontologist Ross Geller on 鈥淔riends鈥 in 1995. He lost, but was nominated again 11 years later for playing Kardashian patriarch Robert on 鈥淎merican Crime Story.鈥

Jason Alexander

The character of George Costanza got plenty of laughs on 鈥淪einfeld,鈥 but Alexander was beaten out by co-star Michael Richards, who played Kramer, for. He also lost his nom for 鈥淥ral Sex, Lies, and Videotape鈥 in 1994. Don鈥檛 worry, Jason鈥.

Denis Leary

for his work on 鈥淩escue Me鈥 from 2005 to 2007. He had another go at it with a supporting nod for 鈥淩ecount,鈥 but lost out to Tom Wilkinson in 鈥淛ohn Adams.鈥

Heather Locklear

The prolific actress has nearly  to her name and even appeared on Emmy-winning shows, such as  and  However, despite attending plenty of award ceremonies, she's never even received a nomination.

Hugh Laurie

While he has won three Golden Globes for his performance as the title character on 鈥淗ouse M.D.,鈥 Laurie鈥檚 six Emmy nominations never resulted in a win. Neither did he win his supporting actor nom for 鈥淭he Night Manager,鈥 his guest acting nom for 鈥淰eep,鈥 nor his two producer noms. That鈥檚 . 

Connie Britton

TV powerhouse Connie Britton made a splash on 鈥淪pin City,鈥 鈥24,鈥 and 鈥淭he West Wing,鈥 but her first Emmy nomination wasn鈥檛 until 2010 for her role as Tami Taylor on 鈥淔riday Night Lights.鈥 Another nomination for that show, a third for 鈥淎merican Horror Story,鈥 and a fourth for 鈥淣ashville,鈥.

Phylicia Rashad

Phylicia Rashad has been on television since 1976. Though she was nominated in 1985 and 1986 for her part on 鈥淭he Cosby Show,鈥 and then in 2008 for 鈥淎 Raisin in the Sun,鈥 Rashad . But the 70-year-old actress is still working, so there could be an Emmy in her future.

Kim Cattrall

The English-Canadian actress changed television forever with the character Samantha Jones, one of Carrie鈥檚 feisty friends on HBO鈥檚 iconic 鈥淪ex and the City.鈥 However Cattrall, who was , never snagged an Emmy.

Henry Winkler

Winkler has had five near-hits with several shows, including "Battery Park," "The Practice," and as the Fonz, the beloved goofy '50s greaser, on "Happy Days." This year, 

Lena Dunham

The young, controversial figure received  for her HBO series 鈥淕irls,鈥 as writer, director, and actress playing the lead character, Hannah Horvath. So far, she has had no luck. Will her upcoming series,  make up for that dearth?

Larry Hagman

Hagman became a family name with 1965鈥檚 鈥淚 Dream of Jeannie,鈥 but he became a television titan as J.R. Ewing on 鈥淒allas.鈥 He got two nominations for 鈥淒allas鈥 in 1980 and 1981, but no Emmys. In fact,  in 2013 when, after his death, he appeared for mere seconds in the Emmy鈥檚 鈥淚n Memoriam鈥 segment.

Kerry Washington

It鈥檚 a 鈥淪candal鈥 Washington hasn鈥檛 won yet despite  , but maybe one of her upcoming projects will finally snag her a win.

Cybill Shepherd

Despite four nominations for 鈥淢oonlighting鈥 and 鈥淐ybill,鈥 Shepherd has never won an Emmy. Adding salt to the wound? Her 鈥淢oonlighting鈥 co-star Bruce Willis did. Don鈥檛 worry: She got her revenge at his .

Mayim Bialik

Like her character, the brainy Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, Bialik . This rather extreme form of method acting has earned Mayim Bialik , but no Emmys.

Meredith Baxter

Two nods for 鈥淔amily Ties鈥 and another for the titular role of 鈥淎 Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story鈥 didn鈥檛 win Baxter any Emmys. However, she did snag a Daytime Emmy for an after-school special titled 鈥淥ther Mothers.鈥

Steve Carell

The powerhouse comedian earned six nominations for playing the most absurd boss in the world, Michael Scott, on 鈥淭he Office.鈥 Carrell, star of 鈥淭he 40-Year-Old Virgin鈥 and 鈥淒espicable Me,鈥 has .

Leonard Nimoy

Though he played dozens of television parts in the 1950s, the late Leonard Nimoy  That character got him three nominations in the 1960s. Nimoy got another Emmy in the 1980s for 鈥淎 Woman Called Golda,鈥 but he never left a winner.

Keri Russell

Russell stepped into the spotlight starring on 鈥淔elicity鈥 in the 1990s and early 2000s. Later, she began her role on period-piece, spy-thriller 鈥淭he Americans鈥 in 2013. However,  that she began racking up nominations for the latter role. So far, she has had three nods and no wins.

Jackie Gleason

Gleason,  an over-the-top sitcom hit of the 1950s. He was nominated four times, including for his work on "The Honeymooners" and "The Jackie Gleason Show," but lost every time.

Bernie Mac

The late Bernie Mac became famous for his stand-up comedy and was known by many as Uncle Bernie on 鈥淢oesha,鈥 but earned his place as a beloved household name with 鈥淭he Bernie Mac Show.鈥 , he never won.

Ed O鈥橬eill

Though the 72-year-old actor has been on plenty of shows, including his iconic part on 鈥淢arried with Children,鈥 he wasn鈥檛 nominated until he played patriarch Jay Pritchett on 鈥淢odern Family.鈥 Alas, . At one point, he submitted himself as a supporting actor rather than a lead actor, acquiescing that 鈥淢odern Family鈥 was a true ensemble show. Unfortunately, that 

Michael C. Hall

Hall has received  for his fantastic, yet morbid, roles as a serial killer on 鈥淒exter鈥 and as a funeral director on 鈥淪ix Feet Under.鈥 However, he鈥檚 received no statuettes鈥攜et.

Tracy Morgan

The off-the-wall comedian was nominated as an outstanding host of 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥 and for his acting on 鈥30 Rock.鈥 He never won, but in 2015 he did make a special Emmy appearance. After suffering from serious injuries after a car accident, including traumatic brain injury, .

Sandra Oh

As Cristina Yang, Oh played an integral character on hospital drama "Grey's Anatomy," for which she was  from 2005 to 2008. This year, she's nominated for the titular role in "Killing Eve," making her . 

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