Columbia Alums Sweep 2026 Emmy Nominations
On July 8, 2026, the Television Academy revealed its nominations for the 78th annual Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards—and Columbia alums were all over the list. Let's break it down.
The Pitt—starring Supriya Ganesh (CC '19)—leads all nominees with 25 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Directing for a Drama.
The popular medical drama is followed closely by the final season of Hacks—created, written, and executive produced by Lucia Aniello (CC '04)—with 24 nominations, a record for a single season of a comedy. The Hollywood buddy comedy starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, nominated in the Outstanding Lead Actress and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy categories respectively, is in the running for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and more.
Shrinking, in which Jason Segel stars as a worn-down therapist who starts telling patients what he really thinks of them, is up against Hacks for Outstanding Comedy Series, along with eight other nominations. The series is executive produced by James Ponsoldt '05, who also directed episode seven of season three: "I Will Be Grape." Ponsoldt also directed two episodes of the debut season of Wonder Man—the meta superhero series in which a small-time actor (Yahya Abdul-Mateen) struggles with newfound superpowers—which received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
In 2023 and 2024, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (CC '99) won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his role as Richie "Cousin" Jerimovich in The Bear. (Last year, he was nominated again). Now, the culinary dramedy is back with eight nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.
Only Murders In The Building, which stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as neighbors and amateur sleuths on the Upper West Side, collected five nominations, landing it in the competition for Outstanding Comedy Series as well. Their directing team includes the husband-and-wife duo, Shari Springer Berman '95 and Robert Pulcini '94, who directed two episodes from season five together. Keeping busy, Berman and Pulcini also directed two episodes for season two of The Four Seasons, which received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. The Tina Fey dramedy following three married couples whose decades-long friendship is tested when one couple divorces, was co-created, written, and executive produced by co-showrunner Lang Fisher (CC '02), who also directed several episodes.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, for which Sarah Adina Smith (CC '05) served as co-executive producer and director for three episodes, received nine nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. The competition is stacked. The fantasy is up against the dark-comedy-crime-drama, Your Friends & Neighbors, starring Amanda Peet (CC '94), for which Jessica Caldwell '12 served as co-producer and writer on season two; The Gilded Age (eight total nominations), starring Cynthia Nixon (BC '88), Taylor Richardson (GS '25), and Hannah Shealy '23; Paradise (seven total nominations), for which Joanna Phillips (CC '12) served as VFX Editor; and The Diplomat (seven total nominations), a political drama created, written, and executive produced by Debora Cahn (BC '93), who also serves as showrunner.
Also up there is Fallout—the post-apocalyptic drama featuring Dave Register '15 as Chet, a bunker-dwelling former Los Angelean—with nine nominations recognizing its production design, cinematography, sci-fi costume design, and more.
The Daily Show, executive produced by Ramin Hedayati (CC '02), and its spinoffs received seven nominations including Outstanding Variety Series, up against Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (three total nominations). Among the honorees for Oliver's late night show are senior writer Joanna Rothkopf (JRN '14) and executive producer and writer Tim Carvell (CC '95).
Remarkably Bright Creatures, starring Sally Field, who was nominated in the accompanying Lead Actress category, also scored nominations for Outstanding Movie and Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie. Olivia Newman '12 served as director and executive producer of the quirky, heartfelt film in which unlikely friends are brought together by a giant pacific octopus.
The 2026 Oscars received nine nominations, including Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, highlighting the work of writer Berkley Johnson '05, among others.
Rafa, a behind-the-scenes look at tennis star Rafael Nadal, was nominated for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series; Drew Blatman '11 served as editor.
Stumble—the mockumentary cheerleading sitcom for which Yana Gorskaya '96 directed six episodes—received a nomination for Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming.
Ponies—the spy thriller co-created, written, directed, and executive produced by Susanna Fogel (CC '02)—and IT: Welcome To Derry, the Stephen King-inspired supernatural horror series co-created, written, and executive produced by Jason Fuchs (CC '09), were both nominated for Outstanding Title Design. IT, for which Fuchs was also co-showrunner, was also nominated for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie.
Beyond the Primetime Emmys, Mariana van Zeller (JRN '02) won multiple Emmy awards as a host and executive producer of Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller at the 2026 News & Documentary Emmy Awards. Bryce-Loren Walker (NUR '26) won two Emmys at the 2026 Children's and Family Emmy Awards as a producer for Sesame Street: Outstanding Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Series, and Outstanding Short Form Live Action Program for Elmo and Andrew Garfield Explain Grief.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Mariska Hargitay (who you may know as detective Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, will air on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 8 PM ET, broadcast on CBS and streaming live on Paramount+. The 2026 Creative Arts Emmys will take place across two nights on Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and will be available to stream on The Emmys official website shortly afterward. Follow our coverage to find out which Columbia grads come out on top.