Emmys 2018: The Jewish nominees, from ‘Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ to ‘Game of Thrones’

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(JTA) — “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and Sarah Silverman’s new late-night show earned Emmy nominations on Thursday.

“Maisel,” Amazon Studios’ popular series set in a very Jewish 1950s New York neighborhood, was nominated for best comedy series. Rachel Brosnahan, its non-Jewish star, was nominated for best lead actress in a comedy series for her performance as the Jewish housewife-turned-comedian Midge Maisel.

Silverman’s “I Love You, America,” in which the Jewish comedian mashes a nontraditional talk show format with videos of her interviewing Americans across the country, got a nod in the variety sketch series category.

Notably missing from the list of nominees is Roseanne Barr, whose successful sitcom reboot was cut short after a racist tweet controversy.

The most self-aware Emmy hopeful, Megan Amram’s “An Emmy for Megan,” achieved its goal with a nomination in the short form comedy or drama category. The Jewish writer has worked on shows such as “The Simpsons,” “Parks and Recreation” and “The Good Place.”

Two black and Jewish actresses were nominated for best comedy guest actress: Tiffany Haddish, for her performance in an episode of “Saturday Night Live,” and former “Saturday Night Live” star Maya Rudolph, for her performance in “The Good Place.”

Some other familiar names and shows made the list: Tracee Ellis-Ross, up for best lead actress in a comedy series for her performance in “Black-ish”; Pamela Adlon, for best lead actress in a comedy series for “Better Things”; Evan Rachel Wood (whose mother converted to Judaism), for best lead actress in a drama series for “Westworld”; and “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” Larry David’s endlessy Jewy HBO show, for best comedy series.

In the best drama series category, there’s a decent chance the award goes to a show written by someone Jewish. “Game of Thrones,” written by the Jewish duo of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and “The Americans,” the recently finished and acclaimed spy series created by Joe Weisberg, are competing against a couple of other heavyweights: Netflix’s “The Crown” and Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

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