Emmy Rules Change Will Give Actors And Actresses Option To Be Recognized As “Performer”

Emmy Rules Change Will Give Actors And Actresses Option To Be Recognized As “Performer”

The Television Academy’s Board of Governors on Monday said it has approved a pair of rules changes for the Emmy Awards.


One change will allow anyone nominated in the actor or actress category the option to “request that their nomination certificate and Emmy statuette carry the term ‘Performer’ in place of Actor or Actress,” the Academy said.


“No performer category titled ‘Actor’ or ‘Actress’ has ever had a gender requirement for submissions,” it wrote today. “Now, nominees and (or) winners in any performer category titled ‘Actor’ or ‘Actress’ may request that their nomination certificate and Emmy statuette carry the term ‘Performer’ in place of Actor or Actress.”

The option will take effect beginning with the current 2021 Emmy Awards season.


In addition, the rules for eligibility of documentary films has been amended to take effect beginning with the 2022 competition, keeping out titles that had been eligible for Oscar consideration. Now, “Any film placed on the AMPAS viewing platform will be deemed a theatrical motion picture and thus ineligible for the Emmy competition.”


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The Primetime Emmys this year are September 21, with nominations to be announced July 13.