By Shannon Musgrave
The Primetime Emmy nominations were announced this week and Carnegie Mellon alumni once again made an impressive showing for their work across the television industry. This year’s nominees include 19 alumni spanning 11 categories for a total of 28 nominations.
The most nominated show this season is “The Pitt” – the medical drama created by School of Drama alumnus John Wells and co-executive produced by fellow alum Michael Hissrich, set in a fictional Pittsburgh emergency room. The show racked up a whopping 25 nominations.
In the acting categories, Sarah Pidgeon is nominated for her role as Carolyn Bessette in the FX limited series “Love Story,” and Cherry Jones is nominated for her guest appearance in HBO’s final season of “Hacks.”
Alumni from the School of Drama’s Lighting Design program earned 15 nominations altogether, including two for celebrated lighting designer and CMU Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts recipient Robert A. Dickinson, who has consistently shepherded new generations of CMU lighting designers and practitioners into the field.
CMU alums also earned nominations in production design, casting, costume design, sound editing, and special visual effects.
See the full list of alumni nominees below.
Congratulations, also, to alumna Whitton Frank, whose production company Ferryman Collective was nominated for Outstanding Emerging Media Program for their live theatrical virtual reality performance, “Uncanny Alley: A New Day.”
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards will be held live on September 14, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Downtown Los Angeles, and will be preceded by the 78th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 5 and 6. The ceremony will be broadcast in the United States by NBC and Peacock.
Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
Widow’s Bay • Lodging • Apple TV • Apple Studios / Chum Films
Steve Arnold, Production Designer (MFA 1989 – School of Drama)
Outstanding Production Design For A Variety Special
68th Annual Grammy Awards • CBS • A Fulwell Entertainment production in association with the Recording Academy
Kristen Merlino, Art Director (BFA 2005 – School of Drama)
The Oscars • ABC • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Alana Billingsley, Production Designer (BFA 2004 – School of Drama)
John Zuiker, Art Director (MFA 2011 – School of Drama)
Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series
Shrinking • Apple TV • Warner Bros. Television in association with Apple
Brett Benner, CSA, Casting by (BFA 1990 – School of Drama)
Outstanding Contemporary Costumes For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
DTF St. Louis • Cornhole • HBO Max • HBO in association with Elephant Pictures, Bravo Axolotl, Aggregate, Escape Artists and MGM Television
Molly Maginnis, Costume Designer (MFA 1976 – School of Drama)
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Series
Dancing With The Stars • 20th Birthday Party • ABC • BBC Studios
Noah Mitz, Lighting Designer (BFA 2005 – School of Drama)
Hannah Kerman, Lighting Director (BFA 2021 – School of Drama)
William Gossett, Lighting Director (BFA 2015 – School of Drama)
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert • Guests: Bruce Springsteen, Special Surprise Guests • CBS • CBS Studios
Hillary Knox, Moving Light Programmer (BFA 2002 – School of Drama)
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Special
68th Annual Grammy Awards • CBS • A Fulwell Entertainment production in association with the Recording Academy
Noah Mitz, Lighting Designer (BFA 2005 – School of Drama)
William Gossett, Lighting Director (BFA 2015 – School of Drama)
Hannah Kerman, Lighting Director (BFA 2021 – School of Drama)
Ryan Tanker, Moving Light Programmer (BFA 2010 – School of Drama)
The Oscars • ABC • Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Robert A. Dickinson, Lighting Designer (HD 2005)
Noah Mitz, Lighting Director (BFA 2005 – School of Drama)
Ryan Tanker, Lighting Director (BFA 2010 – School of Drama)
William Gossett, Lighting Director (BFA 2015 – School of Drama)
Hannah Kerman, Lighting Director (BFA 2021 – School of Drama)
78th Annual Tony Awards • CBS • White Cherry Entertainment
Robert A. Dickinson, Lighting Designer (HD 2005)
Wicked: One Wonderful Night • NBC • Fulwell Entertainment
Noah Mitz, Lighting Director (BFA 2005 – School of Drama)
Mike Hankowsky, Media Server Programmer (BS 2014 – College of Engineering)
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette • FX/Hulu • 20th Television
Sarah Pidgeon as Carolyn Bessette (BFA 2018 – School of Drama)
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
Hacks • Montecito • HBO Max • Universal Television in association with Paulilu, First Thought Productions, Fremulon Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment
Cherry Jones as Kelly (BFA 1978 – School of Drama)
Outstanding Drama Series
The Pitt • HBO Max • HBO Max in association with John Wells Productions, R. Scott Gemmill Productions, and Warner Bros. Television
John Wells, Executive Producer (BFA 1979 – School of Drama)
Michael Hissrich, Executive Producer (BFA 1988 – School of Drama)
Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)
Stranger Things • Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up • Netflix • Upside Down Pictures & 21 Laps Entertainment for Netflix
Emma Present, Dialogue Editor (BFA 2016 – School of Drama)
Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Single Episode
Paradise • Exodus • Hulu • 20th Television
Chapel Folger, VFX Producer (BFA 2010 – School of Drama)
*Apologies for any omissions. If you are a School of Drama alum who received an Emmy nomination this year, please email smusgrav@andrew.cmu.edu and we will update this story. Thank you!*
Photo grid L to R, Top to Bottom: John Wells, Michael Hissrich, John Zuiker, Alana Billingsley, Cherry Jones, Hannah Kerman, William Gossett, Noah Mitz, Sarah Pidgeon, Ryan Tanker, Emma Present, Robert A. Dickinson, Mike Hankowsky, Kristen Merlino, Hillary Knox, Steve Arnold, Molly Maginnis, Brett Benner, Chapel Folger.