This year has been an incredible, record-breaking year for television with shows such as Stranger Things and Euphoria getting higher ratings than ever and making a massive impact on pop culture. One of the main reasons these shows are doing so well is their incredibly talented cast who consistently give exciting and killer performances. At last year’s Primetime Emmy Awards legends like Kate Winslet and Olivia Colman took home awards for their leading roles in the shows Mare of Easttown and The Crown, respectively. This year’s nominees, a full list of which is outlined by Vanity Fair, are just as good and television fans can’t wait to see who will win.

The 2022 Primetime Emmy nominees were announced on July 12, and, per Deadline, the awards will be held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on September 12. A few of the most exciting nominees nominated this year for television performances include Julia Garner who was nominated twice for her roles in Ozark and Inventing Anna, Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney, who were both nominated for their roles in Euphoria, and Lily James and Sebastian Stan, who were nominated for their performances in Pam and Tommy. Here are the best 2022 Emmy-nominated TV performances, ranked.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

8 Sydney Sweeney — Euphoria

     HBO

Sydney Sweeney’s portrayal of Cassie Howard is iconic, and her lines, as well as style, have made their way onto all social media platforms and are seen throughout pop culture. Since the very beginning of Euphoria, Cassie has been a fan favorite, but something about her attitude and storyline in season two has made fans adore her even more. Sweeney proved in every episode that she is an incredible actress and audiences can all agree that her Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series is very deserved.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

7 Julia Garner — Inventing Anna

     Netflix

Inventing Anna tells the story of Anna Delvey, a real life con artist who was able to use charm, persuasion, and social media to fool some of the wealthiest, most powerful people in New York into thinking she was one of them. This limited Netflix drama series was so successful due to the incredible portrayal Julia Garner gave as Delvey. Garner has the ability to completely transform into whatever character she is playing, which is exactly what she did for this role. Everything about the actress, from her look to her voice, and even body language, was all Anna Delvey, allowing the audience to fall into the story and the character.

6 Margaret Qualley — Maid

Maragret Qualley, the talented actress who has been previously seen in Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood as well as Death Note, took on the role of Alex this year starring in the Netflix drama series Maid. No matter how difficult it may be, Alex will not stop until she has escaped her abusive partner and created a better, safer life for her daughter, Maddy. Qualley gave an incredible performance and carried the series. Although this is the actress’ first Emmy nomination, it is safe to say that it probably won’t be her last.

5 Lee Jung-jae — Squid Game

Squid Game is easily one of the most talked about and hyped up shows to have been released in the past year. The Korean drama series dominated the number one spot on the Netflix charts and quickly became the platform most successful show of all time, having been streamed for over 1.65 billion hours. In addition to the original and thrilling storyline, one of the main reasons why the show has done so well is because every actor on screen held their own. Lee Jung-Jae, the lead actor in the series, is widely credited as the most successful actor in South Korea due to the accolades he received after this performance. His Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series nomination is one of many nominations Squid Game received.

4 Lily James — Pam & Tommy

     Hulu

Lily James, best known for her role as young Donna in Mamma Mia: Here we go Again, surprised audiences with a very different role this year. The actress took on the part of Pamela Anderson, the Canadian actress and model best known for her work in Playboy and on the series Baywatch. Pam & Tommy tells the story of Anderson’s life with the wild founder of Mötley Crüe, Tommy Lee. This show is hilarious, heartbreaking, and everything in between. Both James and her co-star Sebastian Stan gave some of their best performances playing the infamous couple.

3 Zendaya — Euphoria

     Warner Bros. 

The role of Rue Bennett is without a doubt Zendaya’s most iconic part, and one that people can’t seem to get enough of. Even when the show isn’t airing, fans are still constantly talking about Euphoria and Zendaya. In 2020, at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, Zendaya took home her first Emmy in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work on Euphoria. This year, the actress is nominated again alongside her co-star Sydney Sweeney. This year has been incredible for the actress, having also starred in the extremely successful MCU film Spider-Man: No Way Home. Regardless of what happens at the Emmys on September 12, we can’t wait to see Zendaya step into this role again for the show’s third season, and see what other exciting new projects she has in-store.

2 Sebastian Stan — Pam & Tommy

Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of iconic Mötely Crüe founder Tommy Lee was by far his best performance yet. Even though he has done great work perviously, in projects such as I, Tonya and various Marvel films, nothing quite compares to how exciting, raw, and electric Stan was in Pam & Tommy. Even though it was clear how flawed his character was, something about his charisma and energy made audiences still fall in love with him. Stan had another breakout role this year in director Mimi Cave’s horror/thriller for Hulu, Fresh. Stan’s career is doing better than ever, and there is a good chance he will be taking home his first Emmy this September.

1 Julia Garner — Ozark

     Ozark

Coming in at number one on our list is the incredible Julia Garner, again, for her legendary portrayal of Ruth Langmore in the Netflix drama series Ozark. This fourth and final season of Ozark brought more suspense, crime, and heartbreak than ever as the Byrdes attempt to make it out of the Ozarks alive and free, and Ruth desperately tries to avenge her late cousin, Wyatt. Filled with anger and grief, Ruth’s ending on the show is one that nobody anticipated, but somehow seems to make audiences love the character even more. She is fearless, strong, and the beating heart of the show. In 2020, Garner took home her first Emmy Award for her portrayal of Ruth and hopefully this year she will win her second.