LOS ANGELES – Historical epic “Shogun” — a tale of warring dynasties in feudal Japan — could make history on Sunday at the Emmys, television’s equivalent of the Oscars.

The FX series is hotly tipped to become the first ever non-English-language winner of the award for best drama — the most prestigious prize at the gala honoring the best on the small screen.

The show’s cast could also win big with a host of nominations, including for veteran leading man Hiroyuki Sanada, and co-stars Anna Sawai and Tadanobu Asano.

Any new victories on Sunday would add to the already-record-breaking tally of 14 gongs “Shogun” took home from the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend.

This is the second Emmys gala this year, after crippling twin strikes in Hollywood last year bumped the 2023 ceremony to January.

The months-long walkout by actors and writers also crimped the pipeline of new shows that could be released in time for this edition, meaning submissions dropped by a third year-on-year.

And with awards heavyweights like “Succession” — which dominated the Emmys for years — having finished their runs, the path could be clear for some interesting newcomers.

One of those is Netflix’s word-of-mouth smash “Baby Reindeer,” based on a relatively unknown Scottish comedian’s harrowing one-man show about sexual abuse.

Part of the attention stemmed from the show’s claim to be “a true story” — an insistence that earned the streamer a $170 million lawsuit from a British woman who claims she was the inspiration for its obsessive and violent stalker.

Pundits predict Emmy voters will choose “Baby Reindeer” as best limited series, while its creator Richard Gadd goes head-to-head with Andrew Scott (“Ripley”) and Jon Hamm (“Fargo”) for best actor honors.

The limited series section, for shows that end in a single season, always draws A-list Hollywood stars, and this year is no exception.

Jodie Foster is a best actress favorite for her turn as an Alaskan cop in “True Detective: Night Country,” up against fellow Oscar winner Brie Larson, as a pioneering female chemist in “Lessons in Chemistry.”

More glory for ‘The Bear’?

In the comedy categories, “The Bear,” a dark satire set in a Chicago restaurant, and its foodie chefs played by Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach look primed for more Emmys glory. 

The show’s intense debut season dominated the last Emmys, and its even more acclaimed and ambitious second season is eligible this time around.

It scooped up seven prizes in minor categories last weekend, including a best guest actress award for Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis.

HBO’s “Hacks” is expected to limit the rampage by “The Bear,” with Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder looking like frontrunners for their roles as a diva comedienne and her dysfunctional millennial assistant.

But all eyes will be on “Shogun,” an epic based on James Clavell’s historical fiction, which led the nominations with 25 overall.  

Though produced by Disney-owned FX, and shot in Canada, it features a primarily Japanese cast and subtitles, making it only the second non-English-language show to earn a best drama nomination, after South Korea’s “Squid Game” two years ago.

With 14 wins in the minor categories, “Shogun” has already eclipsed the previous record for number of Emmys for a drama in a single season, set by “Game of Thrones” with 12.

Its biggest rival this year is former drama winner “The Crown.” 

The final season of Netflix’s British royal saga drew a lukewarm response from critics, but Elizabeth Debicki is tipped for best supporting actress as Princess Diana.

Father-and-son acting duo Eugene and Daniel Levy will host the ceremony, which begins at 5:00 pm (0000 GMT Monday). –AFP

Emmy nominees in key categories

HERE is a list of the nominees in key categories for the 76th Emmy Awards, which will be handed out in Los Angeles on Sunday.

FX’s epic Japanese drama “Shogun” topped the nominations list with 25, followed by two comedies — FX’s “The Bear” at 23 and Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building at 21.

“True Detective: Night Country” led the nominees in the limited or anthology series categories at 19.

