Two Saturday Night Live legends are squaring off against each other at this year’s Emmy Awards… twice.
Close friends, collaborators, and former SNL castmates Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph are among this year’s Emmy nominees, but the honor pits them against each other in two different categories.
Both actresses received their first-ever nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Rudolph was nominated for her series Loot, while Rudolph got a nod for her role in Palm Royale. Both shows are made for Apple TV+. (Palm Royale was also nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, while Loot was not.)
In that category, they’ll compete against Quinta Brunson for Abbott Elementary, Selena Gomez for Only Murders in the Building, Jean Smart for Hacks, and Ayo Edebiri for The Bear.
Wiig and Rudolph are also each nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for their most recent Saturday Night Live hosting gigs. (Edebiri also hosted this year, but she didn’t make the cut.)
Wiig returned to her old stomping grounds for the April 6 episode, while Rudolph hosted on May 11.
Wiig and Rudolph previously competed against each other in this same category back in 2021, when they were both nominated for hosting episodes during SNL’s 46th season. That time, Rudolph won.
This year, they’re up against Kaitlin Olson (Hacks), Olivia Colman (The Bear), Jamie Lee Curtis (The Bear), and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (Only Murders In The Building).
This is Rudolph’s seventh overall Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy nomination, and Wiig’s fourth. Wiig had previously received four Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series nominations for her time as a cast member on SNL.
Rudolph also has two more chances to bring home a statue at this year’s Emmy Awards. She’s nominated for her voiceover performance as Connie the Hormone Monstress on Big Mouth, and for the Mother’s Day Monologue song she co-wrote for her SNL episode.
Rudolph was a Saturday Night Live cast member from 2000 to 2007. She shared the stage for two seasons with Wiig, who was in the cast from 2005 to 2012. They have since appeared in a handful of projects together, including Bridesmaids.
Perhaps they can go head-to-head for dramatic roles next year.
