Clancy Brown, Joel McHale, and more actors who self-submitted at this year’s Emmys

Networks and studios submit hundreds of actors for Emmy consideration each year, but those not officially entered can still self-submit for a chance at receiving a nomination. This year, that happened in droves.

Recognizable names like Clancy Brown (supporting actor for The Penguin) and Joel McHale (guest star on The Bear) were not on the studios' lists that were made public prior to the ballots being released on June 12. It's possible they were added later by the networks, or that the performers self-submitted. Note that Television Academy members get one free submission each year; otherwise, entry fees are based on several factors. Here is the fine print from the Emmys rulebook:

Individual achievement entries have a processing charge of $125 per submission. In addition to the $125 processing charge, each entrant is charged a $100 entry fee per individual listed on the entry, e.g., for an individual achievement entry (commercials, costume design, editing, sound editing, etc.) with two entrants, the processing fee is $125 + $200 entry fee (for a total of $325 for the entry). Program entries have a processing charge of $225 per submission. In addition to the $225 processing charge, each entrant included with the submission is charged a $100 entry fee, e.g., the entry fee for a program entry (comedy series, limited or anthology series, documentary, etc.) that has four producers, the processing fee is $225 + $400 entry fee (for a total of $625 for the entry).

Brown plays mob boss Salvatore "Sal" Maroni on The Penguin, who enjoys a longstanding rivalry with Colin Farrell's titular Oswald "Oz" Cobb. HBO only submitted four actors from the limited series on the Emmy ballot: Farrell, Cristin Milioti (as Sofia Gigante), Rhenzy Feliz (as Victor "Vic" Aguilar), and Deirdre O'Connell (as Francis Cobb).

McHale returned to The Bear in the third season as guest star David Field, but he was not one of the 19 performers submitted by FX. The villainous chef appeared in the Season 3 finale for a crucial scene opposite Jeremy Allen White's embattled Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto. McHale is a prior Emmy nominee for The Soup in Best Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program (2014).

Max officially campaigned 11 actors for Hacks, its reigning comedy series champion. But there are actually 13 performers on the Emmy ballot, with both supporting actor Dan Bucatinsky (as Rob, the executive producer of Late Night) and guest actress Lauren Weedman (as Jo Pezzimenti, the mayor of Las Vegas) appearing to be self-submitters.

Hot new contender The Pitt announced it was campaigning 13 actors for its breakout first season, including series lead Noah Wyle. Four of the show's guest stars have likely put themselves up for bids: Brandon Keener (as John Bradley, the father of a braindead teenager), Drew Powell (as Doug Driscoll, a disgruntled patient who punches Katherine LaNasa's nurse Dana), Stacie Greenwell (as Tina Chambers, the mother of a young patient), and Arun Storrs (as Minu, a woman who was pushed onto train tracks).

A pair of Shrinking's recurring cast members — Devin Kawaoka (as Charlie, the fiancé of Brian) and Wendie Malick (as Julie Baram, the girlfriend of Paul) — were not among the 13 stars that Apple TV+ was initially campaigning. They possibly entered their own names, as they both now appear on the supporting ballots.

HBO's zombie apocalypse drama The Last of Us put forward 10 actors for contention, including Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey in lead actor and lead actress. However, even though Danny Ramirez (as Manny Alvarez) was not a part of the initial campaign, he is now eligible to be voted for as a supporting actor.

Other actors who apparently self-submitted for the 2025 Emmys include Luke Brandon Field (Interview With The Vampire), Ron Rogge (Matlock), Ramy Youssef (The Studio), and Kitty Hawthorne (Your Friends & Neighbors). Join the Emmy discussion in our TV forums.

Historically speaking, self-submissions sometimes do lead to Emmy nominations. In 2019, Gwendoline Christie entered her own name for the final season of Game of Thrones, and she wound up receiving a bid for Best Drama Supporting Actress. The year prior, The Handmaid's Tale guest actress Kelly Jenrette, who played Annie, self-submitted and earned a 2018 nom for Best Drama Guest Actress.

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