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Downton Abbey leads the Brits at this year's Emmy nominations

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British drama Downton Abbey has continued its reign in the US, garnering six Primetime Emmy Awards nominations on Thursday, including Best Drama and Best Actress in a Drama for Michelle Dockery, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman also flying the flag for the UK.

Benedict Cumberbatch received a nomination for Best Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for his work on BBC's Sherlock, while Martin Freeman got a nod in the same category for Channel 4 show Fargo.

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The small screen adaptation of the Coen Brothers' film was one of the big successes, with 18 altogether, but it was Game of Thrones, which films in Ireland, which led the way, with 19 in total.

Helena Bonham Carter, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dame Maggie Smith, and Idris Elba were also nominated. 

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Actresses up against Michelle for the Best Actress award include Kerry Washington for her work on Scandal, Lizzie Caplan for Masters of Sex, and Claire Danes for Homeland.

The comedy category this year is full of the usual suspects including The Big Bang Theory and  Louie, but the new comedy drama Orange Is The New Black has also gathered a handful of nominations including Best Comedy and Best Actress in a Comedy for Taylor Schilling.

Girls star Lena Dunham and Amy Poehler, for her work in Parks and Recreations, have also been nominated.

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Breaking Bad, True Detective, House of Cards, and Mad Men have all been nominated for the biggest award, Best Drama, proving again that some of the best creative work is coming from the small screenWoody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey's work on the gothic drama show True Detective was applauded internationally and the two may cause Emmy history if they are both chosen to receive the Best Actor in a Drama Award.Actors also up for the Best Actor gong include Kevin Spacey for House of Cards and Jeff Daniels for The Newsroom.

BEST COMEDY SERIES

  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
  • Louie (FX) 
  • Modern Family (ABC)
  • Orange Is the New Black (Netflix)
  • Silicon Valley (HBO)
  • Veep (HBO) 

BEST DRAMA SERIES

  • Breaking Bad (AMC)
  • Downton Abbey (PBS)
  • Game of Thrones (HBO)
  • House of Cards (Netflix)
  • Mad Men (AMC)
  • True Detective (HBO)

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES 

  • Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory(CBS) 
  • Matt LeBlanc, Episodes (Showtime) 
  • Don Cheadle, House of Lies(Showtime)
  • Louis C.K., Louie (FX)
  • Ricky Gervais, Ricky (Netflix) 
  • William H. Macy, Shameless(Showtime) 

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES 

  • Lena Dunham, Girls(HBO)
  • Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly(CBS) 
  • Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie (Showtime)
  •  Taylor Schilling, Orange Is the New Black(Netflix) 
  • Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation (NBC) 
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep (HBO) 

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES

  • Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad (AMC) 
  • Kevin Spacey, House of Cards (Netflix) 
  • Jon Hamm, Mad Men (AMC) 
  • Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom  (HBO) 
  • Matthew McConaughey, True Detective(HBO) 
  • Woody Harrelson, True Detective (HBO) 

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES

  • Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey  (PBS) 
  • Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife 
  • Claire Danes, Homeland (Showtime) 
  • Robin Wright, House of Cards (Netflix) 
  • Lizzie Caplan, Masters of Sex (Showtime) 
  • Kerry Washington, Scandal (ABC)

MINISERIES OR MOVIE

  • American Horror Story: Coven Bonnie and ClydeFargo Luther Treme The White Queen 

TELEVISON MOVIE

  • Killing Kennedy
  • Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight 
  • The Normal Heart Sherlock 
  • The Trip to Bountiful

BEST ACTRESS, MINISERIES OR MOVIE

  • Helena Bonham Carter, Burton and Taylor 
  • Minnie Driver Return to Zero 
  • Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Coven 
  • Sarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Coven 
  • Cicely Tyson, The Trip to Bountiful 
  • Kristen Wiig, The Spoils of Babylon 

BEST ACTOR, MINISERIES OR MOVIE

  • Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock 
  • Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dancing on the Edge
  • Idris Elba, Luther 
  • Martin Freeman, Fargo
  • Mark Ruffalo, The Normal Heart
  • Billy Bob Thornton, Fargo 

VARIETY SERIES

  • The Colbert Report 
  • The Daily Show 
  • Jimmy Kimmel Live 
  • Real Time with Bill Maher 
  • SNL 
  • The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Reality - Competition Program

  • The Amazing Race 
  • Dancing with the Stars 
  • Project Runway 
  • So You Think You Can Dance 
  • Top Chef 
  • The Voice

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA

  • Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
  • Jon Voight,  Ray Donovan
  • Josh Charles, The Good Wife 
  • Mandy Patinkin, Homeland 
  • Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad 
  • Jim Carter, Downton Abbey 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

  • Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad 
  • Maggie Smith,  Downton Abbey 
  • Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey
  • Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
  • Christina Hendricks, Mad Men 
  • Christine Baranski, The Good Wife 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY

  • Andre Braugher,  Brooklyn Nine-Nine 
  • Adam Driver, Girls 
  • Ty Burrell, Modern Family 
  • Jesse Tyler Ferguson,  Modern Family
  • Fred Armisen, Portlandia 
  • Tony Hale, Veep 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

  • Julie Bowen, Modern Family 
  • Allison Janney, Mom 
  • Kate Mulgrew, Orange Is the New Black
  • Kate McKinnon, SNL 
  • Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory 
  • Anna Chlumsky, Veep 

GUEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA

  • Paul Giamatti, Downton Abbey 
  • Reg E. Cathey,  House of Cards 
  • Robert Morse, Mad Men 
  • Beau Bridges, Masters of Sex 
  • Joe MortonScandal 
  • Dylan Baker, The Good Wife 

GUEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA

  • Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones 
  • Kate Mara, House of Cards 
  • Allison Janney, Masters of Sex 
  • Kate Burton, Scandal 
  • Margo Martindale, The Americans 
  • Jane Fonda, The Americans 

GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY

  • Nathan Lane, Modern Family 
  • Steve Buscemi, Portlandia 
  • Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live 
  • Louis C.K., Saturday Night Live 
  • Bob Newhart, The Big Bang Theory 
  • Gary Cole, Veep 

GUEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY

  • Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black 
  • Laverne Cox, Orange Is the New Black 
  • Natasha Lyonne, Orange Is the New Black 
  • Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live 
  • Melissa McCarthy, Saturday Night Live 
  • Joan Cusack, Shameless

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