The Emmys Made A Huge Mistake

To the surprise of many (myself included), the 2015 Emmy nominations were, for the most part, pretty damn good. Incredible performers like Tatiana Maslany and Taraji P. Henson got nods, while shows such as Game of Thrones and Parks and Recreation also received honors for their stellar last seasons. Yet despite those pieces of good news, there's one big hole in the nominations that I just can't believe exists: the Emmys snubbed Jane the Virgin' s Gina Rodriguez for Best Actress In A Comedy. Seriously, how in the world did this happen?!

Of all the comedic actresses that were considered for possible Emmy nominations Thursday morning, Rodriguez, the star of The CW's hit series, was one of the surest bets. After all, the show is one of the biggest breakouts this year, with seemingly unanimous rave reviews, especially for its star. Rodriguez has won significant praise for her hilarious, heartfelt turn as the series' titular virgin, including, most recently, a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in A Musical or Comedy. It seemed inevitable that an Emmy nomination would be next.

Yet somehow, come Thursday morning, the actress was left out of the mix for her category. In her place were several talented, deserving stars — Amy Schumer, Lily Tomlin, Edie Falco, Amy Poehler, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Lisa Kudrow — and I don't wish that any of them had been snubbed, instead. Yet it still seems unthinkable that Rodriguez, an incredibly talented performer coming off of a remarkable breakout year, didn't get a nomination. It's just unfair.

Hopefully, Rodriguez will get another chance at Emmys next year, when the Television Academy surely realizes their mistake in missing out on including her in 2015. And there's at least the consolation of Jane the Virgin grabbing one nomination; Anthony Mendez, the man responsible for the show's hysterically on-point voiceover, picked up a nod for Outstanding Narrator.

Rodriguez herself chimed in with congratulations for Mendez, in a sweet post that puts the focus on his nomination, rather than her sub.

It's a classy response (would anyone have expected less from the actress?), but it just emphasizes how truly upsetting that Rodriguez didn't make the cut. She gave one of the most nuanced and impressive performances of any television actor this past year, not just the newcomers. Jane the Virgin is a hugely enjoyable show, but it wouldn't be half as good without Rodriguez at its center. She's nothing less than the heart of the series, and her ability to go from awe-struck to adorable to panicked to heartbroken to a million other emotions in the span of a second is the real reason behind the show's massive success.

It's unfortunate that the Emmys missed the boat on this one, but perhaps the outrage from fans will be enough to change their minds come 2016. I mean, just look at how upset people are about Rodriguez not being on the list:

People are mad, and deservedly so. Rodriguez deserved this one — and while yes, there's always next year, it's seriously frustrating that the Emmys missed out on honoring one of the most talented actors on TV today.

Images: The CW; Giphy