We didn’t have to lose Selena to love Selena, but that’s the hand the Emmys dealt.
Although Selena Gomez, the influential superstar of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” was unfortunately omitted from the lead actress in a comedy category, the 29-year-old executive producer is included among the team for outstanding comedy series, alongside her co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short.
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Her inclusion in the category marks only the second time a Latina has ever been among the producing nominees for comedy series in the 74-year Emmy history. The first was Salma Hayek for Fox’s “Ugly Betty” back in 2007. In addition, only one Latina woman has won as a producer in any of the top series categories in history (Celia D. Costas for “Angels in America” in 2004).
Her omission in the acting race is incredibly disheartening, considering only two Latinas have made the lineup – Rita Moreno, for “9 to 5” in 1983 and America Ferrera, who won for “Ugly Betty” in 2007 and was nominated once more in the following year. However, Gomez’s work in the second season will hopefully carry into discussions for the 2023 Emmys season.
Read more: Variety’s Awards Circuit Emmys Predictions Hub
Proudly identifying as a third-generation American-Mexican (her father is Mexican and her paternal grandparents were born in Monterrey), Gomez’s inclusion is fresh air for Latin representation in Hollywood. In “Only Murders in the Building,” which pulled in a hefty nomination haul, she plays Mabel Mora, a young resident of a prestigious Upper West Side building, the Arconia. After one of the residents, Tim Kono, is murdered, she teams up with Charles Haden-Savage (Steve Martin), a semi-retired actor, and Charles Putnam (Martin Short), a financially struggling Broadway director, and creates a podcast to assist in solving the crime.
For their hilarious performances, both Martin and Short also received dual nominations for lead actor in a comedy and outstanding comedy series.
The series lands smack in one of the most competitive comedy series races in recent years. Still, with the second season currently airing weekly, it could duplicate the same successful playbook used by Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso,” which won at last year’s Emmys ceremony.
In addition to Gomez, Martin and Short, the series is produced by Dan Fogelman, Jess Rosenthal, Jamie Babbit and John Hoffman. The second season of “Only Murders in the Building” is currently releasing new episodes on Hulu.
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