LOS ANGELES (July 19) - "The Sopranos," the mob series that went to
its grave with a shockingly inconclusive finale, found a happy
ending Thursday with 15 Emmy nominations including best drama. The
made-for-TV movie "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee" led all
nominees with 17 bids.
James Gandolfini, who played the emotionally conflicted mob boss
on HBO's "The Sopranos," and Edie Falco, who played his wife,
both received top acting nominations.
ABC
'Grey's Anatomy' (ABC)
Nominations: Series, Drama; Supporting Actress (Katherine Heigl)
Snubs: Actress (Ellen Pompeo), Actor (Patrick Dempsey)
Other best-drama series were "Boston Legal," "Grey's
Anatomy," "House" and freshman sci-fi sensation "Heroes."
"The Sopranos" emerged with the most nominations for a series,
followed by "Ugly Betty" with 11 and, with 10 each, sexy medical
drama "Grey's Anatomy" and critical favorite "30 Rock."
"Grey's Anatomy," which came through a difficult year in which
star Isaiah Washington was fired after twice using an anti-gay
slur, wasn't hurt when it came to Emmy bids. Besides best drama
series, there were nominations for four supporting cast members and
two guest actors.
While Washington was overlooked, co-star T.R. Knight, who said
that Washington had directed the slur at him, did receive a
supporting actor nod.
The miniseries "The Starter Wife" also was a top nominee with
10 bids.
The freshman hit, "Ugly Betty," based on a Colombian
telenovela, made it into the ranks of best comedy series nominees.
It's joined by "Entourage," "30 Rock," "Two and a Half Men"
and last year's winner in the category, "The Office."
"Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera was recognized with a nod
for her starring role.
"Entourage," about the adventures of a young movie star and
his loyal rat pack, was embraced despite mocking industry
stereotypes.
"It may seem sometimes like we're making fun of Hollywood,"
said creator Doug Allen, "but really we're just trying to take a
comedic look at how things are done here, because this is how it
really is for people sometimes."
In the reality-competition categories, the leading nominee with
eight bids was "Dancing With the Stars," followed by "American
Idol" with seven.
Joining Gandolfini among lead drama series actor nominees were
Hugh Laurie of "House," Denis Leary of "Rescue Me," James
Spader of "Boston Legal" and last year's winner Kiefer Sutherland
of "24." Last year's drama series winner was "24" but it was
snubbed this time.
Falco will compete with Patricia Arquette of "Medium," Minnie
Driver of "The Riches," Sally Field of "Brothers & Sisters,"
Kyra Sedgwick of "The Closer" and last year's winner, Mariska
Hargitay of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."
Sedgwick got the news immediately. She and Jon Cryer helped
announce bids for the 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in a brief
ceremony at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Leonard H.
Goldenson Theatre.
"She's all ruffled. She didn't know that was coming!" Cryer
said of Sedgwick, who flubbed her lines after announcing her own
nomination.
Cryer himself was nominated for comedy series supporting actor
for "Two and a Half Men." He was unruffled, having had a
nomination previously.
"Last year I was totally overwhelmed. I was in my underwear on
the sofa at home," he said.
"Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," adapted from Dee Brown's
nonfiction best-seller, received nominations for best made-for-TV
movie, writing and for support acting. The film chronicles the
Sioux victory over Custer at Little Big Horn and events leading up
to the assassination of Sitting Bull and the Sioux massacre at
Wounded Knee Creek in 1890.
Emmy Nominees Announcement Photos
Executive producer Dick Wolf said its clutch of nominations was
a validation of a very difficult project.
"Anybody who says it's not nice or it doesn't mean anything to
get this many nominations, it's the ultimate sour grapes because it
sure feels great," he said.
"Friday Night Lights," the critically acclaimed but low-rated
high school football drama that needed an Emmy boost, failed to
gain major nominations.
"The Sopranos," which premiered in January 1999 and had an
on-and-off cable run, capped its final episode this year with an
ambiguous ending that left fans in the dark about the fate of lead
character Tony Soprano, last seen sitting in a diner with his wife
and children. A suddenly black screen suggested sudden violence -
or not.
The series' other nominees included Michael Imperioli, who
received a bid for best supporting dramatic actor for his role as
the ill-fated Christopher. Aida Turturro, who played Tony's tough
sister Janice, and Lorraine Bracco, who co-starred as his uneasy
psychiatrist Dr. Melfi, were nominated for supporting actress.
Along with Ferrera in the lead comedy actress category were
Felicity Huffman of "Desperate Housewives," Tina Fey of "30
Rock," Mary-Louise Parker of "Weeds" and last year's winner,
Julia Louis-Dreyfus of "The New Adventures of Old Christine."
Their actor counterparts included last year's winner, Tony
Shalhoub of "Monk," Ricky Gervais of "Extras," Steve Carell of
"The Office," Charlie Sheen of "Two and a Half Men" and Alec
Baldwin of "30 Rock."
Like "Grey's" Washington, Baldwin drew unflattering attention
this year, in his case because of a leaked recording of an angry
telephone call to his daughter, who is caught in a legal dispute
with ex-wife Kim Basinger.
Some categories had six nominees this year rather than the usual
five.
One six-nominee category was best supporting actress in a drama
series, with Turturro and Bracco joined by Katherine Heigl, Chandra
Wilson and Sandra Oh of "Grey's Anatomy" and Rachel Griffiths of
"Brothers & Sisters."
Heigl has also broken out as a movie star with her role in the
hit comedy "Knocked Up."
Altogether, 463 nominations were announced. HBO was the most
recognized with 86 bids, followed by ABC with 70, NBC with 69, CBS
with 44, Fox with 28, and PBS with 24.
The three-hour Emmy Awards ceremony will be broadcast Sept. 16
by Fox from the Shrine Auditorium.
Other Emmy honors, including those for technical achievement and
guest actors and actresses in series, will be given at the creative
arts ceremony on Sept. 8.
Associated Press Writer Solvej Schou contributed to this report.
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