File Jeff Hiller’s Emmy nomination — his first ever — for supporting actor in a comedy underneath 2025’s main surprises column. His portrayal of supportive bestie Joel to Bridget Everett’s Sam on “Somebody Somewhere” certainly ranks as one of many 12 months’s finest performances, however the nuanced comedy and its eclectic forged have been thought-about lengthy pictures in opposition to actors from “The Bear,” “Only Murders in the Building” and “Abbott Elementary.”
The Peabody Award-winning sequence, which concluded this 12 months with its third season, adopted a bunch of outsiders — homosexual and straight — as they navigated friendship, religion and questions of self in a small, rural Kansas city. Like Hiller, Joel is homosexual and grew up closely concerned within the Christian church.
When the Tv Academy introduced its checklist of nominees Tuesday morning, Hiller was something however prepared to listen to his identify referred to as alongside Harrison Ford (“Shrinking”), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (“The Bear”) and Colman Domingo (“The Four Seasons.”) He spoke to The Occasions, in an interview edited for readability and size, shortly after studying he was nominated.
Jeff Hiller and Bridget Everett in Season 3 of HBO’s “Somebody Somewhere.”
(Sandy Morris / HBO)
Have been you poised and ready for the bulletins this morning, or have been you identical to, yeah, it’s not going to occur?
I need to let you know, with none form of posturing or false humility, this can be a shock.
I imply, it’s Season 3. I stated to my husband, “The Emmy noms are coming out so I guess at some point someone’s going to be like, ‘Somebody Somewhere’ was snubbed.” I had moved on. Then I used to be on the cellphone with my sister and I used to be like, “My agent keeps calling me. What is he calling me for? Did I get that recurring role on that Fox pilot?” It was so surprising. I type of had forgotten that it was taking place. I do know that this sounds so faux, however I actually was shocked.
And to be seen for such a splendidly singular present and position. There’s nothing else like “Somebody Somewhere,” or a personality like Joel, on tv.
I do know and he was loads like me. I took this dumb appearing class on learn how to get to be a sequence common on a TV present, and that is like 15 years into my appearing profession. On this class they have been like, they have been like, “You won’t get a series regular role unless you’re a lot like the character.” And I used to be like, “Oh crap! Nobody writes characters like me.”
Let me simply say that I’m totally conscious of how fortunate I used to be that this position got here to me and I’m so grateful to Bridget and co-creators Hannah [Bos] and Paul [Thureen] since you’re proper. There’s nothing like [the show or him] on the market and to get to do a totally realized character and be homosexual but additionally be within the church — it’s difficult. It takes a number of work and exposition to get throughout a personality this nuanced. I’m so grateful that they wrote that after which I received to play it, and that they didn’t forged, , Michael Urie. I might have forged him.
Do you miss Joel?
Oh yeah, I do. It’s over a 12 months in the past that we shot Season 3, so I miss the crew and the reward of having the ability to play him. I do know that every one this sounds so tacky and hack and stuff, [like other Emmy quotes] I learn in articles, however I suppose it was all true once they have been saying it.
And the place are you proper now?
I’m at Gate 95 at LaGuardia Airport. I’ve this bank card that I pay a particularly excessive charge on in order that I can get into the lounge, however the line is simply too lengthy so I’m simply ready on the gate till 3:40 as a result of the flight received delayed.
You have been simply nominated for an Emmy! Don’t they know who you might be?
They’ve made it very clear they have no idea who I’m.
So what’s subsequent?
I’m very excited simply to have the ability to go to the [Emmy] social gathering. I’ve by no means gotten to go to a celebration like this. I’m going to put on one thing actually homosexual. It’s going to be nice.
