Your Jewish Guide to the 2015 Emmy Awards
By Anne Cohen September 17, 2015
Good news! Sunday night is the 67th annual Emmy Awards, an excuse for you to up your cocktail game, grab your fuzzy slippers and settle in for a night of judging celebrities as they walk down the red carpet.
Nice Jewish Boy Andy Samberg — and — will be hosting the event, and if the following promo video is anything to go by, the ceremony promises to be quite, well, Samberg-esque. Which is to say that we can probably expect some Jewier-than-normal Emmy jokes.
And on the off-chance your Emmy night involves actually watching the Emmys, here’s a list of Jewish — and Jew-ish — nominees for you to root for:
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
“Better Call Saul”
“Downton Abbey”
“Game of Thrones”
“Homeland”
“House of Cards”
“Mad Men”
“Orange is the New Black”
While not technically “Jewish,” “Downton Abbey,” “Mad Men” and “Orange is the New Black” all had Jewish themes going this year, from cousin Rose’s wedding saga to Jewish aristocrat Atticus Aldridge, to the return of Rachel Menken to the zany kosher food/conversion frenzy which took over Litchfield in OITNB Season 3.
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
“Louie”
“Modern Family”
“Parks and Recreation”
“Silicon Valley”
“Transparent”
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
“Veep”
“Transparent” has been billed as the Jewiest show of the year – and for good reason. Female rabbis and bar mitzvah crises aside, the show weaves the struggle over what it means to be Jewish into Jeffrey Tambor’s larger identity struggle as a transgender father of three, making it an intrinsic part of the narrative. Creator Jill Soloway even said that the show reflects questions that she herself struggles with: “Am I going to temple, how long am I going to stay, does any of it matter, is any of it real?”
Oh, and we’re counting Louis C.K. as Jewish from now on. (He’s a quarter Jewish, but who’s counting?)
LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”
Kyle Chandler, “Bloodline”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”
Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”
Poor showing for the tribe in drama category. Shout out to Liev Schreiber for bearing the torch.
LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA
Taraji P. Henson, “Empire”
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Viola Davis, “How to Get Away with Murder”
Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”
LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Timothy Hutton, “American Crime”
Ricky Gervais, “Derek Special”
Adrien Brody, “Houdini”
David Oyelowo, “Nightingale”
Richard Jenkins, “Olive Kitteridge”
Mark Rylance, “Wolf Hall”
Despite his Jewish heritage on his father’s side (and his rather large nasal appendage) Adrien Brody reportedly doesn’t feel very Jewish. But Harry Houdini, born Erick Weisz and son of a rabbi, most certainly was.
LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Felicity Huffman, “American Crime”
Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story”
Queen Latifah, “Bessie”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Honorable Woman”
Frances McDormand, “Olive Kitteridge”
Emma Thompson, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street”
“The Honorable Woman” saw Maggie Gyllenhaal get in touch with her inner Jewess as Nessa Stein, an Anglo-Israeli businesswoman with some pretty dark secrets.
LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”
Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes”
Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”
Will Forte, “The Last Man On Earth”
Louis C.K., “Louie”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”
As trans-parent Maura Pfefferman, Jeffrey Tambor is at once heartbreaking, hilarious and incredibly touching. He’s your Jewish mom and dad, all rolled into one. As his son puts it (albeit in a moment of sexual distress): “Oh, it’s not you. My father is my mother right now and I’m in my head I’m basically afraid I’m never going to have a hard on, like ever.”
LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY
Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace And Frankie”
Amy Schumer, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Amy Poehler, “Parks And Recreation”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
In the future, 2015 will be known as the Year of Amy Schumer. No offense to Lisa Kudrow and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, awesome Jewish ladies in their own right, but if Amy doesn’t get this one, I’m voting myself off this island.
REALITY-COMPETITION SERIES
“The Amazing Race”
“Dancing With The Stars”
“Project Runway”
“So You Think You Can Dance”
“Top Chef”
“The Voice”
VARIETY TALK SERIES
“The Colbert Report”
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“Late Show With David Letterman”
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
It’s not the same without you, Jon.
