Primetime Emmy 2025 snubs: Who got left out of TV’s biggest night?

Just when you think you've got the Primetime Emmy figured out, they throw a curveball harder than any plot twist on The White Lotus. The 2025 Primetime Emmy nominations are officially in, and while there's plenty to celebrate (The Bear roared, Severance is back in session, and The Studio got its big breakout moment), there are also some shocking exclusions that left fans — and voters — in disbelief.

As always, the Television Academy giveth, and the Television Academy taketh away. And this year, they left quite a few stellar names and shows outside the velvet rope. From overlooked performances to missing series and surprising omissions in highly competitive categories, here's our rundown of the most glaring Primetime Emmy 2025 snubs.

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Elizabeth Olsen, Love and Death

Let’s start with one of the loudest absences. Despite being a heavy hitter on the awards circuit last year and earning rave reviews for her chilling portrayal of Candy Montgomery, Elizabeth Olsen was nowhere to be found in the limited series actress category. Yes, it was a stacked race — hello Cate Blanchett and Michelle Williams — but Olsen delivered a haunting performance that arguably anchored Love and Death. If there was ever a time to reward her small-screen prowess, this was it.

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The Crown gets dethroned

In what may be the most symbolic snub of the Primetime Emmy season, The Crown was completely shut out of the Outstanding Drama Series race for the first time in its six-season run. The Netflix royal drama, which once reigned supreme, ended its final season without a curtain call from voters. While the final chapter drew mixed reviews, past seasons with less buzz still made the cut. Was the monarchy fatigue finally real, or did newer dramas like The Pitt and Paradise elbow it off the ballot?

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Emma Stone, The Curse

Despite being a recent Oscar winner and turning in one of her weirdest, most fascinating performances to date, Emma Stone was left out of the limited/anthology actress race for Showtime’s The Curse. The show itself was a tough sell — surreal, strange, and sometimes alienating — but Stone was fully committed and absolutely captivating. Her absence is perhaps the best example of how the Primetime Emmy doesn’t always reward daring.

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Reservation Dogs shut out again

The fact that Reservation Dogs didn’t receive a single major nomination for its phenomenal final season might just be the Emmys' biggest blind spot of the decade. The show was critically adored and praised for its nuanced portrayal of Indigenous life, but it was completely MIA across the board — no acting nods, no writing, no directing, and no series nomination. FX may have had a banner year with The Bear and Shōgun, but this was a painful oversight.

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Walton Goggins, Fallout

Sure, Fallout was always a long shot for major Emmy love — it’s genre TV and a new kid on the block — but Walton Goggins’ performance as The Ghoul was widely considered the show’s secret weapon. The man played a cowboy-turned-ghoul with tragic depth and biting wit. While the show’s tech departments may still show up on Emmy night, Goggins’ snub stings.

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True Detective: Night Country ghosted

Jodie Foster and Kali Reis earned well-deserved acclaim for their gritty work in True Detective: Night Country, but the show itself was mysteriously missing from the limited/anthology series lineup. HBO’s icy murder mystery may not have been universally loved, but its absence in the major categories feels conspicuous, especially given the franchise’s Primetime Emmy-winning history.

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Michael Imperioli, The White Lotus

Yes, the Lotus bloomed once again in the drama series category, but some of its standout cast members were surprisingly left behind — none more than Michael Imperioli, whose performance as the disillusioned Dominic stood out amid the chaos. With so many ensemble members vying for a limited number of slots, we knew casualties were coming. Still, Imperioli deserved a seat at the table.

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Lessons in Chemistry fails to explode

Despite a buzzy campaign and a beloved lead in Brie Larson, Lessons in Chemistry fizzled when the nominations dropped. While critics were divided on the show’s tone, many expected it to show up in at least a few categories, especially limited series or lead actress. Larson is an Oscar winner, but the Academy wasn't cooking with her this time around.

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Honorable mentions

• Yellowjackets: Completely iced out, even in acting categories, after a stellar Season 2.
• Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show: Once a Primetime Emmy favorite, now noticeably absent.
• Donald Glover, Mr. & Mrs. Smith: His slick reboot with Maya Erskine got some love for her, but not for him.
• Fargo: Another anthology staple that missed all top categories despite high-profile names like Jon Hamm and Juno Temple.

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Final thoughts on Primetime Emmy 2025 nominations

Every Primetime Emmy season has its heartbreaks, but this year’s snubs list feels unusually heavy. With so much excellent television in play and only so many spots to go around, there are always going to be tough calls — but a few of these were real eyebrow-raisers.

Will Primetime Emmy voters rethink these choices come winner time? Only time will tell. Until then, we’ll be over here rewatching Reservation Dogs and muttering, “Justice for Goggins.”