Primetime Emmy Awards 2022: 'Squid Game' makes history as 'Succession' tops nominees list

No foreign-language show has ever broken into prestigious drama category

Lee Jung-jae, centre, Park Hae-soo, right, and Oh Yeong-soo in a scene from the Korean series 'Squid Game.' Netflix

Satirical drama Succession received a leading 25 Emmy nominations on Tuesday, but it has a major rival in Squid Game, the first non-English-language series to vie for television’s top honour.

Netflix show Squid Game, a South Korean drama in which people compete for cash in a series of brutal games, earned a Outstanding Drama nomination and 13 other nods in the upcoming Emmy Awards, which will take place in September.

Succession from HBO captured the Outstanding Drama trophy and eight other awards during the last Emmys in 2020.

A separate International Emmys ceremony has been held since 1973, but no foreign language show has ever broken into the Primetime Emmys drama ranks.

Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso was the top comedy nominee with 20 bids and has the chance to earn its second consecutive Outstanding Comedy trophy, as academy voters proved undeterred by its sophomore season turn to the emotional dark side.

Other top nominees included dramedy The White Lotus, which also received 20 nominations; Hacks and Only Murders in the Building with 17 bids each, and teenage dysfunction drama Euphoria.

Its star, Zendaya, who was crowned Outstanding Actress in 2020, was nominated for the same award again.

Academy president Frank Scherma started the announcement by saying that a record number of shows had been submitted, which reflects how series production was at an all-time high after being drastically reduced during the pandemic.

The Emmys once were dominated by broadcast networks and then cable, with the rise of streaming services changing the balance of power and perhaps the awards themselves. Squid Game joining the Emmy mix is the result of American steamer's focus on global marketplaces.

The Emmy ceremony is set for September 12, with a host yet to be announced.

Here are the Emmy Awards 2022 nominees in the main categories:

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel

Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary

Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant

Elle Fanning, The Great

Issa Rae, Insecure

Jean Smart, Hacks

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Donald Glover, Atlanta

Bill Hader, Barry

Nicholas Holt, The Great

Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso

Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building

Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building

Outstanding Comedy Series

Abbott Elementary

Barry

Curb Your Enthusiasm

Hacks

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel

Only Murders in the Building

Ted Lasso

What We Do in the Shadows

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Colin Firth, The Staircase

Andrew Garfield, Under the Banner of Heaven

Oscar Isaac, Scenes From a Marriage

Michael Keaton, Dopesick

Himesh Patel, Station Eleven

Sebastian Stan, Pam & Tommy

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

Toni Collette, The Staircase

Julia Garner, Inventing Anna

Lily James, Pam & Tommy

Sarah Paulson, Impeachment: American Crime Story

Margaret Qualley, Maid

Amanda Seyfried, The Dropout

Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series

Dopesick

The Dropout

Inventing Anna

The White Lotus

Pam & Tommy

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Jodie Comer, Killing Eve

Laura Linney, Ozark

Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets

Sandra Oh, Killing Eve

Reese Witherspoon, The Morning Show

Zendaya, Euphoria

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Jason Bateman, Ozark

Brian Cox, Succession

Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

Adam Scott, Severance

Jeremy Strong, Succession

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul

Euphoria

Ozark

Severance

Squid Game

Stranger Things

Succession

Yellowjackets

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah

Jimmy Kimmel Live

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Agencies contributed to this report