LIMITED SERIES
“American Crime”
“American Horror Story: Freak Show”
“The Honorable Woman”
“Olive Kitteridge”
“Wolf Hall”
VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
“Drunk History”
“Inside Amy Schumer”
“Key & Peele”
“Portlandia”
“Saturday Night Live”
“Saturday Night Live” celebrated its 40th year this season — Mazel tov! As for “Portlandia,” Carrie Brownstein continues to rep obscenely hipster Jews everywhere.
SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA
Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul”
Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline”
Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”
Peter Dinklage, “Game Of Thrones”
Alan Cumming, “The Good Wife”
Michael Kelly, “House Of Cards”
I have to admit, I haven’t yet seen “Bloodline,” so I can’t tell you if it’s any good. But based on Ben Mendelsohn’s past performances, it’s a safe bet that he deserves this nomination. As for Alan Cumming as Jewish fixer Eli Gold in “The Good Wife” — it’s been 6 seasons, and still we kvell.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA
Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”
Lena Headey, “Game Of Thrones”
Emilia Clarke, “Game Of Thrones”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Uzo Aduba, “Orange Is The New Black”
She’s not Jewish but my vote goes to Christina Hendricks as badass bombshell Joan Harris in “Mad Men.” Her impression of a bubbe offering chicken soup is on point.
GUEST ACTOR, DRAMA
Alan Alda, “The Blacklist”
Michael J. Fox, “The Good Wife”
F. Murray Abraham, “Homeland”
Reg E. Cathey, “House of Cards”
Beau Bridges, “Masters Of Sex”
Pablo Schreiber, “Orange Is The New Black”
Yes. The villain known as “Pornstache” is a member of the tribe (and Liev Schreiber’s half brother!).
GUEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Margo Martindale, “The Americans”
Diana Rigg, “Game of Thrones”
Rachel Brosnahan, “House Of Cards”
Cicely Tyson, “How To Get Away With Murder”
Allison Janney, “Masters Of Sex”
Khandi Alexander, “Scandal”
SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY
Andre Braugher, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
Adam Driver, “Girls”
Keegan-Michael Key, “Key & Peele”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
Tituss Burgess, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Tony Hale, “Veep”
Jewish men of comedy, you’ve been off your game this year. Luckily, the women have held up their end.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY
Mayim Bialik, “The Big Bang Theory”
Niecy Nash, “Getting On”
Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”
Allison Janney, “Mom”
Kate McKinnon “Saturday Night Live”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Transparent”
Jane Krakowski, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Anna Chlumsky, “Veep”
Can we just let Mayim Bialik win already? She’s nominated for this role like every year.
GUEST ACTOR, COMEDY
Mel Brooks, “The Comedians”
Paul Giamatti, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Bill Hader, “Saturday Night Live”
Louis C.K., “Saturday Night Live”
Bradley Whitford, “Transparent”
Jon Hamm, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
‘The Comedians,’ starring Billy Crystal and Josh Gad, may have flopped, but a Mel Brooks appearance is always memorable.
GUEST ACTRESS, COMEDY
Christine Baranski, “The Big Bang Theory”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Girls”
Pamela Adlon, “Louie”
Elizabeth Banks, “Modern Family”
Joan Cusack, “Shameless”
Tina Fey, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Louis C.K. may be the billed star on “Louie,” but the show wouldn’t be half as funny without brassy Jewish leading lady Pamela Adlon.
SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Richard Cabral, “American Crime”
Denis O’Hare, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Finn Wittrock, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Michael Kenneth Williams, “Bessie”
Bill Murray, “Olive Kitteridge”
Damian Lewis, “Wolf Hall”
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Regina King, “American Crime”
Sarah Paulson, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Angela Bassett, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Mo’Nique, “Bessie”
Zoe Kazan, “Olive Kitteridge”
HOST, REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Tom Bergeron, “Dancing with the Stars”
Jane Lynch, “Hollywood Game Night”
Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, “Project Runway”
Cat Deeley, “So You Think You Can Dance”
Anthony Bourdain, “The Taste”
We’re claiming Anthony Bourdain. Haters can refer to that episode of “Parts Unknown” in which he donned tefillin at the Kotel.
For the full list of Emmy nominees, head over to Variety.
Correction: This post originally stated that Adrien Brody wasn’t Jewish. In fact, his father is of Jewish descent.
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