TV Stars Who Surprisingly Never Won an Emmy

It’s no secret that Emmy voters are a tough crowd to please. While this year’s nominations went exactly the way we thought they would with some of TV’s best garnering a slew of accolades like HBO’s Big Little Lies and This Is Us, there were a few surprises along the way — especially when it came to our favorite stars.

While snubs are inevitable every year, there is a long list of worthy actors and actresses who have gone years and careers without any awards or nominations. Among the list are some of our favorites, like, Ellen Pompeo, Jerry Seinfeld, Steve Carell and Kaley Cuoco.

In honor of the Emmy Awards this weekend, we take a look at some of the biggest and brightest stars deserving of an award for their efforts on TV.

Ellen Pompeo

Pompeo has played Meredith Grey on the wildly popular Grey’s Anatomy for more than 10 seasons, but has yet to earn Emmy voters’ attention. While a number of Grey’s cast members have managed to earn voters’ attention like, Chandra Wilson and Sandra Oh, Pompeo has not, making audiences wonder what more voters are looking to for her performance.

Steve Carell

Aside from a 2006 win for Outstanding Comedy Series and a few technical awards, The Office was tragically a show that went largely overlooked by Emmy voters and unfortunately, Carell was too. His portrayal of the lovable, bumbling boss might be the thing of meme love with lines recited repeatedly, but after six nominations, Carell walked away from the NBC sitcom in 2011 with nothing.

Mayim Bialik

From Blossom to Big Bang Theory, the 38-year-old has been charming audiences for more than 20 years. But while she has been a fan favorite on the boob tube for a while now, the Emmy haven’t exactly warmed up to her, even after all the love for her portrayal of Amy Fowler on The Big Bang Theory. So far, she’s only collected three nominations, including last year’s Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, but not a single win.

Jerry Seinfeld

While Seinfeld is considered one of the greatest sitcoms of our generation, its lead star Jerry Seinfeld never received a nomination for his performance as the fictionalized version of himself. Could a show about “nothing” actually reap “nothing” for the star? Seinfeld, who is currently the mastermind behind Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee did see nomination acclaim when the webseries was nominated in 2016 for Outstanding Variety Talk Series, but alas, no win yet.

Courtney Cox

It might surprise audiences to learn that everyone on NBC’s Friends got at least one nomination except Courtney Cox. Her co-stars, Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow each went home with the coveted acclaim, but Cox’s portrayal as the neurotic Monica Geller went unnoticed. Even after a return to television with Cougar Town, Cox again was unacknowledged.

David Duchovny

The truth is still out there and frankly, it stings. Duchovny has graced our TVs for years now with two acclaimed series, but never received an Emmy nomination or win. While his co-star, Gillian Anderson walked away with an Emmy for The X-Files, Duchovny never got one for his portrayal of Agent Fox Mulder despite being nominated twice. Even with Showtime’s Californication, Duchovny was left out in the cold.  

Kaley Cuoco

The Big Bang Theory is one of the biggest shows on television and its cast is a lovable one. But Kaley Cuoco’s portrayal as the show’s main female lead has gone years with any acclaim or nomination. As of now, Jim Parsons is the only actor from the show with an Emmy win, while Bob Newhart has earned multiple nominations and one win for “Outstanding Guest Actor In a Comedy Series.”

Michael C. Hall

Hall is an incredible actor, showcasing a wide range in just about every performance of his. But unfortunately, he has yet to pick up an Emmy award despite starring in two of the most beloved shows, Six Feet Under, where he earned one nomination; and Dexter, where he earned five. Perhaps the third time will be the charm though as he will be starring in the upcoming miniseries God Fearing Men, based on Stanley Kubrick’s screenplay and Netflix’s The Crown, starring as President John F. Kennedy.

Lauren Graham

Graham has gone on to star in two beloved network dramas, Gilmore Girls and Parenthood, both showcasing her dramatic and comedic side. But she has yet to earn any Emmy nomination in the span of her career. Earlier this season, Graham’s former Gilmore co-stars, Milo Ventimiglia, Melissa McCarthy and Alexis Bledel earned nominations, with Bledel going on to win a Creative Arts Emmy for The Handmaid’s Tale this past week. However, Graham could be up for an Emmy nomination soon. She is set to star in HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm alongside Larry David.