The Envelope - Ultimate Awards Site

Inside the rise of the professional reality TV star

Tyler Coates — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

From 'Survivor' to 'The Traitors,' 'The Valley' to 'Top Chef,' reality TV fame doesn't have to be fleeting. Why familiar faces are increasingly central to the form.

Matthew Rhys promises he's not 'disturbing.' But his TV characters definitely are

Emma Fraser — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Rhys showcases his range with two Emmy-contending roles this season, in Netflix's mystery-thriller 'The Beast in Me' and Apple TV's horror-comedy 'Widow's Bay.'

'DTF St. Louis' begins with sex, death and 'deviancy.' Then things get really interesting

Michael Ordoña — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Writer-director Steven Conrad and star-executive producer David Harbour break down their HBO limited series, which exhilarates by refusing to 'satisfy lurid expectations.'

JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's 'Love Story' is a 'lens' on the 'intensity' of fame, stars say

Yvonne Villarreal, Mark Olsen — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

On this week's episode of The Envelope, Sarah Pidgeon and Paul Anthony Kelly discuss how they prepared for their roles as the most famous couple in America and the nature of celebrity.

Claire Danes' 'Beast in Me' Emmy chances, by the numbers

Carla Meyer — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Danes is vying for her ninth acting nomination, 31 years after her first, for her role as a writer suspicious of her developer neighbor in Netflix's limited series.

One Shot: How 'Pluribus' found its surreal beauty in an empty desert city

Daron James — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Bland desert urbanism, stripped of people, communicates both loneliness and surreal beauty in Vince Gilligan's sci-fi drama 'Pluribus.'

Navigating Hollywood's 'boys' club' prepared these actors for 'The Pitt'

Max Gao — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Acting isn't practicing medicine, but for 'The Pitt's' Isa Briones, Supriya Ganesh and Sepideh Moafi, the challenges women of color face in showbiz mirror those of their characters.

6 nonfiction Emmy contenders to watch this season

Steve Dollar — Wed, 3 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

From the founding of the country to one of its greatest filmmakers and beyond, these nonfiction films and TV series are worth paying attention to this Emmy season.

6 drama actors on learning to say no, what shooting in L.A. means to them and more

Yvonne Villarreal — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Katherine LaNasa, Billy Magnussen, Zahn McClarnon, Tom Pelphrey, Michelle Pfeiffer and Karolina Wydra sit down with moderator Yvonne Villarreal for the 2026 Emmy Drama Roundtable.

In homage to the original, 'Alien: Earth' made a 64-minute 'Alien' movie. Here's how

Bob Strauss — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Creator Noah Hawley, star Babou Ceesay and more of the 'Alien: Earth' creative team break down Season 1's standout episode, 'In Space, No One...'

A new hotspot emerges in the UK's TV production boom

Emily Zemler — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

With shooting locations in and around London oversaturated, Wales has emerged as a key production location for series such as 'Industry,' 'The Other Bennet Sister' and 'Young Sherlock.'

One Shot: Inside 'Abbott Elementary's' best Halloween costume gag yet

Daron James — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 22:11:13 GMT

Costume designer Hachy Mendez-Smith explains how the scholastic mockumentary balanced 'authentic' with 'comedic' in a hilarious shout-out to Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners.'

As streaming wars wear on, Emmy success could give Peacock and Paramount+ a boost

Gregory Ellwood — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

With titles like 'The Madison' and 'All Her Fault,' newer streamers are hoping to replicate the Emmy playbook that helped put Netflix and Amazon Prime Video on the map.

Happier than ever, Gary Oldman isn't ready to quit 'Slow Horses' anytime soon

Glenn Whipp — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

With five seasons aired and two more in the can, the Oscar winner has hit his stride as dissolute spymaster Jackson Lamb. 'Murderous' diet notwithstanding.

'The Diplomat's' creator wanted to kill off a key character. Why saving him saved the show

Debora Cahn — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In an essay for The Envelope, Debora Cahn explains why a 'baller move' she planned for 'The Diplomat' turned out to be the wrong one — and how she changed course.

How 'Stranger Things' crafted the many faces of Vecna

Emily Zemler — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The Duffer brothers, actor Jamie Campbell Bower and more from the 'Stranger Things' creative team talk about turning the series' archvillain into a multifaceted figure.

The secret to Ashley Padilla's 'SNL' success? Being a 'quiet little freak'

Tim Grierson — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In two seasons as a featured player on the NBC sketch comedy, Padilla has distinguished herself by choosing not to be the loudest voice in the room.

Two real-life priests inspired Brad Ingelsby's latest crime drama 'Task'

Brad Ingelsby — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

To follow up the acclaimed 'Mare of Easttown,' Ingelsby writes for The Envelope, he looked to two men of the cloth with divergent views of faith and doubt.

Carrie Preston reveals the Season 3 guest star to whom she sent a 'stalker-level fan email'

Yvonne Villarreal, Mark Olsen — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In this week's episode, we kick off Emmy season with Carrie Preston, who plays an offbeat investigator in Robert and Michelle King's 'Columbo'-inspired comedy 'Elsbeth.'

Jason Bateman's 2026 Emmy chances, by the numbers

Carla Meyer — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Bateman does double duty in Netflix's 'Black Rabbit' and HBO's 'DTF St. Louis.' Does it make him twice as likely to nab his second Emmy?

Netflix isn't airing the World Cup. But it still has big World Cup programming plans

Michael Ordoña — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Before the streamer televises the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Nations League finals, it's laying the groundwork with scripted and documentary projects about 'the beautiful game' this summer.

Chalamet's quest for greatness 'is what every actor is thinking.' 'Beef' stars included

Glenn Whipp — Wed, 27 May 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton, who play Gen-Z strivers in Season 2 of Netflix's limited series, open up about money, career ambition and their Midwestern roots.

6 standout stand-up specials to keep an eye on in this year's Emmy race

Rachel Brodsky — Wed, 27 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Six stand-up comics share the stories behind their Emmy eligible specials.

6 comedy actors on surviving bad reviews, making their castmates break and more

Lorraine Ali — Tue, 26 May 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Danielle Deadwyler, Donald Faison, Sabrina Impacciatore, Justine Lupe, Lamorne Morris and Chris Perfetti sit down with moderator Lorraine Ali for the 2026 Emmy Comedy Roundtable.

'Jury Duty': 'Company Retreat' star Anthony Norman reveals his post-stardom plans

Justin Ray — Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Norman's unscripted reaction to the show's climactic setup surprised even the series' creator, Lee Eisenberg: 'It took my breath away,' he says.

Column: Welcome to the most underwhelming Emmy race in years

Glenn Whipp — Tue, 26 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

With many past winners and popular contenders out of the running this year, the 2026 Emmys are likely to be heavy on TV that's just ... fine, our columnist writes.

L.A. Times BuzzMeter: Predicting the 2026 Emmy winners

Fri, 22 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Our panel of experts returns for another season of fearless Emmy predictions.

Sony Pictures Classics chiefs on what AI can't do, avoiding bidding wars and more

Matt Brennan — Thu, 21 May 2026 16:26:57 GMT

Envelope editor in chief Matt Brennan spoke to the leaders of Sony Pictures Classics at Cannes' Marché du Film about the importance of festivals, the use of AI and more.

2026 Emmy predictions: best drama actress