TORONTO — Seth Rogen, Catherine O'Hara, Lorne Michaels and Nathan Fielder are among the Canadians who've racked up multiple Emmy Award nominations this year, with Rogen's cringe comedy "The Studio" setting a record haul for a comedy series in its first season.
Rogen's Apple TV Plus show, which he co-created, wrote and directed with longtime collaborator and fellow B.C. native Evan Goldberg, nabbed 23 nominations including best directing and writing for the duo and best comedy actor for Rogen.
Rogen stars as the boss of a struggling Hollywood studio who juggles corporate pressures with his dream of making genuinely good movies.
"This is insane thank you so much," Rogen wrote Tuesday on his Instagram Stories.
The achievement tops the 20 nominations “Ted Lasso” earned in 2021 for its debut season, also for Apple.
Apple's thriller "Severance" leads the pack overall with 27 nominations.
Toronto-born comedy star O'Hara earned a best supporting actress nomination for her role in "The Studio" as a seasoned producer who does her best to keep the chaotic operation from imploding, and another for a guest role in the HBO zombie drama "The Last of Us."
Rogen competes in the lead actor category against Hamilton's Martin Short, who snagged his fourth nomination for playing a frazzled theatre director in Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building," opposite Steve Martin and Selena Gomez.
Quebec City's Jessica Lee Gagné collected two nominations for her work on "Severance," including categories for best cinematography for an hour-long series, and best directing for a drama series.
"I am currently crying at the hardware store," Gagné said in a statement.
"I am so happy for my 'Severance' family for all of the nominations they got this morning and beyond grateful to Apple, Ben, Dan, Mark, and everyone involved. Being acknowledged for my work both as a cinematographer and director is all the more meaningful."
"Severance" revolves around enigmatic company Lumon Industries where employees undergo a procedure that splits their consciousness between work life and personal life.
Gagné directed the episode “Chikhai Bardo,” in which the show’s lead character Mark, played by Adam Scott, drifts in and out of disorienting memories of his late wife, Gemma, whose mysterious connection to Lumon lies at the heart of a larger conspiracy.
Nathan Fielder picked up writing and directing nominations for his HBO docu-comedy "The Rehearsal," which follows the Vancouver comic as he tries to help people navigate difficult life events by rehearsing tricky social challenges on elaborate sets, with hired actors and increasingly unhinged scenarios.
In the show’s second season, Fielder ups the stakes by examining his theory that power imbalances among pilots in the cockpit may be a leading contributing factor to past air crashes.
Meanwhile, Toronto-born "Saturday Night Live" boss Lorne Michaels received six nominations for several incarnations of the sketch comedy series, including best writing for a variety series and best scripted variety series for NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
"SNL50: The Anniversary Special" is in the running for best writing for a variety special and best live variety special.
Michaels also scored nominations for best live variety special for Peacock's "SNL50: The Homecoming Concert" and best emerging media program for Meta Quest's "SNL 50th The Anniversary Special: Immersive Experience."
Other Canadian nominees include Graham Yost, who earned a nod for best drama series as executive producer of spy thriller “Slow Horses," and comic Robby Hoffman, who's competing for outstanding guest actress in a comedy for her breakout role as an office manager in "Hacks."
The 77th Emmy Awards will broadcast live from Los Angeles on CTV on Sept. 14.
Alex Nino Gheciu, The Canadian Press
