Emmys 2016: ‘Veep’ Season 5 Cast Member Peter MacNicol Disqualified As Guest Actor, Losing ‘Veep’ An Emmy Nomination
The hit HBO comedy Veep has lost one of its Emmy nominations as Peter MacNicol was disqualified as a guest actor in Season 5 of the show. MacNicol picked up one of a number of Emmy nominations for Veep earlier this month for his appearances as a guest actor in Season 5 of the show. However, the actor has now been disqualified and stripped of his nomination after it transpired that MacNicol had appeared in five episodes of the ten-episode season, disqualifying him as a guest actor.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Peter MacNicol’s character quickly became a Veep fan favorite during his appearances in the show’s fifth season. With that in mind, it’s no surprise that MacNicol picked up one of a number of Emmy nominations for Veep. However, the actor shouldn’t have been eligible for the award he was nominated for, having appeared in over half of Veep‘s fifth season as Jonah’s politically influential uncle, responsible for running his nephew’s congressional campaign.
#Veep's Peter MacNicol was nominated for an Emmy. Now he is disqualified. https://t.co/ivpA7fPY4F pic.twitter.com/iOKyJRCXJj
— Variety (@Variety) July 21, 2016
MacNicol’s nomination for his work on Veep will now be passed on to the person who garnered the most votes without receiving the nomination, with an announcement expected from Academy of Television and Arts and Sciences imminently. It remains to be seen whether or not MacNicol will be replaced by a qualifying guest actor from Veep.
The TV Academy has a number of guest acting categories as part of its Emmy Awards. However, qualification requires an actor has appeared in less than 50 percent of a season. Whilst Peter MacNicol’s appearance in five episodes of Veep may not sound like a considerable amount, Veep‘s seasons are significantly shorter than other comedies, with Season 5 of the show coming in at ten episodes and hence disqualifying MacNicol from nomination, as he had appeared in exactly half of the season’s episodes.
According to Variety, the situation surrounding MacNicol’s nomination appears to be an honest mistake. Veep‘s fifth season was still in production when submission paperwork was filed, with Peter MacNicol eventually appearing in more episodes than initially expected. Veep‘s production staff aren’t thought to be to blame for the issue.
RELATED STORIES ON INQUISITR:
Emmy Nominations 2016: Actor And Actress Nominees
2016 Emmy Nominations: How Did AMC’s Walking Dead Franchise Fare?
Veep Cast Celebrates Loss At SAG Awards 2016 With Hilarious Cast Photo
Veep has had one of its most successful years yet in terms of Emmy nominations. Despite losing Peter MacNicol’s nomination in the guest actor field, it still heads into the 2016 Emmy Awards later this year with a total of sixteen nominations, including another nomination for Martin Mull in the guest actor field. Veep‘s most prominent nominations are for Outstanding Comedy Series and Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
HBO’s leading comedy is expected to pick up a large number of the awards it has been nominated for, managing to steal the coveted Oustanding Comedy Series away from ABC’s Modern Family for the first time last year. The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series is a similarly coveted award which has seen Julia Louis-Dreyfus go up against big names, including Amy Poehler, Melissa McCarthy, and Lena Dunham in the past few years. However, she’s expected to secure the award for the fifth consecutive year.
Veep has always been an incredible performer when it comes to the Emmys, which is why Peter MacNicol’s disqualification is likely to be something of a blow for HBO. However, he won’t be the first actor to face disqualification, with the same thing happening to Dennis Miller in 1995 and Henry Winkler in 2000. Veep‘s vast array of other nominations should also mean that the show’s team have plenty to celebrate when the 2016 Emmy Awards take place on September 18.
[Image via HBO]
