Selena Gomez Gets Her Due, Netflix and FX Top HBO and 2 Queen Elizabeths Get Nominated for Emmys

 This image released by Hulu shows, from left, Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin in a scene from "Only Murders in the Building." (Patrick Harbron/Hulu via AP)
This image released by Hulu shows, from left, Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin in a scene from "Only Murders in the Building." (Patrick Harbron/Hulu via AP)
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Selena Gomez Gets Her Due, Netflix and FX Top HBO and 2 Queen Elizabeths Get Nominated for Emmys

 This image released by Hulu shows, from left, Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin in a scene from "Only Murders in the Building." (Patrick Harbron/Hulu via AP)
This image released by Hulu shows, from left, Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin in a scene from "Only Murders in the Building." (Patrick Harbron/Hulu via AP)

With less overall entries due to the shortened TV season, this year's Emmy nominations probably won't spark any protest campaigns. The folks at FX should be popping bottles though for a stand-out year, with 93 nominations — including 25 nods for "Shogun" and 23 for "The Bear."

The nominations bring overdue acknowledgement for critical favorites like FX's "Reservation Dogs" and "What We Do in the Shadows" and fresh competition, including "Shogun" actors Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada.

Lily Gladstone and Kali Reis became the first female Indigenous actors to be nominated for Emmys — Gladstone for "Under the Bridge" and Reis for "True Detective: Night Country." "Reservation Dogs" was nominated in the best comedy series category, for what is its final season. D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai of "Reservation Dogs," will compete for lead actor in a comedy.

The Emmy Awards show will be held Sept. 15 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles and air on ABC.

Here are other talking points, "snubs" and surprises from the Emmy nominations:

Competition for HBO

This year, HBO didn't have "Succession" or "The White Lotus" to bolster its Emmy nominations count, giving Netflix and FX an edge. Netflix leads with 107 nominations for programs including "Baby Reindeer" and "Ripley." FX comes in second, thanks in part to the continued roar of "The Bear" and newcomer "Shogun." HBO has 91 nominations. Even without "Ted Lasso," Apple TV+ also did well with 70 nods including for "The Morning Show" and "Slow Horses."

Justice for Selena

Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building" is a three-hander comedic mystery starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez. Until now, Emmy voters have acknowledged only Martin and Short in the best actor category. That changed Wednesday morning, with Gomez receiving a best actress nomination. She will compete against Quinta Brunson, Ayo Edebiri, Maya Rudolph, Jean Smart and Kristin Wiig.

"The Morning Show" wakes up

Emmy voters "The Morning Show" on Apple TV+ has always included current events in storylines, but the series about behind-the-scenes drama at a TV network took it up a notch with its third season, earning it its first Emmy nomination for outstanding drama.

The show's 10 episodes tackled topics including the hacking of a corporation, a media merger and fallout from the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington.

Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon are both up for lead actress. Jon Hamm joins 2020 winner Billy Crudup and previous nominee Mark Duplass in the supporting actor category. "The Morning Show" also dominates the supporting actress field with nominations for Nicole Beharie, Greta Lee, Karen Pittman and Holland Taylor.

Emmy nods and a snub for Oscar winners

Emma Stone, the best actress winner at this year's Oscars for "Poor Things," did not get nominated for Showtime's "The Curse." Stone was mentioned in a number of predictions as a possible lead actress contender. The show itself was also overlooked in the drama series category.

Her fellow 2024 Oscar winners had better luck.

Robert Downey, Jr., who won the supporting actor Oscar for "Oppenheimer," is nominated in the supporting actor category for HBO’s "The Sympathizer." He plays four characters in the spy drama.

Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who took home the best supporting actress Oscar for "The Holdovers," is also now an Emmy nominee. Randolph is nominated in the guest actress category for an appearance on "Only Murders in the Building."

2 out of 3 Queen Elizabeths get a nomination

Claire Foy, whose portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in "The Crown" earned her a lead actress Emmy Award in 2018 and a guest actress Emmy in 2021, is now nominated again for a guest spot. Foy appeared in the final episode of the series as Imelda Staunton's Queen Elizabeth II pondered abdicating the throne.

Olivia Colman, who portrayed the queen in the third and fourth seasons, also made an appearance in the same episode but was not nominated. This isn't due to a snub, however, but a technicality where Colman didn't meet the nomination qualifications. She wasn't on camera long enough. Staunton, by the way, is nominated for best actress.



Paramount Makes $108.4 billion Hostile Bid for Warner Bros Discovery

The Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California, US November 18, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake
The Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California, US November 18, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake
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Paramount Makes $108.4 billion Hostile Bid for Warner Bros Discovery

The Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California, US November 18, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake
The Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California, US November 18, 2025. REUTERS/Mike Blake

Paramount Skydance on Monday launched a hostile bid worth $108.4 billion for Warner Bros Discovery, throwing a wrench into the deal with Netflix in a last-ditch effort to create a media powerhouse that would challenge the dominance of the streaming giant.

The streaming giant had emerged victorious on Friday from a weeks-long bidding war with Paramount and Comcast, securing a $72 billion equity deal for Warner Bros Discovery's TV, film studios and streaming assets.

The offer, which is worth $82.7 billion including debt and comes with a $5.8 billion break-up fee from Netflix, is likely to face strong antitrust scrutiny, Reuters reported.

Paramount submitted multiple offers starting in September to forge an entertainment powerhouse capable of challenging Netflix and tech giants such as Apple that have expanded into media but faced rejections.

It has offered to buy the whole company at $30 per share, compared with Netflix's nearly $28 per share offer for its assets.

