Emmy Nominees React to Their Golden Opportunities

We know what you think about the nominees for this year's Primetime Emmy Awards, but what do the lucky nominees have to say about their good fortune? Some of your favorites reveal what went through their minds as the good news got out.

Doug Ellin, executive producer of Entourage (Outstanding Comedy Series nominee)
"The New York Times called Entourage the best show in its first season. If for some reason [the voters] appreciate it more and we win this time, there's nothing we've consciously done to change it.... I spoke to Jeremy [Piven], who's in London doing a movie, and I'm playing golf with Kevin [Dillon] in about two hours. Jeremy is kind of our home-run hitter, I knew he was going to get nominated, and when Kevin and Martin Landau also got nominated, it was just great."

Tim Kring, executive producer of Heroes (Outstanding Drama Series)
"We set out to make a show that people would get hooked on. For the show to now have this kind of critical exposure is really the icing on the cake."

Greg Grunberg, regarding Heroes' first-year nominations
"Eight nominations....This is crazy! I'm so excited that the show got nominated. And Masi [Oka, up for supporting actor in a drama series], that's the best news ever. I'm incredibly proud, more proud of this than anything I've ever done. We're the luckiest actors in town."

Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of American Idol (Outstanding Reality Series) and So You Think You Can Dance (Choreography)
"We've been nominated [for Idol] so many times now, it feels like the bridesmaid but never the bride. The production team worked so hard this season, almost doing two finales in the same season with "Idol Gives Back" and then the finale. But of course, my big passion at the moment is the dance show. To see that nominated for Mia [Michaels] and Wade [Robson] was just delightful. Summer shows don't really get nominations, so that caught me off guard. I feel extremely proud."

Heidi Klum, executive producer of Project Runway (Outstanding Reality Series)
"I'm very excited that we're in the running one more time. This is our third time around, and maybe we'll get lucky. I'm in it to win it. This show originated in America, it wasn't [created] somewhere else and we just copied it.... Winning would be icing on the cake."

Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi (Outstanding Reality Series)
"I didn't suspect we might get nominated, but I am so happy and very pleased for our entire team. It's so nice to have the recognition of the industry."

Dick Wolf, executive producer of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (Outstanding Movie/Miniseries, plus 16 other nods)
"Six years of work have been validated in a way that nothing else validates a project. To say I'm stunned and overwhelmed is an understatement. We were hoping that we would get something, but 17?! It's on the record that Law & Order has the most consecutive drama nominations.... But this is totally different."

Tina Fey, 30 Rock (Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series)
"We were in a hotel room in Philadelphia and had the TV on, and just as the announcements came up, my daughter had a spill and there was all this crying. So we had to go online to see that the show was nominated and my husband was nominated [for 30 Rock's title music].... I'm going to wear jeans and a tuxedo shirt [to the Emmys], because isn't that what everyone is supposed to wear? My husband should wear his tie with the dogs playing poker."

Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters (Actress in a Drama Series)
"I found out because my 19-year-old son, who is just home from NYU for the summer, came running into my room at 5:40 this morning and said, ‘You were nominated!' It's usually the opposite; I'm usually the one waking him up saying, ‘It's 2 o'clock in the afternoon.' I was thrilled because I think Rachel Griffiths, who was also nominated [in the supporting category], and I are really representing the show and the writers and the other actors. I came on board because of the writing, because of [executive producer] Robbie [Baitz] and Ken Olin, because of the actors who were on board, like Calista [Flockhart] and Rachel and Ron [Rifkin] and Patty [Wettig] and all of our fabulous boys.... I'm really lucky to be a part of this."

Mary-Louise Parker (Lead Actress in a Comedy for Weeds and Lead Actress in a TV-movie/miniseries for The Robber Bride)
"This was such an unbelievably sweet way to start my day. I am taking my son to Disneyland and I feel entitled to double cotton candy."

Minnie Driver, The Riches (Lead Actress in a Comedy Series)
"I love this character and they write so well for me. Once they saw that I was ready and available to do whatever they wrote for me, they just started writing her stronger and stronger.... I spoke to Eddie [Izzard], and I got a hilarious text message from Shannon Woodward, who plays my daughter. It was three lines of exclamation points, and lots of hugs and kisses. She's a sweet girl."

