There are at all times so-called snubs at awards exhibits, and the Actor Awards are not any completely different. The occasion previously referred to as the SAG Awards limits its TV nominations to 5 slots apiece and limits its restricted collection class even additional by not together with a Finest Ensemble part.
However at first blush, the 2026 nominations appear… advantageous. Solely a handful of nominees stand out as peculiar. (Aimee Lou Wooden over Carrie Coon? OK! Kristen Wiig over Kristen Bell? Good!) If something, so many acquainted names and present titles make this 12 months’s batch of appearing honorees appear a bit too predictable.
“The Studio” is the most-nominated collection with 5 nods. “The White Lotus” is the most-nominated drama collection (with 4) and “Adolescence” is the most-nominated restricted collection (additionally with 4 — though it reached that determine with out the advantage of a Finest Ensemble class).
Gee, the place have we heard that earlier than?
Therein lies the rub. Sometimes, the Actors Awards, nee SAG Awards, may be counted on to raise a brand new crop of Emmy contenders. New exhibits launched within the winter and fall want an end-of-year enhance to stay prime of thoughts for voters within the months forward, and the Actors Awards are completely timed (and legit sufficient) to do precisely that. Final January’s nominations helped freshmen collection like “No person Needs This,” “Matlock,” and “The Penguin” begin constructing the mandatory momentum to compete once more in July.
However whereas this 12 months’s batch actually has its beneficiaries — “The Beast in Me” over-performed with two nominations, whereas Sarah Snook appears to solidify Peacock’s “All Her Fault” as an surprising awards participant — way more new collection have been shut out than let in.
And none are extra baffling than “Dying by Lightning.”
Earlier than attending to Mike Makowsky’s extraordinarily awards-friendly Netflix collection, let’s take a short have a look at the opposite notable newbies who didn’t win over SAG-AFTRA members. “Alien: Earth” earned raves for breakouts Babou Ceesay and Sydney Chandler, however style fare is a tricky promote for many awards our bodies. The identical unlucky clarification could possibly be utilized to Alexander Skarsgård’s exemplary efficiency in “Murderbot,” which additionally lacked “Alien’s” viewership attain.
“Too A lot” is a neater promote, given Lena Dunham’s clout and an affable forged, however maybe the title proved out for voters. The summer season launch date didn’t assist both, which may’ve been a sticking level for Owen Wilson in “Stick,” as nicely. (Sorry.) “Without end” technically debuted in time for the Emmys, and its lack of traction there — to not point out Netflix’s nonexistent campaigning — probably lowered its possibilities at mounting a resurgence with actors.
OK, OK. Sufficient with the exhibits nobody actually anticipated to shock on the SAGs. What in regards to the new, marquee exhibits? The true contenders? The exhibits that completely anticipate to be talked about in 2026 Emmy predictions?
“I Love L.A.” couldn’t capitalize on a first-rate November rollout, HBO’s advertising machine, strong critiques, and Odessa A’zion’s breakout flip in “Marty Supreme” (which she was nominated for). Rachel Sennott’s comedy might have lacked a singular breakout efficiency, or it might have simply been too Gen-Z focused, nevertheless it’s precisely the kind of darkish horse that might break into the Finest Ensemble class. The forged is that good, and HBO is aware of the best way to get their programming in entrance of voters.
Talking of HBO, what the hell occurred to “Process”? If voters can sit by “Hamnet” and “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” I don’t need to hear that Brad Ingelsby’s “Mare of Easttown” follow-up was “too unhappy” — particularly when collection lead Mark Ruffalo received simply 5 years in the past for the saddest present of all time. Possibly the shock renewal threw folks for a loop. (I, for one, at all times thought it was a restricted collection.)
The Drama race is tight, what with Noah Wyle, Walton Goggins, and Sterling Ok. Brown all however assured slots, however Ruffalo is a large enough identify to command consideration (he’s been nominated six occasions and received twice), Tom Pelphrey arguably offers an excellent stronger efficiency, and the remainder of the ensemble features a slew of actors I’m shocked have but to be nominated. (Emilia Jones, Thuso Mbedu, and Martha Plimpton: Your time will come!)
