Arts & Entertainment
‘Pose’ scores six history-making Emmy nominations
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ Schitt’s Creek’ also land noms

“Pose” landed six Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and a Best Actor nomination for Billy Porter, marking a historic milestone for the first television series to feature the largest cast of LGBTQ actors.
Porter, who portrays Pray Tell on “Pose,” is the first openly gay black man to be nominated for an Emmy.
“I just haven’t been breathing for the past day,” Porter told Deadline about his nomination. “So today, I was able to breathe — that was my first reaction!”
Other LGBTQ nominations include “RuPaul’s Drag Race” for Outstanding Competition Program and “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked” for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program. RuPaul also was nominated for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program up against Ellen DeGeneres for “Ellen’s Game of Games.”
Laverne Cox is nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for “Orange is the New Black” and Jane Lynch is nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
Kate McKinnon was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “Saturday Night Live” and Ben Whishaw is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for “A Very English Scandal.”
“Schitt’s Creek,” which stars out actor Dan Levy, was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series. “Queer Eye” was also nominated for Outstanding Structured Reality Program.
Outstanding Short Form Variety Series is full of gay nominees including “Billy on the Street,” “Gay of Thrones” and “The Randy Rainbow Show.”
“Game of Thrones” also made history with a total of 32 nominations, the most nominations received by a television series in one year.
The Emmys air on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8 p.m. on FOX.
Check out more of the nominees below and the complete list here.
Outstanding Drama Series
“Better Call Saul”
“Bodyguard”
“Game of Thrones”
“Killing Eve”
“Ozark”
“Pose”
“Succession”
“This Is Us”
Outstanding Comedy Series
“Barry”
“Fleabag”
“Russian Doll”
“Schitt’s Creek”
“The Good Place”
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
“Veep”
Outstanding Limited Series
“Chernobyl”
“Escape at Dannemora”
“Fosse/Verdon”
“Sharp Objects”
“When They See Us”
Outstanding Drama Actor
Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”)
Kit Harington (“Game of Thrones”)
Jason Bateman (“Ozark”)
Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”)
Milo Ventimiglia (“This Is Us”)
Billy Porter (“Pose”)
Outstanding Drama Actress
Emilia Clarke (“Game of Thrones”)
Robin Wright (“House of Cards”)
Viola Davis (“How To Get Away With Murder”)
Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”)
Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”)
Mandy Moore (“This Is Us”)
Laura Linney (“Ozark”)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jonathan Banks (“Better Call Saul”)
Giancarlo Esposito (“Better Call Saul”)
Alfie Allen (“Game of Thrones”)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”)
Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”)
Michael Kelly (“House of Cards”)
Chris Sullivan (“This Is Us”)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”)
Gwendoline Christine (“Game of Thrones”)
Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones”)
Maisie Williams (“Game of Thrones”)
Fiona Shaw (“Killing Eve”)
Julia Garner (“Ozark”)
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Michael McKean (“Better Call Saul”)
Glynn Turman (“How To Get Away With Murder)”
Kumail Nanjiani (“The Twilight Zone”)
Bradley Whitford (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Michael Angarano (“This Is Us”)
Ron Cephas Jones (“This Is Us”)
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Jessica Lange (“American Horror Story: Apocalypse”)
Carice van Houten (“Game of Thrones”)
Laverne Cox (“Orange Is The New Black”)
Cicely Tyson (“How To Get Away With Murder”)
Cherry Jones (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Phylicia Rashad (“This Is Us”)
