#Emmys 2020: Dylan McDermott, Kerry Washington & More Stars React to Their Nominations

The 2020 Emmy nominations were announced Tuesday, and we’re hearing from those who were honored.

Netflix had the most with 160, while HBO was second with 107. As for the shows with the most nods, Watchmen had 26, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel received 20, and Ozark and Succession each got 18.

The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards are set to air Sunday, September 20 at 8/7c on ABC, with late-night host Jimmy Kimmel as host.

Check out some of the reactions below, and stay tuned as we continue to add more as we hear from the nominees:

Dylan McDermott, Hollywood, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series (to TV Insider)

“I was stumped, shocked, flabbergasted. I couldn’t believe it. I’m still on a high right now. … I couldn’t be more thrilled, especially for this show, working with Ryan [Murphy] and this cast, and Netflix. It was a dream come true. At the end of the day, it’s Ryan Murphy. He put me in this role, he trusted me, and I just ran with it. Ernie was one of the highlights of my entire career. …

This is even sweeter [than The Practice nomination]. When you’re younger, you think that things happen all the time and they don’t, and obviously it’s taken me 22 years to get back here, so this time I feel even more grateful than I did back then. … [Hollywood is] such a departure for me. The good news about being an actor is people get to know you and the bad news is people get to know you. … For a long time, I had to fight being that guy from The Practice. … With Hollywood, I changed people’s minds.”

Giancarlo Esposito, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Better Call Saul and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for The Mandalorian (to TV Insider)

“I couldn’t be more excited and emotional. I’m blown away. I’ve been nominated a few other times, which has been really wonderful. … I’m just really, really honored and in gratitude for getting both of these nominations for these two great shows. It’s really fabulous. … I’m so honored to be picked out of [the Better Call Saul actors] to represent this show.

… I’ve been crying for 30 minutes, only because of that deep love and respect that comes from this kind of nomination. It allows me to know I’m valuable, I know who I am as a person, but once I put on those clothes and I become an actor, there’s always that question.  Am I making the right decision? Am I showing all of the elements of the character that were written? How do I bring extra to that?”

Sterling K. Brown, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for This Is Us and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

2 Good to be True! Thank you to the @TelevisionAcad for a great start to my day! ? Blessed to still be representing my #ThisIsUs fam (Love you all!) & overjoyed to be recognized for the immense fun I had with @AlexBorstein & @RachelBros on #MrsMaisel Stay safe. Stay sane. #BLM✊? pic.twitter.com/kmWkNGhn9U

— Sterling K Brown (@SterlingKBrown) July 28, 2020

Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

“I’m grateful for the continued love for all corners of our Maisel family. I wish so much that we could be together to celebrate today but this (and some zoom cocktails) will certainly hold us over until we can get the band back together. The company we get to keep across these categories is insane. Thank you to the TV Academy!”

Don Cheadle, Black Monday, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

“Given that it’s been announced on a Tuesday, I hereby regretfully decline my nomination for ‘Black Monday.’ I am a dayist. Been one for many years. My principles are my bedrock and sacrosanct.”

Dan and Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek, 15 Nominations, Including Outstanding Comedy Series and Supporting and Lead Actor, respectively

“This morning has been the most incredible surprise. We are overwhelmed and filled with gratitude for this recognition. Unfathomably proud of our little show.”

Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Thank you!!! I am very honored to be in the company of such gifted women, who have helped us all get through this screen centered moment in time!”

William Jackson Harper, The Good Place, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

WHAT. pic.twitter.com/mSnzUayZtQ

— William Jackson Harper (@dubjackharper) July 28, 2020

Kerry Washington, Little Fires Everywhere, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and Outstanding Limited Series or Movie (and American Son, Outstanding Television Movie and Live in Front of a Studio Audience, Outstanding Variety Special)

“To be recognized in this way this morning is such an honor – but to be able to share it with my partner Pilar Savone and our Simpson Street family makes it even more meaningful. The exepreinces we’ve been able to have this year were beyond our wildest dreams: working with the legendary Norman Lear and Jimmy Kimmel to bring iconic shows from the 70s to new audiences with Live In Front of a Studio Audience, to adapting AMERICAN SON, a Broadway play about Black lives and police violence to Netflix, to bringing Celeste Ng’s beautiful novel Little Fires Everywhere to life with my incredible friends Reese Witherspoon, Lauren Neustadter and Liz Tigelar.

