It's official. Yellowstone was snubbed at the Emmy Awards yet again. Despite being one of the most popular shows on television, steadily increasing viewership every single year, the Television Academy has only recognized the modern western once in its four seasons with a nod for Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program in 2021. While it's shocking that all of the incredible actors on the series have been overlooked four years in a row now, it's also a surprise that creator Taylor Sheridan's successful prequel series, 1883, was snubbed.
'1883' and 'Yellowstone' Actors Snubbed
The limited series, following the origin story of Yellowstone's Dutton family, technically did earn three nominations this year, but only in the categories of cinematography and music. Series stars Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Sam Elliott and newcomer Isabel May were all overlooked in the limited series category. Nominations instead went to Hulu's Pam and Tommy, which follows the story of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's sex tape, as well as Netflix's Inventing Anna, a nearly ridiculous retelling of fake socialite Anna Delvey's rise and fall from New York society. Were these entertaining shows? Sure. Do I personally think they were some of the best of the year that deserved to be honored over 1883? I do not. Isabel May was a force in 1883 as the young Elsa Dutton, determined to live life to the fullest as her family traveled West for a new life. At the very least, her snub for Best Actress is nothing short of insulting, showing a clear bias against Taylor Sheridan's programs in general.
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Meanwhile, Sam Elliott gave a raw and emotional performance in 1883 as a Union veteran who had lost his entire family, leading a wagon train out west and protecting them against all of the dangers of the trail. How is it possible that a historically beloved actor of his caliber was overlooked in favor of Seth Rogen in Pam and Tommy and three (yes, three) different actors for The White Lotus? Could Elliott's controversial comments regarding recent Oscar contender Power of the Dog have been a factor? It's anyone's guess, but the snub is pretty glaring.
Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
As for Yellowstone, the fact that the incredible cast has been overlooked four years in a row is just plain ignorant when it comes to the voters. I for one, am tired of watching Emmy season after Emmy season where they seem to pick a few shows to recognize, nominating nearly every cast member under the sun instead of recognizing strong performances across many shows. Bob Odenkirk has been nominated for Better Call Saul five times. Five. Is he great on the show? Absolutely. But it gets a bit redundant when it's clear that the voters aren't really paying attention to some of the other strong performances out there. Apple TV's The Morning Show was wildly successful after the first season, with Billy Crudup bringing home Best Supporting Actor. He was recognized again this year for the show's (admittedly less strong) second season. It just doesn't seem right that he gets constant nods when Cole Hauser's entire career turned around playing the strong-willed ranch hand Rip Wheeler. Rip's character has continued to strengthen over four seasons with Hauser making him one of the best parts of the series. He even went viral on TikTok, showing that the series has a wide range in its fan base.
Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images
While everyone from Hauser to Oscar winner Kevin Costner definitely deserves recognition from the voters, no one deserves it more than Kelly Reilly. Her star power shines brighter and brighter each season as Beth Dutton, who is easily the most popular character in the series. Reilly has expertly led Beth through some of the most traumatic events a character could face including near-death situations, sexual assault and family trauma. As an actress, Reilly is hardly recognizable as the British star who first made a name for herself in supporting roles in films like Pride & Prejudice and Sherlock Holmes. She is a force of nature and a supreme example of a strong female character in television. So what is it going to take for Hollywood to actually recognize what a rare gift her performance really is?
Photo by Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
There are a lot of theories as to why Yellowstone keeps getting overlooked, but I have my own thoughts behind the blatant snubs. Considering the current political landscape being what it is, it's likely that Hollywood doesn't want to recognize what they believe to be a show with mostly "red state" fans. It seems like Deadline might agree with my theory. Despite the fact that numerous Hollywood actors love Yellowstone and admit to being major fans on social media, the voters are playing it safe. Which just goes to show they don't really care about the actual facts and are more concerned with receiving criticism over their choices. Over 10 million people viewed the Yellowstone finale live and fans continue to go wild for it even when it's not on the air.
What makes all of this even more surprising is that series creator Taylor Sheridan was previously nominated for an Oscar for writing the Jeff Bridges film Hell or High Water. Hollywood has recognized him before, they are just choosing to ignore all of his current television projects. Tim McGraw, despite his intense schedule, signed on to star in 1883 because he said it was some of the most incredible writing he's ever read. It's likely that Sheridan just cares about making good television and understands that Hollywood is what it is, but it's still unfortunate that all of the actors bringing his words to life continue to be overlooked. Maybe we'll see a better outcome next year with his follow-up prequel 1923, starring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford. If not even they can get the attention of the voters, I'm not sure when we'll see the Yellowstone universe getting the recognition it deserves.