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Game of Thrones “The Last Of The Starks”
Game of Thrones “The Long Night”
Game of Thrones “The Iron Throne”
Killing Eve “Desperate Times”
Ozark “Reparations”
Succession “Celebration”
The Handmaid’s Tale “Holly”
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Better Call Saul “Winner”
Bodyguard “Episode 1”
Game of Thrones “The Iron Throne”
Killing Eve “Nice And Neat”
Succession “Nobody Is Ever Missing”
The Handmaid’s Tale “Holly”
Outstanding Comedy Actor
Bill Hader (“Barry”)
Don Cheadle (“Black Monday”)
Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”)
Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”)
Ted Danson (“The Good Place”)
Michael Douglas (“The Kominsky Method”)
Outstanding Comedy Actress
Christina Applegate (“Dead to Me”)
Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”)
Catherine O’Hara (“Schitt’s Creek”)
Natasha Lyonne (“Russian Doll”)
Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Henry Winkler (“Barry”)
Anthony Carrigan (“Barry”)
Stephen Root (“Barry”)
Tony Hale (“Veep”)
Tony Shalhoub (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Alan Arkin (“The Kominsky Method”)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Sarah Goldberg (“Barry”)
Sian Clifford (“Fleabag”)
Olivia Colman (“Fleabag”)
Betty Gilpin (“GLOW”)
Marin Hinkle (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”)
Alex Borstein (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Anna Chlumsky (“Veep”)
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Robert De Niro (“Saturday Night Live”)
John Mulaney (“Saturday Night Live”)
Adam Sandler (“Saturday Night Live”)
Matt Damon (“Saturday Night Live”)
Luke Kirby (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Rufus Sewell (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Peter MacNicol (“Veep”)
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Fiona Shaw (“Fleabag”)
Kristin Scott Thomas (“Fleabag”)
Emma Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”)
Sandra Oh (“Saturday Night Live”)
Maya Rudolph (“The Good Place”)
Jane Lynch (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
“Barry” (“The Audition”)
“Barry” (“ronny/lily”)
“Fleabag” (“Episode 1”)
“The Big Bang Theory” (“Stockholm Syndrome”)
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (“All Alone”)
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (“We’re Going To The Catskills!”)
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
“Barry” (“ronny/lily”)
“Fleabag” (“Episode 1”)
“PEN15” (“Anna Ishii-Peters”)
“Russian Doll” (“Nothing In This World Is Easy”)
“Russian Doll” (“A Warm Body”)
“The Good Place” (“Janet(s)”)
“Veep” (“Veep”)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series
Mahershala Ali (“True Detective”)
Hugh Grant (“A Very English Scandal”)
Benicio del Toro (“Escape At Dannemora”)
Sam Rockwell (“Fosse/Verdon”)
Jared Harris (“Chernobyl”)
Jharrel Jerome (“When They See Us”)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series
Amy Adams (“Sharp Objects”)
Patricia Arquette (“Escape At Dannemora”)
Michelle Williams (“Fosse/Verdon”)
Joey King (“The Act”)
Aunjanue Ellis (“When They See Us”)
Niecy Nash (“When They See Us”)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series
Ben Whishaw (“A Very English Scandal”)
Stellan Skarsgard (“Chernobyl”)
Paul Dano (“Escape at Dannemora”)
John Leguizamo (“When They See Us”)
Michael K. Williams (“When They See Us”)
Asante Black (“When They See Us”)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series
Emily Watson (“Chernobyl”)
Patricia Clarkson (“Sharp Objects”)
Marsha Stephanie Blake (“When They See Us”)
Vera Farmiga (“When They See Us”)
Patricia Arquette (“The Act”)
Margaret Qualley (“Fosse/Verdon”)
Outstanding Television Movie
“Bandersnatch (Black Mirror)”
“Brexit”
” King Lear”
“My Dinner with Hervé”
Outstanding Short Form Variety Series
“Billy On The Street”
“Carpool Karaoke: The Series”
“Gay Of Thrones”
“Honest Trailers”
“The Randy Rainbow Show”
Outstanding Competition Program
“American Ninja Warrior”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race”
“Nailed It!”