HBO can lean on “Process’s” nominations on the Golden Globes and Critics Selection Awards to entice Emmy voters, however FX must discover a approach to reenergize Ethan Hawke’s fanbase if there’s any hope for “The Lowdown.” Frankly, I can’t consider that’s obligatory given the attraction offensive he’s been on for the higher a part of six months, which landed Hawke a coveted Finest Actor nomination for “Blue Moon” (hopefully easing his path to Oscar glory). However those self same voters appear to have skipped his TV work. Positive, creator Sterlin Harjo’s final excellent comedy collection struggled to achieve awards traction in its first season, however “Reservation Canines” lacked a lead of Hawke’s star energy, to not point out his established supporting forged. The place’s the love, actors?
I think not sufficient voters noticed “The Lowdown” to get it over the hump, and that brings us again to the 12 months’s most stupefying snub. FX and Hulu mixed for 5 Actors Awards nominations, or precisely one-third what Netflix bought. (Lots of which have been for exhibits with far worse critiques: “Monster: The Ed Gein Story”… actually, guys? Actually?) By now, each awards tracker is aware of Netflix’s repute: plenty of nominations, few wins. However in an consideration economic system, merely being seen is usually what issues most, and actors have been watching Netflix lengthy earlier than Netflix began streaming the Actors Awards.
So why the chilly shoulder for “Dying by Lightning”? Its bought Netflix and its huge subscriber base in its nook. Its two leads, Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen, are well-known by the voting base. (Shannon is a three-time nominee with two ensemble wins for “Boardwalk Empire,” whereas Macfadyen is a four-time nominee with two ensemble wins for “Succession.”) Its supporting forged is robust (Betty Gilpin, Bradley Whitford, Nick Offerman, and Shea Whigham, to call a number of), the critiques have been excellent, and it’s a interval story informed with a contemporary aptitude that’s centered on American historical past.
Granted, “Dying by Lightning” is a restricted collection dominated by males, so it ought to solely anticipate to compete in a single class: Finest Actor in a TV Film or Restricted Sequence. However that’s the place it’s strongest and, it seems, the place Netflix is strongest. The streaming big took all 5 slots within the class, unfold over 4 exhibits, none of which have been “Dying by Lightning.” Positive, “Adolescence” is a phenomenon, Jason Bateman is beloved by actors (to the tune of 12 nominations and three wins), and Charlie Hunnam did the most appearing of anybody on the poll, nevertheless it nonetheless looks like “Dying by Lightning’s” exclusion comes again to the identical situation that plagued the remainder of this 12 months’s Actor Award nominees: It’s too new.
Name it no matter you want — unfamiliar, ignored, under-seen — however the 2026 nominees replicate an absence of engagement. A lot of the discipline consists of previous favorites (“The White Lotus,” “Solely Murders within the Constructing,” “Hacks,” “The Diplomat,” and even “Severance,” regardless of Adam Scott and Tramell Tillman’s shock snubs) or new exhibits already anointed by the Emmys (“The Studio,” “Adolescence,” “The Pitt”). Possibly these are merely what the actors choose. Possibly they noticed all of the aforementioned snubs and easily preferred these different performances extra.
However that’s tough to consider when of the 14 first-time TV nominees for particular person performances, solely two got here from exhibits that don’t match the above description. And of these two, one was from a beforehand nominated collection (Charlie Hunnam in “Monster”) and the opposite ought to’ve been nominated many, a few years in the past (Matthew Rhys).
Awards exhibits at all times have snubs, and what’s thought-about a snub is at all times subjective. However new exhibits want the eye awards exhibits can provide to construct an viewers and earn renewals. They’re combating an uphill battle simply to be seen, and that battle appears to get more durable and more durable annually. This 12 months, too many new exhibits, particularly from the second-half of 2025, have been conspicuously absent from the Actors Awards.
I hope that doesn’t matter to “Dying by Lightning,” a restricted collection whose creators should make no matter they need for a follow-up, or “The Lowdown,” which earned a Season 2 renewal simply earlier than the nominations have been introduced. However I’m certain it mattered to different exhibits on the market, and so long as we worth awards exhibits, it would actually proceed to matter within the years to return.
The thirty second Annual Actor Awards introduced by SAG-AFTRA can be held Sunday, March 1 at 8 p.m. ET and be obtainable to stream completely on Netflix.
