The Television Academy announced the 2026 Emmy Awards nominations list for animation and visual effects on 8 July for its 78th edition, delivering a blockbuster mix of familiar favourites, fresh contenders and legacy series.
Announced from the Wolf Theatre at the Saban Media Centre, this year’s nominations were presented by Emmy winners Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear) and Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere). Television Academy chair Cris Abrego hailed the nominees as a celebration of storytelling without boundaries, spanning everything from intimate comedies and biting satires to fantasy epics, thrillers and lavish costume dramas.
The ceremony itself is set for 14 September at the Peacock Theatre in L.A., where Emmy winner Mariska Hargitay will host the awards, which will air live across the US on NBC and stream on Peacock. Before the spotlight falls on primetime winners, the Creative Arts Emmy Awards will take centre stage on 5 and 6 September, honouring excellence across technical crafts, including animation and visual effects.
Animation’s biggest talking point is South Park. The long-running comedy central favourite has landed nominations for outstanding animated program and outstanding character voice-over performance, while also breaking into the music category with an outstanding original music and lyrics nod for Christian Woman from the episode The Crap Out.
Here are the animation and VFX category nominees:
Outstanding animated program
- Bob’s Burgers – Grand Pre Pre Pre Opening (FOX / 20th Television Animation)
- Rick and Morty – There’s Something About Morty (Adult Swim / Rick and Morty LLC, Williams Street)
- The Simpsons – Homer? A Cracker Bro? (FOX / Gracie Films, 20th Television Animation)
- Smiling Friends – Le Voyage Incroyable de Monsieur Grenouille (Adult Swim / Williams Street)
- South Park – Sermon on the Mount (Comedy Central)
- Star Wars: Visions – Black (Disney+ / Lucasfilm, David Production)
Outstanding character voice-over performance
- Pamela Adlon – Bobby Hill, King of the Hill
- Julie Andrews – Lady Whistledown, Bridgerton
- Hank Azaria – Gary Chalmers, The Simpsons
- Trey Parker – Satan, South Park
- Matt Vogel – Kermit the Frog, The Muppet Show
- Steven Yeun – Mark Grayson, Invincible
Outstanding special visual effects in a season or a movie
- Alien: Earth (FX/Hulu)
- Foundation (Apple TV+)
- IT: Welcome to Derry (HBO Max)
- Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (Apple TV+)
- Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age (Apple TV+)
- Stranger Things (Netflix)
Outstanding special visual effects in a single episode
- Gen V – New Year, New U (Prime Video)
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – In the Name of the Mother (HBO Max)
- Paradise – Exodus (Hulu)
- Spider-Noir – Nightmare on a Gurney (MGM+/Prime Video)
- The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – Costa da Morte (AMC)
