HBO's hit heroic fantasy series emerges as a clear favourite in the runup to the 65th Emmy Awards. Game of Thrones counts a total of 16 nominations, besting Breaking Bad and 30 Rock.
On Thursday, July 18, the American Academy of Television Arts and Sciences revealed its nominations for the 2013 Emmy Awards. Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul shared the honour of announcing the nominees with Neil Patrick Harris, who stepped in for Kate Mara (House of Cards) at the last minute.
Game of Thrones will be up against its usual rivals Breaking Bad, Downton Abbey, Mad Men and last year's Outstanding Drama Series champion: Homeland. This year, the popular Netflix series House of Cards has also entered the ring.
For its first Emmy Awards, the online platform garnered 14 nominations, more than many cable channels, but still far less than HBO (108 nominations) or Showtime (31 nominations).
The 65th Emmy Awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on the evening of September 22. Presented by Neil Patrick Harris, the evening will be broadcast live on CBS.
The main nominations for the 2013 Emmy Awards:
Outstanding Drama Series
Breaking Bad, AMC
Downton Abbey, PBS
Game of Thrones, HBO
Homeland, Showtime
Mad Men, AMC
House of Cards, Netflix
Outstanding Comedy Series
30 Rock, NBC
The Big Bang Theory, CBS
Girls, HBO
Modern Family, ABC
Veep, HBO
Louie, FX Networks
Outstanding Miniseries Or Movie
American Horror Story, FX Networks
Behind the Candelabra, HBO
The Bible, HISTORY
Phil Spector, HBO
Political Animals, USA
Top of the Lake, Sundance Channel
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Claire Danes in Homeland
Michelle Dockery in Downton Abbey
Elisabeth Moss in Mad Men
Kerry Washington in Scandal
Vera Farmiga in Bates Motel
Robin Wright in House of Cards
Connie Briton in Nashville
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Hugh Bonneville in Downton Abbey
Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad
Jon Hamm in Mad Men
Damian Lewis in Homeland
Kevin Spacey in House of Cards
Jeff Daniels in The Newsroom
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Lena Dunham in Girls
Edie Falco in Nurse Jackie
Amy Poehler in Parks and Recreation
Tina Fey in 30 Rock
Julia-Louis Dreyfus in Veep
Laura Dern in Enlightened
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Don Cheadle in House of Lies
Louis C.K. in Louie
Alec Baldwin in 30 Rock
Jim Parsons in The Big Bang Theory
Jason Bateman in Arrested Develoment
Matt LeBlanc in Episodes
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or a Movie
Jessica Lang in American Horror Story
Helen Mirren in Phil Spector
Sigourney Weaver in Political Animals
Laura Linney in The Big C
Elisabeth Moss in Top of the Lake
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or a Movie
Michael Douglas in Behind the Candelabra
Matt Damon in Behind the Candelabra
Al Pacino in Phil Spector
Benedict Cumberbatch in Parade's End
Toby Jones in The Girl
The full list is available on the official Emmy Awards website: http://www.emmys.com/ - AFP RELAX NEWS