“The Amazing Race”
“The Voice”
“Top Chef”
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program
Ellen DeGeneres (“Ellen’s Game of Games”)
RuPaul (“RuPaul’s Drag Race”)
Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman (“Making It”)
James Corden (“The World’s Best”)
Marie Kondo (“Tidying Up With Marie Kondo”)
Outstanding Structured Reality Program
“Antiques Roadshow”
“Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives”
“Queer Eye”
“Shark Tank”
“Tidying Up With Marie Kondo”
“Who Do You Think You Are?”
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program
“Born This Way”
“Deadliest Catch”
” Life Below Zero”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked”
“Somebody Feed Phil”
“United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell”
Theater
‘The Inheritance’ is most-nominated at this year’s Helen Hayes Awards
42nd annual celebration of excellence in local theater set for May 18
Helen Hayes Awards 2026
May 18, 2026
For tickets go to theatrewashington.org
Last year, when out director Tom Story took on the daunting task of directing Round House Theatre’s production of “The Inheritance, Parts One and Two,” he knew that casting would be important, maybe even paramount, to the endeavor’s success. So, Story didn’t mess around.
Penned by queer playwright Matthew López, “The Inheritance” (inspired by E.M. Forster’s 1910 novel “Howards End”) is based on gay culture in the wake of the AIDS crisis.
Story looked at actors he knew, and some he didn’t. He wanted low drama and maybe players who could relate to the LGBTQ experience. In the end, the production’s 13-person cast was entirely queer except for brilliant local favorite Nancy Robinette as Margaret, the wise housekeeper.
Clearly, Story’s vision resonated with audiences. Round House’s production of “The Inheritance” is the most-nominated work of this year’s Helen Hayes Awards, earning 14 nominations. It’s also one of Round House’s highest grossing popular successes ever.
The queer cast members whose ages ranged from about 22 to 60, worked hard and enjoyed the process, and along the way garnered an Outstanding Ensemble in a Play (Hayes) nomination for their efforts.
The ensemble included Jamar Jones as Tristan, a brilliant doctor who leaves New York for Canada after deciding there’s no place for a gay, HIV-positive Black man in America. For the experienced actor, being part of “The Inheritance” was profound: “I think it was a divinely orchestrated production.”
He adds “I really feel that it’s so rare that you get to work on a show of that magnitude…size, time, where virtual strangers genuinely fell into rhythm. We became a cohort. I never felt a sense of unease, or reluctance to try things. I could be as big or bold as I wanted to be; or I could be small. Fail, mess up, try again. I didn’t feel judged.”
Jones considers Richmond his home, but says “I’m based where the work is.” Currently, he’s back at Round House rehearsing “Sally & Tom” (May 27-June28), a play within a play/meta exploration of the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings by Suzan-Lori Parks.
Jones plays both a contemporary violinist and an enslaved fiddler, parts that have required him to learn to “air fiddle.” He’s all over it: “I want to represent the art and to be as precise as possible. Taught by an instructor, I’ve made strides with movement of the bow; next up is finger placement.”
Will he leave the play a violinist? “I’ll report back on closing night. Maybe I will have added something to the special skills list on my resume.”
For about a decade, Jones worked in living history, interpreting, performing, and writing pieces about the enslaved people of Colonial Virginia. Among the many historical characters he portrayed was Jupiter (Thomas Jefferson’s longtime enslaved manservant), an experience that’s proved a connection and preparation for his current role.
The 42nd Helen Hayes Awards celebration recognizing excellence in professional theater in the DMV will be held on Monday, May 18, 2026 at The Anthem on the District Wharf in Washington, D.C. Named for Helen Hayes, the legendary first lady of Broadway, the program consists of the awards presentation hosted by Felicia Curry, Awa Sal Secka, and Derrick Truby, followed by an after-party at nearby Whitlow’s.
With works selected from 149 eligible productions presented in the 2025 calendar year, nominations were made in 41 categories and grouped as either “Helen” (non-Equity/small Equity presence) or “Hayes” (Equity-heavy).
