Variety has confirmed that Jon Hamm has been disqualified from the Emmy Award for Guest Drama Actor due to his appearance on the Apple TV drama “The Morning Show.”
Due to a studio clerical error, Hamm was entered as a guest actor to play Paul Marks in the fourth season of the series. He appears in just three episodes, less than half the season, and was ineligible under Emmy rules that prohibit guest appearances by actors previously nominated in leading or supporting roles.
In January 2025, the Television Academy introduced a rule that performers who are nominated for or win an Emmy for a lead or supporting role cannot apply in the guest star category for the same role. This revision effectively banned a select group of performers who would have been nominated for an Emmy Award. This rule effectively barred actors like Meryl Streep, who was nominated for Supporting Comedy Actress in Season 3 of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” but was unable to apply for either Season 4 or Season 5. Streep appeared in less than 50% of both seasons. However, this rule does not affect guest stars on “Saturday Night Live,” including former cast members Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell, who received Emmy nominations during their tenure. When “SNL” performers are entered for Emmy consideration, they are credited with playing “various characters.” But the official Emmy Awards credits list the NBC sketch comedy host simply as “host,” a designation that creates ambiguity and exposes a loophole that has already drawn scrutiny from competing strategists and studios.
The Apple TV team overlooked this rule because Hamm was nominated for 2024’s Supporting Drama Actor award. The TV Academy also missed the discrepancy during verification, so when the ballots were released today, Hamm was listed in the guest category.
As a result, Hamm’s “Morning Show” work was disqualified and could no longer be voted on.
There are still other chances for Hamm to win an Emmy. He is also being considered as a lead drama actor on another Apple show, “Your Friends and Neighbors,” and for his character voice-over performance as the voice of Marvin Flute in the animated comedy “Grimsburg.”
Hamm has been nominated for 18 Emmy Awards in a variety of categories and series, including the anthology series “Fargo,” the comedy “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and, most famously, his role as ad man Don Draper on the acclaimed drama “Mad Men.” His only Emmy win came in 2015 for lead drama actor.
Voting for the Emmy Awards ends on June 22nd.
