Emmy updates & nominee reactions: 'Game of Thrones' leads the pack, Beyoncé scores and Samantha Bee is snubbed

Here's the full list of nominees for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards. What surprises left fans shocked? Who got snubbed? 

Shortly before Samantha Bee’s essential late-night talk show, “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee,” premiered this year on TBS, Vanity Fair published a story spotlighting “all the titans of late-night television.” The group of 10 talk show hosts was entirely male and made up of the usual suspects — Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Bill Maher, among them — and also included Trevor Noah, who hadn’t yet taken the reins at “The Daily Show.”

That tired boys club scenario was shockingly repeated Thursday as Emmy voters ignored Bee’s bold, electrifying series in favor of a show in which Jerry Seinfeld drives around with his celebrity pals in fancy cars to grab a cup of coffee.

Bee was not the only strong, interesting woman overlooked.

It was the crime that rocked the country in the 1990s.

In 2016, it rocked television.

The killings of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman, for which O.J. Simpson was acquitted of murder in 1995, solidified its status as the television event of the moment when a scripted dramatization of the case on Thursday walked away with a load of Emmy nominations.

FX’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” garnered 22 nominations from the Television Academy, the second-most of any series. Those nods included the top category of outstanding limited series and six acting nominations, for the likes of Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran, Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark and Cuba Gooding Jr. as Simpson. In the supporting actor in a limited series category, performers from the show composed half the field.

The nominations bring the O.J. case to a kind of entertainment closure even as its underlying issues still dominate the headlines. Together with Ezra Edelman's 7.5-hour docuseries "O.J.: Made in America," which became a sensation when ESPN aired it last month, they suggest that the Los Angeles trial remains at the fore of national consciousness.

What are you doing to celebrate?
It’s the kind of thing you just walk around being happy and proud and honored. I don’t need to do anything specific. I might open a bottle of champagne. It’s more just really gratifying.

Would you direct another six-hour series? Or even something longer?

I think I might need a little break before I do it again, but I would love to. It’s so interesting because you get into details that, coming from feature films, you can’t allow yourself that level of detailing for minor characters. When you do six hours, there is space to be detailed about that.

You are in Cuba today. Were you watching the nominations online?

I was watching online. I was trying not to get too involved in it. There’s an element of self-preservation where you try to not be too anxious or excited, and then you can’t help yourself anyway.

Directors have traditionally played second fiddle to writers in TV. Does it feel like that’s changing?

I definitely think it’s changing. When you do something that’s six hours, there’s a definitely a directorial vision which you have to have. Otherwise you can’t do a job like that. I also think that the audiences are becoming way more aware of the visuals, the music, all those kinds of things which are also part of the direction.

There’s so much choice [in TV], it needs to be brilliant, it needs to be seductive. I think [the idea of] playing second fiddle to the writers, was more real or truthful at a time when television was more just people talking. At this point in time, I find television just as interesting and stimulating as anything else.

The only person who may have been more excited about Tracee Ellis Ross being nominated for lead actress in a comedy series was her "black-ish" co-star Anthony Anderson, who read the 2016 nominations with actress Lauren Graham and screamed her name.

Ross sat with critic Mary McNamara earlier this year to talk about the show's finale and the important recently completed season.

In what has become a sort of Emmys tradition, lead actress in a comedy nominee Amy Schumer took to Twitter to express her enthusiasm that Tatiana Maslany is also up for an Emmy award.

Of course, just as enthusiastic were the "Orphan Black" fans that celebrated Maslany's lead actress in a drama nomination in true Clone Club fashion. 

Constance Zimmer must face three "Game of Thrones" actresses, Maggie Smith and Maura Tierney as a nominee for supporting actress in a drama series for her role in "UnREAL."

Earlier this year, Zimmer came to The Times to talk about the show, her character (Quinn King) and the supportive community of Lifetime.

Nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy for the fourth consecutive year, "Veep" star Anna Chlumsky could be forgiven for taking Emmy season in stride. Below, she talks about her plans and how the cast absorbs all those insults on "Veep."

How are you celebrating?

I haven’t even really thought about it. I’m really, really surprised. The nice thing is I already have a date night set up with my husband. I guess that’s how. I’m going to get a manicure. I think I’m allowed a manicure.

The writers on “Veep” keep finding new ways to humiliate Selina Meyer [Julia Louis-Dreyfus].

It does make you a little concerned for people’s psyches that they have this well of inspiration for the pathos of these characters. But we’re grateful for it.