But the tears came this morning when I heard about Lynn Shelton’s nomination for Little Fires Everywhere. I’m so incredibly grateful that the Television Academy has chosen to honor Lynn with this very deserved nomination. I know she’s celebrating in the beyond.”

Lynn Shelton’s parents, Wendy Roedell and David “Mac” Shelton, for her posthumous nomination: Little Fires Everywhere, Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special

“That Lynn is honored by the Television Academy is not only a tribute to her accomplishments as a director but her style of directing.  Always in control but kind-hearted.  Making the final decisions but always soliciting input from her colleagues. Colleagues, yes, that is how she regarded everyone on the set, from grips and gaffers and set and costume designers to the director of photography and the actors.  This is an honor for the ultimate collaborationist who knew that she would produce her best if she teased the best out of her teammates.”

Hugh Jackman, Bad Education, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie

“I’m humbled by the nominations for both me and the film and excited to be named with such a talented group of actors. My immense appreciation goes out to all those who believed in Bad Education – especially the hardworking team at HBO.”

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Watchmen, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

“This one strikes differently. It’s been a rough year for all of us. This honor is about more than acknowledgement. It’s about motivation to be my most authentic self so I can create authentic work. This news has lifted me in ways I did not anticipate! Much love and gratitude to the Academy and my Kimmy family.”

Eddie Murphy, Saturday Night Live, Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

“I want to thank the Television Academy for this morning’s nomination.  It was an incredibly special feeling to return to the SNL stage after so many years, and I’m gratified that the show was so well received.  Knowing the collaboration that goes into putting SNL on the air every week the way that I do, it goes without saying that I share this nomination with Lorne and all of the SNL cast, writers and crew who helped bring the show together. It was a great homecoming for me.”

Billy Porter, Pose, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

“It’s blessing and a gift to be part of this moment where my art and my activism meet. POSE represents hope and is a reminder of how powerful ‘we-the-people’ are!”

Shawn Levy, executive producer and director of Stranger Things, Eight Nominations, Including Outstanding Drama Series

“It is a tremendous honor to have our show and third season recognized by The Television Academy alongside such great series and storytellers. Working alongside the brilliant Duffer Brothers continues to be one of the great honors and joys of my career, and our cast and crew is deeply grateful for this acknowledgment.”

Bruce Miller, executive producer of The Handmaid’s Tale, 10 Nominations, Including Outstanding Drama Series

“We are beyond grateful to the Television Academy for this nomination, it’s a testament to the lasting relevance of Margaret Atwood’s book 30 years after it was published, and an honor to be recognized for our extrapolation of her world. I’m incredibly proud of our cast, crew, writers, directors and producers for their hard work and thrilled for our team to receive this recognition.”

Liz Feldman, creator, executive producer and showrunner of Dead to Me, Four Nominations, Including Outstanding Comedy Series

“Thank you to the Academy for recognizing DEAD TO ME – it’s a lifelong dream come true. I’m incredibly proud to share this moment with our amazing cast, crew and partners at CBS Studios & Netflix. I created DEAD TO ME as a way to work through my own grief and loss, hoping that Jen and Judy’s story might help people through theirs. For our traumedy to be honored in this way is a twist I did not see coming. It’s truly life-affirming and I’m deeply grateful.”

Laurence Fishburne, #FreeRayshawn, Outstanding Actor In A Short Form Comedy Or Drama Series 

“It’s a great honor to be nominated along with my fellow cast members Stephan and Jasmine. Given the current focus on police reform in our country, I find #FreeRayshawn to be very timely and thought provoking. It is both an entertaining and important film and my gratitude goes out to Antoine Fuqua, Seith Mann and the team at Quibi and Sony TV for supporting it from start to finish.”

Ludwig Göransson, The Mandalorian, Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)

“It is an honor to be recognized by the Television Academy for my work on The Mandalorian. Deepest thanks to Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni, true visionaries who so brilliantly brought the Force to the uncharted territory of this new medium while encapsulating the magic and nostalgia of the original trilogy. I would also like to thank the talented Los Angeles recording musicians who brought such heart and soul to our collaboration.”