HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Tina Fey's "30 Rock" received a record-breaking 22 nominations to lead the field for the 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, announced Thursday in Los Angeles.
The hit NBC series will face off against "Family Guy," "How I Met Your Mother," "The Office," "Entourage," "Flight of the Conchords" and "Weeds" for the title of best comedy.
Fey will also look to repeat as the best actress in a comedy series against a field that includes Toni Collette of "United States of Tara," Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "The New Adventures of Old Christine," Mary-Louise Parker of "Weeds," Sarah Silverman of "The Sarah Silverman Program" and Christina Applegate, who received a nod for her just cancelled "Samantha Who?"
Fellow "30 Rock" star Alec Baldwin will also be looking for a repeat Emmy in the category of best actor in a comedy series. Baldwin will square off against Steve Carell of "The Office," Jemaine Clement of "Flight of the Conchords," Tony Shalhoub of "Monk," Charlie Sheen of "Two and a Half Men" and newcomer Jim Parsons of "The Big Bang Theory."
On the drama side, AMC's "Mad Men" scored a whopping 16 nominations, including best drama. The 1960s period show will look for a second straight drama title against AMC's "Breaking Bad," FX's "Damages," Showtime's "Dexter," Fox's "House" and ABC's "Lost."
Another star looking to repeat as champ will be Glenn Close. The "Damage's" star will battle for best actress in a drama against a field that includes Sally Field of "Brothers & Sisters," Kyra Sedgwick of "The Closer," Mariska Hargitay of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Elisabeth Moss of "Mad Men" and Holly Hunter of "Saving Grace."
The nominees for best actor in a drama are Michael C. Hall for "Dexter," Hugh Laurie for "House," Gabriel Byrne for "In Treatment, "Jon Hamm for "Mad Men," Simon Baker for "The Mentalist" and "Breaking Bad's" Bryan Cranston, who won the title last year.
An Emmy nod also went to late actress Farrah Fawcett, whose documentary "Farrah's Story" was nominated in the nonfiction special category. The NBC program focused on the cancer challenge facing Fawcett, who lost her battle with the disease on June 25.
"For the Television Academy to recognize 'Farrah's Story' with this nomination is such a wonderful acknowledgment for Farrah and her legacy," said Fawcett's longtime companion, Ryan O'Neal, in a statement Thursday. "I know that she is smiling that fabulous smile right now in heaven, and that she is grateful that the show has been so well received not only by her peers in the industry but by the public at large."
The 2009 Emmy Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, will be held on Sept. 20 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.
Also see:
- Comment
