Who will win Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series in 2026?

6 nominees are competing for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, airing Mon, Sep 14, 2026 · 8pm ET on NBC & Peacock. In most pools this category is worth 1 point. Every ballot has to call it.

Updated July 2026

The 2026 nominees

NomineeTitle / Network
Salli Richardson-WhitfieldThe Gilded Age
Hanelle M. CulpepperParadise
Noah WyleThe Pitt
Vince GilliganPluribus
Saul MetzsteinSlow Horses
Salli Richardson-WhitfieldTask

How do pools score this category?

Flat scoring gives every category 1 point. In Envelope’s Headliners preset, this is a tier-3 category worth 1 point: a craft race, and the sneaky edge for anyone who does their homework.

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How many nominees are in Directing · Drama?

There are 6 nominees for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards. The full field is listed above, exactly as it appears on the Envelope ballot for this ceremony.

When is the winner announced?

During the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards broadcast, Mon, Sep 14, 2026 · 8pm ET on NBC & Peacock. Pool ballots lock when the ceremony starts, so picks go in before the first envelope opens.

Skip this pick and somewhere a film student wins your pool.