RuPaul Becomes Most The Nominated Reality Host in Emmys History
Image: RuPaul/X
Arguably the world’s most famous drag queen, the host of RuPaul’s Drag Race, RuPaul Charles has made Emmys history with his tenth nomination for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program.
Last year, the Drag Race host was tied for the record, with Project Runway‘s Heidi Klum, and Dancing With the Stars’ Tom Bergeron each with nine nominations to their name.
RuPaul also holds the record for most consecutive nominations for the award, with 2025 marking his tenth year in the running for Outstanding Host, and the record for the most Emmy wins by a person of colour, with a whopping 14 trophies to his name.
There’s a reason we call her mother.
Season 17 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, alongside companion series RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked, received 10 nominations this year, including Outstanding Reality Competition Program, Outstanding Casting For A Reality Program, and Outstanding Directing For A Reality Program.
Also nominated for Outstanding Reality Competition Program and Outstanding Host are notorious bisexual Alan Cumming for his gig on The Traitors, both of which won their respective categories last year.
The gays clean up Emmy nominations
RuPaul and Cumming aren’t the only queer stars raking in the noms.
Saturday Night Live’s Bowen Yang has become the Emmys most nominated Asian male performer, with his fourth nomination in Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series scoring him a total of five nominations overall. He got his first nomination in 2019 in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series as part of the SNL writing team.
Despite standing proudly in their non-binary identity, Bella Ramsey submitted in the gendered actress category, and landed their second nomination for Lead Actress in a Drama Series for season two of The Last of Us.
Non-binary actors are put in a tough spot when it comes to award season, and are usually forced to pick a gendered category if they want to be recognised for their work. Non-binary actor Liv Hewson has made a conscious choice not to submit themselves for gendered awards.
“There’s not a place for me in the acting categories,” Hewson told Variety in 2023.
“It would be inaccurate for me to submit myself as an actress. It neither makes sense for me to be lumped in with the boys. It’s quite straightforward and not that loaded. I can’t submit myself for this because there’s no space for me.”
The Emmy Awards are set for September 14, and will be hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze.