Paramount remains one of Hollywood's major studios, but its box office record has been uneven, with occasional franchise wins offset by periods in which its slate has trailed Disney, Universal and Warner Bros in US market share.

It had sent a letter to Warner Bros, questioning the sale process and alleging the company has abandoned a fair bidding process and predetermined Netflix as the winner.

That followed reports that Warner Bros' management called the Netflix deal a "slam dunk" while speaking negatively about Paramount's offer.

Analysts and industry experts see Paramount as the best candidate for acquiring Warner Bros Discovery, given Ellison's deep pockets - backed by his father, Oracle co-founder and the world's second-richest person Larry Ellison and the close ties with the Trump administration.

US President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday the Netflix-Warner Bros combo could raise market share concerns and he would have a say on the deal.

Bloomberg News has reported Trump met Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos in mid-November, telling the executive Warner Bros should sell to the highest bidder.

Netflix's bid has already drawn sharp criticism from bipartisan lawmakers and Hollywood unions on concerns that it could lead to job cuts as well as higher prices for consumers.

The combined company will have substantial overlap and its combined streaming revenue would decline unless Netflix doubles its prices or runs separate platforms, neither of which the brokerage expects, Morningstar analysts have said.

Looking to allay antitrust fears, Sarandos had said the deal would drive value for consumers, shareholders and talent, saying Netflix is "highly confident" in the regulatory process.

Analysts said Netflix's motivation would stem from securing exclusive, long-term control over premium IP and reducing reliance on external studios as it expands into gaming, live entertainment and broader consumer ecosystems.

Access to WBD's vast IP trove would provide immediate credibility, audience reach and merchandising potential for its gaming ambitions, an area where Netflix is still building original content and brand recognition.


Trump Says Netflix Deal to Buy Warner Bros. ‘Could Be a Problem’ Because of Size of Market Share 

An aerial view of the Warner Bros. logo displayed on the water tower at Warner Bros. Studio on December 5, 2025 in Burbank, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
An aerial view of the Warner Bros. logo displayed on the water tower at Warner Bros. Studio on December 5, 2025 in Burbank, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Trump Says Netflix Deal to Buy Warner Bros. ‘Could Be a Problem’ Because of Size of Market Share 

An aerial view of the Warner Bros. logo displayed on the water tower at Warner Bros. Studio on December 5, 2025 in Burbank, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
An aerial view of the Warner Bros. logo displayed on the water tower at Warner Bros. Studio on December 5, 2025 in Burbank, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that a deal struck by Netflix to buy Warner Bros. Discovery "could be a problem" because of the size of the combined market share.

"There's no question about it," Trump said, answering questions about the deal and various other topics as he walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors.

The Republican president said he will be involved in the decision about whether the federal government should approve the $72 billion deal. If approved by regulators, the merger would put two of the world’s biggest streaming services under the same ownership and join Warner’s television and motion picture division, including DC Studios, with Netflix’s vast library and its production arm.

The deal, which could reshape the entertainment industry, has to "go through a process and we'll see what happens," Trump said.

"Netflix is a great company. They’ve done a phenomenal job. Ted is a fantastic man," he said of Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, noting that they met in the Oval Office last week before the deal was announced Dec. 5. "I have a lot of respect for him but it’s a lot of market share, so we’ll have to see what happens."

Asked if Netflix should be allowed to buy the Hollywood giant behind "Harry Potter" and HBO Max, the president said, "Well that's the question."

"They have a very big market share and when they have Warner Bros., you know, that share goes up a lot so, I don’t know," he said. "I'll be involved in that decision, too. But they have a very big market share"

Sarandos made no guarantees at their meeting about the merger if it is approved, Trump said, adding that the CEO is a "great person" who has "done one of the greatest jobs in the history of movies and other things."

He repeated that a merger would create a "big market share" for the company.

"There’s no question about it. It could be a problem," Trump said.


Singer Katy Perry and Canada's Justin Trudeau Make Romance Official

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US singer Katy Perry are dating. Sergei GAPON, Michael Tran / AFP/File
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US singer Katy Perry are dating. Sergei GAPON, Michael Tran / AFP/File
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Singer Katy Perry and Canada's Justin Trudeau Make Romance Official

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US singer Katy Perry are dating. Sergei GAPON, Michael Tran / AFP/File
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US singer Katy Perry are dating. Sergei GAPON, Michael Tran / AFP/File

It is not a teenage dream, it's Instagram official: pop star Katy Perry has posted a photograph of herself cuddling with Canada's former prime minister, as secure a confirmation as any that the celebrities are dating.

The 41-year-old "California Gurl" slipped the picture, showing the pair cheek to cheek in front of a colorful autumn backdrop, into a series of images on her Instagram account, which boasts 202 million followers, AFP said.

Her simple caption for the series posted late Saturday -- which also includes video clips of the couple trying sushi -- reads simply: "tokyo times on tour and more," and features emojis including flowers and a red heart.

Neither Perry -- singer of mega hits like "Hot n Cold,Roar" and "I Kissed a Girl" -- nor Trudeau have made public comments about their relationship.

But Trudeau, 53, was seen at a Perry concert in July, and celebrity news website TMZ further fueled rumors when it aired video of the two hand in hand on a night out in Paris in October to celebrate the singer's birthday.

Trudeau served as prime minister from 2015 to 2025 as leader of the Liberal Party.

On Thursday Trudeau reposted a photograph of the pair posing with Japan's former premier, Fumio Kishida, and his wife Yuko.

"Great to see you @kishida230. Katy and I were so glad to have the chance to sit down with you and Yuko," Trudeau wrote.