“Shogun” already claimed 14 awards at the pre-gala Creative Arts Emmys ceremonies, and “The Bear” won seven.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

• “The Crown”
• “Fallout”
• “The Gilded Age”
• “The Morning Show”
• “Mr & Mrs Smith”
• “Shogun”
• “Slow Horses”
• “3 Body Problem”

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

• “Abbott Elementary”
• “The Bear”
• “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
• “Hacks”
• “Only Murders in the Building”
• “Palm Royale”
• “Reservation Dogs”
• “What We Do in the Shadows”

OUTSTANDING LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES

• “Baby Reindeer”
• “Fargo”
• “Lessons in Chemistry”
• “Ripley”
• “True Detective: Night Country”
• LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA
• Idris Elba, “Hijack”
• Donald Glover, “Mr & Mrs Smith”
• Walton Goggins, “Fallout”
• Gary Oldman, “Slow Horses”
• Hiroyuki Sanada, “Shogun”
• Dominic West, “The Crown”

LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA

• Jennifer Aniston, “The Morning Show”
• Carrie Coon, “The Gilded Age”
• Maya Erskine, “Mr & Mrs Smith”
• Anna Sawai, “Shogun”
• Imelda Staunton, “The Crown”
• Reese Witherspoon, “The Morning Show”

LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY

• Matt Berry, “What We Do in the Shadows”
• Larry David, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”
• Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”
• Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”
• Jeremy Allen White, “The Bear”
• D’Pharoah Woon-A-Tai, “Reservation Dogs”

LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY

• Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”
• Ayo Edebiri, “The Bear”
• Selena Gomez, “Only Murders in the Building”
• Maya Rudolph, “Loot”
• Jean Smart, “Hacks”
• Kristen Wiig, “Palm Royale”

LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

• Matt Bomer, “Fellow Travelers”
• Richard Gadd, “Baby Reindeer”
• Jon Hamm, “Fargo”
• Tom Hollander, “Feud: Capote vs the Swans”
• Andrew Scott, “Ripley”

LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

• Jodie Foster, “True Detective: Night Country”
• Brie Larson, “Lessons in Chemistry”
• Juno Temple, “Fargo”
• Sofia Vergara, “Griselda”
• Naomi Watts, “Feud: Capote vs the Swans”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

• Tadanobu Asano, “Shogun”
• Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show”
• Mark Duplass, “The Morning Show”
• Jon Hamm, “The Morning Show”
• Takehiro Hira, “Shogun”
• Jack Lowden, “Slow Horses”
• Jonathan Pryce, “The Crown”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA

• Christine Baranski, “The Gilded Age”
• Nicole Beharie, “The Morning Show”
• Elizabeth Debicki, “The Crown”
• Greta Lee, “The Morning Show”
• Lesley Manville, “The Crown”
• Karen Pittman, “The Morning Show”
• Holland Taylor, “The Morning Show”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY

• Lionel Boyce, “The Bear”
• Paul W. Downs, “Hacks”
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach, “The Bear”
• Paul Rudd, “Only Murders in the Building”
• Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary”
• Bowen Yang, “Saturday Night Live”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY

• Carol Burnett, “Palm Royale”
• Liza Colon-Zayas, “The Bear”
• Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”
• Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”
• Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”
• Meryl Streep, “Only Murders in the Building”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

• Jonathan Bailey, “Fellow Travelers”
• Robert Downey Jr., “The Sympathizer”
• Tom Goodman-Hill, “Baby Reindeer”
• John Hawkes, “True Detective: Night Country”
• Lamorne Morris, “Fargo”
• Lewis Pullman, “Lessons in Chemistry”
• Treat Williams, “Feud: Capote vs the Swans”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

• Dakota Fanning, “Ripley”
• Lily Gladstone, “Under the Bridge”
• Jessica Gunning, “Baby Reindeer”
• Aja Naomi King, “Lessons in Chemistry”
• Diane Lane, “Feud: Capote vs the Swans”
• Nava Mau, “Baby Reindeer”
• Kali Reis, “True Detective: Night Country”

Programs with most overall nominations:

• “Shogun” – 25
• “The Bear” – 23
• “Only Murders in the Building” – 21
• “True Detective: Night Country” – 19
• “The Crown” – 18
• “Saturday Night Live” – 17
• bur-sst/md

–AFP