Obviously you guys spend a lot of time insulting each other. Does it ever get under your skin?

I know that the ones that tend to physical are the hardest. There was a line in Season 2 where I think that Dan said that Amy was gaining weight. Things like that, poor Tim [Simons] had to deal with that a lot. None of us are safe. But that kind of gets us into a nice and open head-space because we just know that anyone is fair game. It really does help thicken the skin in your normal life having gone through the dialogue on the show.

The takeaway for the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards could very well be #EmmySoDiverse.

Nominations for the awards, announced Thursday, went to racially charged dramas such as “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” “Roots,” “American Crime” and the movies “Confirmation” and “All The Way.”“

Comedies with sharp-edged observations about race, such as ABC’s ‘black-ish” and Netflix’s “Master of None,” also received several key nominations, including best comedy, where they will compete against more mainstream favorites such as “Modern Family” and “Veep.”

In contrast with this year’s Oscars, which became embroiled in controversy over the lack of nominations for people of color, Emmy nominations provided a wealth of recognition for minorities, particularly African Americans.

While HBO remained a dominant force in the 68th Emmy Awards nominations, the changing TV landscape brought on by online streaming services were reflected in the contenders announced Wednesday.

Led by its enduring hit series “Game of Thrones” — which received the most nominations of any program with 23 — HBO was the most recognized network overall with 94, but the figure was down from the 126 it received in 2015.

Streaming service Netflix received 54 nominations, a gain of 20 over last year. Its signature series “House of Cards” scored 13 nominations, tying its previous high in 2014.

FX, which had the most critically hailed and talked about program of the year in “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," had the most nominations of any ad-supported network at 56, up from 38 last year. “The People v. O.J. Simpson” received 22 nominations, the most for any limited series or miniseries.

NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” received 16 nominations, tying its previous record for a variety program, which the long-running series set in 2011.

BY SHOW

“Game of Thrones” – 23

“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” – 22

“Fargo” – 18

“Veep” – 17

“Saturday Night Live” – 16

“House of Cards” – 13

“The Night Manager” – 12

“Silicon Valley”— 11

“Downton Abbey”— 10

“Grease: Live” – 10

“Transparent” – 10

“All the Way” – 8

“American Horror Story: Hotel” – 8

“Dancing With the Stars” – 8

“Better Call Saul” – 7

“The Big Bang Theory” – 7

“Key & Peele” – 7

“Roots” – 7

“Making a Murderer” – 6

“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” – 6

“Mr. Robot”- 6

“Penny Dreadful” – 6

BY NETWORK

HBO – 94

FX Networks – 56

Netflix – 54

NBC – 41

ABC – 35

CBS – 35

FOX- 29

PBS – 26

AMC – 24

Showtime – 22

Comedy Central – 17

Amazon – 16

History – 13

A&E – 12

Tony Hale, nominated as supporting actor in a comedy series for HBO's "Veep," stopped by the Los Angeles Times earlier this year to talk about the show, his character ( Gary Walsh) and winning in the category previously.

Sterling K. Brown, who starred as prosecutor Christopher Darden in the FX anthology series "The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," sat down with reporter Yvonne Villareal earlier this year to chat about shooting the series and the possibility of a love story between lawyers.

The actor received a nomination for supporting actor in a limited series or movie for the role.

Nominated for lead actress in a limited series for her role on the second season of "Fargo," Kirsten Dunst shares her excitement for the recognition received by the show (18 Emmy nominations this year) as well as what might have become of her character, Peggy Blumquist.

It’s a good day for “Fargo.”

Yes. We’re all texting each other: “So happy!” It’s a great group of people and I feel like what Noah [Hawley] does with “Fargo,” it’s so well-deserved and he’s such a genius. It’s just so nice to be recognized for something that you’re proud of, because that doesn’t always go hand-in-hand.

Are you celebrating?

I will later, I guess. I’m in Santa Fe. I’ll buy myself some turquoise, maybe. Go look at some art.

Peggy took an unexpected journey on the series.

That’s a tribute to Noah and his writing team. I knew from the beginning it was going to be special. The writing on that show is so great and the character was so unique. Things just don’t get written that often for women to play. It was just so fun and there was so much for me to do and play in that role.

Do you miss her wardrobe?

I do like high-waisted pants, but it’s a lot of polyester so, not a lot of breathing room.

We’re all happy she made it out OK.

My mother was very happy I didn’t die.

Do you think about where she might have ended up?

I’m sure she’s some powerhouse in the jail system, manipulating her way.