The many nominations are the result of 49 vetted judges considering 1,997 pieces of work, such as design, direction, choreography, performances, and more. The productions under consideration included 42 musicals, 107 plays, and 33 world premieres.
The following are more of this year’s queer nominees.
A past Helen Hayes Award recipient and nominee, Fran Tapia is competing against herself this year in the Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical (Helen) category. Nominated for her memorable turn as the diva barkeep in GALA Theatre’s “Columbia Heights Bolero Bar,” an immersive musical centered on songs of longing and immigration set in a diverse neighborhood on the eve of a divisive presidential election
“It was a challenging time, because a lot of what was happening in the show was happening in the neighborhood,” says Tapia who lives in Columbia Heights just eight minutes from GALA.
Based in D.C. since 2019, Tapia says “Being recognized in a country that is not my homeland but where I’m building my artistic home, is deeply meaningful. And the variety of roles I have been able to play speaks to the richness of DC theater and the collaborators who trusted me with these roles.”
Her other individual nomination is for the title role in Spooky Action Theater’s “Professor Woland’s Black Magic Rock Show,” a passionately comedic political satire. She approached the mysterious central character as nonbinary.
Tapia (“Chilean, Latina, queer and proud immigrant”) says while very different, both performances involved particularly strong characters. She’s grateful audiences responded positively to her work.
Stanley Bahorek, who moved to D.C. with his husband four years ago, is best known as an accomplished actor with a long list of Broadway and regional credits (including playing Carl, the gay son in Studio Theatre’s recent production of “The Mother Play”). Now, he is nominated for Outstanding Music Direction (Helen) for his work on “A Strange Loop,” a production of D.C.’s Visionaries of the Creative Arts (VOCA) in collaboration with Deaf Austin Theatre. He shares this nomination with Walter “Bobby” McCoy.
Michael R. Jackson’s Tony and Pulitzer wining play “A Strange Loop,” is the story of Usher, a Black, queer theater usher trying to write a musical. VOCA’s take on the work is seen through a deaf BIPOC lens with a deaf Usher played by a deaf actor (out actor Gabriel Silva). Invited by director and longtime friend Alexandria Wailes (who is deaf), Bahorek (who is hearing) joined the creative team as a sort of hybrid associate director/ music supervisor.
“I’m fluent in conversational American Sign Language (ASL),” he says. “I sort of functioned as a sherpa between the hearing and deaf and hard-of-hearing creatives. It’s been a great thrill to be a part of VOCA’s biggest production to date.”
If he and McCoy take home the prize, who makes the acceptance speech? Bahorek takes a beat before replying “That’s something we still need to talk about. And soon.”
A full list of award recipients will be available at theatrewashington.org on Tuesday, May 19, 2026.
Anthony Oakes will host “DC Black Pride Comedy Show” on Thursday, May 21 at 7 p.m.
Oakes will workshop his new hour about addiction, incarceration, recovery, and redemption with special guests.
This event will be hosted by the hilarious Apple Brown Betty with TJ So Silly, Howl Cooper, and featuring Patrice Deveaux. DJ Art.is will be spinning on the 1’s & 2’s. Libations will be provided by Drink Alchy. Images by RGF ENT. Tickets are $28.52 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.
Out & About
United Night Out set for Saturday
Team DC hosts evening of soccer, Pride, music, drag and community
On Saturday, May 16, Team DC is taking over Audi Field for United Night OUT as D.C. United faces St. Louis SC.
Come out for an evening of soccer, Pride, music, drag, and community. The night kicks off with pre-game fun featuring DC Different Drummers, DJ Heat, and a Pride Night OUT Party at the Heineken Rooftop. Then get ready for a 7:30 p.m. match, including the National Anthem sung by Dana Nearing and a halftime drag performance.
After the match, the celebration continues at the Post-Game Rooftop Party with DJ Heat and the After Party at Dacha Navy Yard. Game tickets and after party tickets are available now through Zeffy. After party tickets are $20 and include one drink.
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