Kerry Washington

HOLLYWOOD—The 2013 Primetime Emmy Nominees were announced on Thursday, July 18 by actors Aaron Paul and Neil Patrick Harris. Harris as usual, made jokes during the announcement. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, no one can compete with this guy when it comes to hosting award shows. Leading the pack was the mini-series “American Horror Story: Asylum” with 17 nominations, followed close behind was “Game Of Thrones” with 16 nominations.

A few surprises came in the competitive race of Lead Actress in a Drama Series with seven nominees, three of them first timers for Kerry Washington for “Scandal,” Vera Farmiga “Bates Motel” and Robin Wright “House of Cards.”  This is indeed one of the toughest races to predict this year in my opinion.  Any of the ladies nominated can take the prize, the acting is that good.

The 65th Annual Emmy Awards will be held on Sunday, September 22 at 8 p.m. on CBS. The ceremony will be hosted by “How I Met Your Mother” star Neil Patrick Harris.  Expect plenty of laughs.  A full list of this year’s nominees are below.

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

-Bryan Cranston “Breaking Bad”

-Hugh Bonneville “Downton Abbey

-Damian Lewis “Homeland”

-Kevin Spacey “House Of Cards”

-Jon Hamm “Mad Men”

-Jeff Daniels “The Newsroom

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

-Vera Farmiga “Bates Motel”

-Michelle Dockery “Downton Abbey”

-Claire Danes “Homeland”

-Robin Wright “House Of Cards”

-Elisabeth Moss “Mad Men”

-Connie Britton “Nashville”

-Kerry Washington “Scandal”

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie

-Michael Douglas “Behind The Candelabra”

-Matt Damon “Behind The Candelabra”

-Toby Jones “The Girl”

-Benedict Cumberbatch “Parade’s End”

-Al Pacino “Phil Spector”

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie

-Jessica Lange “American Horror Story: Asylum”

-Laura Linney “The Big C: Hereafter”

-Helen Mirren “Phil Spector”

-Sigourney Weaver “Political Animals”

-Elisabeth Moss “Top Of The Lake”

Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program

-Ryan Seacrest “American Idol”

-Betty White “Betty White’s Off Their Rockers”

-Tom Bergeron “Dancing With The Stars”

-Heidi Klum & Tim Gunn “Project Runway”

-Cat Deeley “So You Think You Can Dance”

-Anthony Bourdain “The Taste”

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

-Jason Bateman “Arrested Development”

-Jim Parsons “The Big Bang Theory”

-Matt LeBlank “Episodes”

-Don Cheadle “House Of Lies”

-Louie C.K. “Louie”

-Alec Baldwin “30 Rock”

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

-Laure Dern “Enlightened”

-LenaDunham “Girls”

-Edie Falco “Nurse Jackie”

-Amy Poehler “Parks And Recreation”

-Tina Fey “30 Rock”

-Julia Louis-Dreyfus “Veep”

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

-“The Amazing Race”

-“Dancing With The Stars”

-“Project Runway”

-“So You Think You Can Dance”

-“Top Chef”

-“The Voice”

Outstanding Variety Series

-“The Colbert Report”

-“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Jimmy Kimmel Live”

-“Late Night With Jimmy Fallon”

-“Real Time With Bill Maher”

-“Saturday Night Live”

Outstanding Miniseries Or Movie

-“American Horror Story: Asylum”

-“Behind The Candelabra”

-“The Bible”

-“Phil Spector”

-“Political Animals”

-“Top Of The Lake”

Outstanding Comedy Series

-“The Big Bang Theory”

-“Girls”

-“Louie”

-“Modern Family”

-“30 Rock”

-“Veep”

Outstanding Drama Series

-“Breaking Bad”

-“Downton Abbey”

-“Game Of Thrones”

-“Homeland:

-“House Of Cards”

-“Mad Men”

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

-Bobby Cannavale “Boardwalk Empire”

-Jonathan Banks “Breaking Bad”

-Aaron Paul “Breaking Bad”

-Jim Carter “Downton Abbey”

-Peter Dinklage “Game Of Thrones”

-Mandy Patinkin “Homeland”

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

Anna Gunn “Breaking Bad”

-Maggie Smith “Downton Abbey”

-Emilia Clarke “Game Of Thrones”

-Christine Baranski “The Good Wife”

-Morena Baccarin “Homeland”

Christina Hendricks “Mad Men”

Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series

-“Breaking Bad”

-“Downton Abbey”

-“Game Of Thrones”

-“Homeland”

Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series

-“Boardwalk Empire”

-“Breaking Bad”

-“Downton Abbey”

-“Homeland”

-“House Of Cards”

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series

-Adam Driver “Girls”

-Jesse Tyler Ferguson “Modern Family”

-Ed O’Neill “Modern Family”

-Ty Burrell “Modern Family”

-Bill Hader “Saturday Night Live”

-Tony Hale “Veep”

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series

-Mayim Bialik “The Big Bang Theory”

-Jane Lynch “Glee”

-Sofia Vergar “Modern Family”

-Julie Bowen “Modern Family”

-Merritt Wever “Nurse Jackie”

-Jane Krakowski “30 Rock”

-Anna Chlumsky “Veep

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series

-“Episodes

-“Louie”

-“The Office”

-“30 Rock”

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series

-“Girls”

-“Glee”

-“Louie”

-“Modern Family”

-“30 Rock”

By LaDale Anderson