Debra Messing, The Starter Wife (Lead Actress in a TV-movie/miniseries)
"I am so overjoyed! The Starter Wife was a labor of love for all of us involved, and to have it acknowledged in this way is indescribably gratifying."

Rainn Wilson, The Office (Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series)
"My reaction was, 'Huh? What?' I have been doing night shoots through 7:30 am.... You hear rumors and stuff, and last year's was, 'You could get nominated,' and I got a little excited. I tried not to think about it. If it came, it came. Emmy voters are known as a fairly conservative bunch, so the fact that they would nominate a ridiculous fascist über-nerd with a bad haircut is pretty exciting.... Dwight would say it's not about who's best as an actor but who works hardest and fights best as an actor, and give all awards to Jack Bauer — not Kiefer Sutherland, because he doesn't know who that is, but Jack Bauer.... I've rented Björk's swan dress [for the ceremony]."

Jenna Fischer, The Office (Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series)
"The first person I called was my sister, because I knew she would geek out the most. And I was right.... It's so hard to explain, but I'm just so thrilled for Pam. I guess she's that shy part of me that is just so happy to be recognized for doing something that I love so much."

Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother (Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series)
"What a nice way to wake up in the morning. I'm going to have my publicist call me every morning at 5:45 and tell me that I got a nomination.... I called my parents and then sort of laid in bed and pondered the ramifications. I hope it's some acknowledgment for How I Met Your Mother as a show, because Barney is crafted by the writers well before I take a stab at him. The [nomination] is fun and it will look nice on a bio, but hopefully the network can promote the show some more now."

Kevin Dillon, Entourage (Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series)
"I had no inkling whatsoever. When my manager called, I thought it had to do with the Teen Choice Awards or something. It's just nice to see that people are enjoying your work and respecting it. All actors worry if they're ever going to work again, and this is a step in the right direction. It makes you feel a little more at ease with your career."

Masi Oka, Heroes (Supporting Actor in a Drama Series)
"It's certainly a much better way to start my morning than yesterday, when I spilled tea all over myself. I couldn't be happier or more thrilled."

Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty (Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series)
"My BlackBerry was blowing up when I turned it on in the morning. There were a zillion messages on it, so I had a pretty good indication of what was happening. It's a great show, a great creation, and it's nice when things come to fruition and we're recognized. It's definitely a team effort, so I was happy when I heard we had a total of 11 nominations. It was wonderful."

Aida Turturro, The Sopranos (Supporting Actress in a Drama Series)
"I had no idea, it was a big surprise. It's nice to be in such good company. It's going to be good to be with everyone [from the cast at the Emmys]."

Anna Paquin, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (Supporting Sctress in a TV-movie/miniseries)
"I didn't even know the Emmys was coming up, I'm so out of the loop! It's a very nice surprise. This is actually even more exciting [than her Oscar nom for The Piano] because now I'm a grown-up and it's not some strange thing I did as a 'baby.'"

August Schellenberg, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (Supporting Actor in TV-movie/miniseries)
"I was thrilled beyond belief and I am thrilled for the whole team who worked on the movie. During production I was aware that this was a very important piece of work, but not that it would garner so many nominations.... This is the crowning achievement, the highlight of my career."

Elisabeth Reaser, Grey's Anatomy (Guest Actress in a Drama Series)
"I'm so shocked. Completely in shock. I checked my BlackBerry and had tons of e-mails, everyone saying, "Emmy!!! Emmy!!!" Exclamation points all over. I can't imagine a better way to start my day.... I wanted to do the character [of 'Jane Doe'] justice, she's very important, so I'm happy that people were moved." 

Leslie Caron, Law & Order: SVU (Guest Actress in a Drama Series)
"I am absolutely thrilled to be in the running. I have been a fan for years of all of the Law & Orders, so I am particularly honored to be a part of SVU. This is truly remarkable."

Robot Chicken executive producer Matthew Senreich (Best Animation)
"I'm stunned. I never expected this. It's surreal. I think it validates playing with toys, more than anything."

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