The nominations for the 73rd Emmy Awards are out and it’s been a great night for Marvel Studios. Their first two Disney Plus shows picked up a combined 28 nominations, with WandaVision picking up 23 and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier the other 5.
But eyebrows have been raised at one of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier noms. The show was primarily recognized for its technical achievements, receiving nods for VFX, stunts, and sound editing, with its sole acting nomination for Don Cheadle as James Rhodes in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Category.
Any MCU fan will recognize Cheadle’s talents and he’s been a charismatic presence across multiple movies, but he’s only in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier for less than two minutes. Given how much Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Shaw put into their performances it feels a little like a snub, and fans aren’t particularly happy on social media. Here’s a selection of how it’s going down:
Even Cheadle himself is confused, though has thanked everyone for congratulating him:
Regardless, champagne corks will likely have popped in Kevin Feige’s office when the news broke. The studio’s push into streaming TV has been somewhat circuitous, with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Netflix shows eventually proving to be dead-ends in their connection with the MCU. But with WandaVision scoring coveted Best Actress and Actor nominations for Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, they’ll be feeling vindicated in their decision to start the Disney Plus MCU plan with such an offbeat show.
Now all that remains to be seen is how many of these nominations will convert into wins. Without sounding too pessimistic I suspect both Marvel shows will be edged out by more highbrow prestige drama, but my fingers are crossed.
We’ll find out on September 19, 2021 when the 73rd Emmy Awards are broadcast live on CBS and streamed live on Paramount Plus.