Emmy snubs and shocks: Normal People misses out but Mandalorian feels the force

The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were announced on Tuesday, and delivered the usual mix of snubs and surprises.

The BBC’s adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People proved hugely popular on both sides of the Atlantic when it arrived in April, however fans may be disappointed to see the show failed to score a nomination for outstanding limited series.

And one of its stars, Daisy Edgar-Jones, also missed out in the acting category. That can perhaps be explained by the sky-high standard of the competition, with three Oscar winners in the form of Cate Blanchett, Octavia Spencer and Regina King all earning nods.

However, having an Academy Award was no guarantee of a nomination.

Best actress winner Reese Witherspoon did not hear her name called during the virtual ceremony, despite being eligible for starring in three different shows – Big Little Lies, Little Fires Everywhere and The Morning Show.

Another British star who may feel hard done by is Tobias Menzies. His portrayal of the Duke Of Edinburgh in season three of The Crown was widely acclaimed, but it was not enough to score him a nomination.

The Handmaid’s Tale star Elisabeth Moss, a previous winner of the leading actress Emmy, was snubbed as was Big Little Lies’ Nicole Kidman.

Before the announcement ceremony, fans were perhaps being hopeful to expect Sir Patrick Stewart to earn a nomination for Star Trek: Picard, but he missed out, as did his fellow Hollywood great Al Pacino, who many believed was in contention for Amazon Prime Video drama Hunters.

There were surprises thrown up during the announcement.

Few had predicted Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian to score a nomination, but it found itself in fine company in the best drama category.

And Zendaya, the 23-year-old star of HBO’s Euphoria, earned her first Primetime Emmy nomination.