Viewers who tune in to watch the Emmys in September on NBC will see significantly fewer awards handed out.
The Television Academy has voted to move five categories from the Primetime Emmys telecast, which takes place on September 14, to the Creative Arts Emmys, which take place on September 5 and 6
The categories are: Writing for a Variety Series, Supporting Actor and Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, Directing for a Limited Series or Movie, and Writing for a Limited Series or Movie.
It’s a move that is likely to infuriate the guilds including the WGA, DGA and SAG-AFTRA.
“The Television Academy is committed to delivering a fresh new take on the Emmys broadcast, with a focus on entertainment that celebrates television shows, artists and moments audiences love while honoring excellent work from the past year. Given the extraordinary breadth of work recognized each year and the limited time available within a three-hour broadcast, a select number of categories will be moving to the Emmy ceremonies taking place the week prior to the telecast. This thoughtful evolution ensures this year’s NBC ceremony and future broadcasts remain deeply engaging and tailored to the television audience,” the Academy noted.
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The Television Academy has set the roster of 2026 Emmy categories that will be awarded over all three nights.
2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards Categories
Saturday, September 5, 2026
*Listed in alphabetical order
1. OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
2. OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY FOR VARIETY OR REALITY PROGRAMMING
3. OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
4. OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
5. OUTSTANDING COMMERCIAL
6. OUTSTANDING COSTUMES FOR VARIETY, NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAMMING
7. OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DOCUMENTARY/NONFICTION PROGRAM
8. OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
9. OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
10. OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
11. OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SERIES
12. OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL
13. OUTSTANDING EMERGING MEDIA PROGRAM
14. EXCEPTIONAL MERIT IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
15. OUTSTANDING GAME SHOW
16. OUTSTANDING HAIRSTYLING FOR A VARIETY, NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM
17. OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A GAME SHOW
18. OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM
19. OUTSTANDING HOSTED NONFICTION SERIES OR SPECIAL
20. OUTSTANDING INNOVATION IN EMERGING MEDIA PROGRAMMING
21. OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN/LIGHTING DIRECTION FOR A SERIES
22. OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN/LIGHTING DIRECTION FOR A SPECIAL
23. OUTSTANDING MAKEUP FOR A VARIETY, NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM
24. OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A DOCUMENTARY/NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
25. OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION
26. OUTSTANDING NARRATOR
27. OUTSTANDING PERFORMER IN A SHORT FORM COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES
28. OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
29. OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A STRUCTURED REALITY OR COMPETITION PROGRAM
30. OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR AN UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
31. OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR VARIETY PROGRAMMING
32. OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR VARIETY PROGRAMMING (SEGMENT)
33. OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
34. OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A VARIETY OR REALITY SERIES
35. OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM COMEDY, DRAMA OR VARIETY SERIES
36. OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM NONFICTION OR REALITY SERIES
37. OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM
38. OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
39. OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
40. OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A VARIETY SERIES OR SPECIAL
41. OUTSTANDING STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
42. OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION AND CAMERAWORK FOR A SERIES
43. OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION AND CAMERAWORK FOR A SPECIAL
44. OUTSTANDING UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
45. OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL (LIVE)
46. OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL (PRE-RECORDED)
47. OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
48. OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
49. OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
Sunday, September 6, 2026
1. OUTSTANDING ANIMATED PROGRAM
2. OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
3. OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
4. OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
5. OUTSTANDING CHARACTER VOICE-OVER PERFORMANCE
6. OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY FOR SCRIPTED PROGRAMMING
7. OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
8. OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A SERIES (HALF-HOUR)
9. OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A SERIES (ONE HOUR)
10. OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY COSTUMES FOR A SERIES
11. OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY COSTUMES FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
12. OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY HAIRSTYLING
13. OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY MAKEUP (NON-PROSTHETIC)|
14. OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
15. OUTSTANDING FANTASY/SCI-FI COSTUMES
16. OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
17. OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
18. OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
19. OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
20. OUTSTANDING INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN ANIMATION
21. OUTSTANDING MOTION DESIGN
22. OUTSTANDING MOVIE
23. OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
24. OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A SERIES (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
25. OUTSTANDING MUSIC SUPERVISION
26. OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MAIN TITLE THEME MUSIC
27. OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC AND LYRICS
28. OUTSTANDING PERIOD OR FANTASY/SCI-FI HAIRSTYLING
29. OUTSTANDING PERIOD OR FANTASY/SCI-FI MAKEUP (NON-PROSTHETIC)
30. OUTSTANDING PERIOD COSTUMES
31. OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
32. OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A MULTI-CAMERA COMEDY SERIES
33. OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A SINGLE-CAMERA COMEDY SERIES
34. OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
35. OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE CONTEMPORARY PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE)
36. OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PERIOD OR FANTASY PROGRAM (ONE HOUR OR MORE)
37. OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A NARRATIVE PROGRAM (HALF-HOUR)
38. OUTSTANDING PROSTHETIC MAKEUP
39. OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (HALF-HOUR) AND ANIMATION
40. OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (ONE HOUR)
41. OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES, MOVIE OR SPECIAL
42. OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (HALF-HOUR) AND ANIMATION
43. OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (ONE HOUR)
44. OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
45. OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SEASON OR A MOVIE
46. OUTSTANDING SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS IN A SINGLE EPISODE
47. OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION FOR COMEDY PROGRAMMING
48. OUTSTANDING STUNT COORDINATION FOR DRAMA PROGRAMMING
49. OUTSTANDING STUNT PERFORMANCE
50. OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
51. OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
52. OUTSTANDING TITLE DESIGN 53. OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
Monday, September 14, 2026
1. OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
2. OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
3. OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
4. OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
5. OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
6. OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
7. OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
8. OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
9. OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
10. OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
11. OUTSTANDING LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES
12. OUTSTANDING REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM
13. OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
14. OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
15. OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
16. OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
17. OUTSTANDING VARIETY SERIES
18. OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
19. OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
