US: This year’s 66th annual Primetime Emmy Award LGBT nominees

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This year’s 66th annual Primetime Emmy Award nominations were announced this morning by Mindy Kaling and Carson Daly live from the Television Academy headquarters in Los Angeles.

Among the nominees are some of Hollywood’s most prominent members of the LGBT community.

Laverne Cox, transgender activist and star of the critically acclaimed, “Orange Is the New Black” was nominated for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She was recently featured on the cover of Time Magazine with the caption: “The Transgender Tipping Point.”

Just this year Cox was presented with GLAAD’s top media award, by newly-out actress Ellen Page.

The “Juno” star, who came out in February, praised Cox for her work on “Orange is the New Black”, as well as her upcoming documentary about trans prisoner CeCe McDonald, and her defence of trans people in the media.

Jane Lynch, the openly lesbian star of the hit show “Glee”, was nominated for Outstanding Host For A Reality Program for her role in “Hollywood Game Night.” This marks her fourth Primetime Emmy nomination.

Lynch won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2010 for her character, Sue Sylvester, on “Glee” and was also nominated in 2011 and 2013. Lynch was also the host of the 2011 Primetime Emmy TV awards.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson received his fifth consecutive nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. Fergueson plays Mitchell Pritchett on “Modern Family.”

Other “Modern Family” nominees include the Emmy and Tony award winning Nathan Lane for his role as Pepper Saltzman. He was previously nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2011 and 2013.

Actress Kate McKinnon, best known for her sketch comedy work on “Saturday Night Live” was nominated for the fist time for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. McKinnon is “Saturday Night Live’s” first openly lesbian cast member.

The film adaptation of Larry Kramer’s Tony Award-winning play “The Normal Heart” received 16 nominations.”The Normal Heart” tells the story of a gay activist who attempts to raise HIV/AIDS awareness during the early 1980s.

The Primetime Emmy Award ceremony will be held on 25 August 25 at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California and will be hosted by Seth Myers.