Two The Pitt Season 2 Actors Earned Emmy Nominations Without Any Studio Support

After "The Pitt" Season 2 continued to turn empathy and competency into great TV, no one was shocked to learn that the addictive, high-stakes medical drama earned a whopping 25 nominations for the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards. While some so-called "fans" of "The Pitt" have continued to prove that it's possible to be bad at watching a TV show, voters in the television industry at large recognize it as the stunning achievement it is. In the acting categories, as expected, last year's winners like Noah Wyle, Katherine LaNasa, and Shawn Hatosy were all nominated again (with Hatosy shifting from the Guest Actor to the Supporting Actor category), as were Sepideh Moafi, Fiona Dourif, Taylor Dearden, Patrick Ball, and Gerran Howell.

But the big story comes from the Outstanding Guest Actor/Actress in a Drama Series category. Brittany Allen and Jeff Kober pulled off one of awards season's most satisfying underdog victories, landing Primetime Emmy nominations in the guest acting drama categories by betting on themselves. Allen appeared as Roxie Hamler, a terminal cancer patient who arrives at the titular emergency room in excruciating pain, having made peace with ending her suffering. Across six devastating episodes, Roxie becomes one of Season 2's emotional centerpieces, giving Allen the kind of showcase actors dream about — and viewers don't soon forget. Yet, when HBO Max finalized its Emmy submissions, Allen wasn't among the network's 14 performers entered for consideration. Meanwhile, the seasoned character actor Kober (who's spent over four decades popping up in everything from cult favorites to prestige dramas) played Dr. Robby's philosophical biker pal Duke Ekins, whose laid-back demeanor masked an alarming medical problem. He was also not submitted by HBO Max.

Instead, both actors submitted themselves — as is allowed — and it paid off, earning them nominations alongside HBO Max's official submissions.

What audiences may not know is that Emmy campaigning is a whole thing. Not only are there submission fees, but given how much there is to watch each season and the impossibility for working creatives to see everything, studios, streamers, and broadcasters rent out theaters for private screenings with exclusive Q&A presentations to encourage voters to choose their project. There's a practical reason studios sometimes leave worthy performances off their submission lists. Ensemble-heavy shows like "The Pitt" are almost victims of their own success. Networks have to strike a balance between supporting their talent and flooding Emmy voters with so many names that they split enthusiasm among their own contenders. Sometimes, the strongest strategic move is also the most frustrating for actors who end up on the outside looking in.

So, Brittany Allen and Jeff Kober launched independent For Your Consideration campaigns, promoting their performances through interviews, podcasts, social media, and industry outreach. Eight other actors from "The Pitt" reportedly submitted themselves as well, but only Allen and Kober broke through. Meanwhile, three guest performers who were included in HBO Max's official submissions — Tal Anderson (Mel's sister Becca), Tina Ivlev (Ilana Miller, a sexual assault survivor), and Ernest Harden Jr. (the beloved Louie) —also earned nominations, giving "The Pitt" an impressive five guest acting nods overall.

Perhaps the most delightful twist, though, is that Allen and Kober have already lived through eerily similar stories. Both actors previously rolled the dice on self-submissions for the Daytime Emmys after their standout performances on ABC soap operas — Allen for "All My Children" in 2010 and Kober on "General Hospital" in 2021. Both landed nominations and went on to win. Only time will tell if they can pull it off again.