Jon Hamm has been disqualified from the Emmy guest drama actor race for his role in Apple TV’s The Morning Show, Variety has confirmed. The submission error came from the studio, which entered Hamm in the guest actor in a drama series category for his portrayal of Paul Marks in the show’s fourth season. Although Hamm appears in only three episodes, that placement made him ineligible under Emmy rules because he previously received a nomination in a lead or supporting acting category for the same role.
The Television Academy updated its rules in January 2025 to prevent any performer who has already been nominated for or won a lead or supporting acting Emmy from submitting in the guest performer categories for the same character. The policy change was designed to close a loophole that had allowed some established performers to compete as guests despite significant prior Emmy recognition. The rule has already affected other high-profile submissions, including Meryl Streep, who was nominated for supporting comedy actress for Season 3 of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building and has not been able to submit as a guest performer for later seasons, even though her appearances remain below the 50% threshold.
The rule does not apply in the same way to Saturday Night Live guest submissions, where former cast members such as Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell have been entered as playing “various characters.” In those cases, the show’s official Emmy credits list hosts simply as “host,” creating an ambiguity that has drawn attention from awards strategists and studio teams. That loophole has become a point of scrutiny as Emmy campaigns adjust to the Academy’s revised standards.
In Hamm’s case, Apple TV’s awards team appears to have overlooked the eligibility rule, and the Television Academy also failed to catch the issue during verification. Hamm was listed in the guest category when ballots were released, but his Morning Show submission has now been removed and cannot be voted on.
Despite this setback, Hamm remains in contention elsewhere in this year’s Emmy race. He is listed as a contender for lead drama actor for his work on Apple TV’s Your Friends and Neighbors, and he is also in the running for character voice-over performance for voicing Marvin Flute in the animated comedy Grimsburg.
Hamm is one of the most recognized Emmy contenders of his generation, with 18 nominations across a wide range of television projects. His nominations include work on Mad Men, where he became widely celebrated for playing ad man Don Draper, as well as Fargo and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. His only Emmy victory came in 2015, when he won for lead drama actor.
Emmy nomination voting is scheduled to continue through June 22.
