First Time Emmy Nominees

Fresh Faces Up for Emmy Awards

You always remember your first time. No doubt these new Emmy contenders will look back fondly on their first nominations this year.

More Emmys

• Best Emmy Moments
• Emmy Nominations: Snubs and Surprises

America Ferrera, 'Ugly Betty'

Nomination: Best Actress, Comedy
Fun Fact: Ferrara has already won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild award for her role in 'Ugly Betty.'

Masi Oka, 'Heroes'

Nomination: Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Fun Fact: Oka has an IQ of 180, qualifying him as a genius.

Katherine Heigl, 'Grey's Anatomy'

Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, Drama
Fun Fact: Heigl made her TV debut as a child in a national Cheerios commercial.

Neil Patrick Harris, 'How I Met Your Mother'

Nomination: Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
Fun Fact: Harris was an acclaimed actor prior to 'Doogie Howser, M.D.' winning a Golden Globe for his role in 'Clara's Heart.'

Minnie Driver, 'The Riches'

Nomination: Best Actress, Drama
Fun Fact: Her birth name is Amelia; "Minnie" was a nickname from her childhood.

Jenna Fischer,
'The Office'

Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
Fun Fact: Fischer wrote, directed, and starred in 'LolliLove,' a low budget mockumentary that premiered at the St. Louis International Film Festival in 2004.

Kevin Dillon, 'Entourage'

Nomination: Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
Fun Fact: 'Entourage' co-star Jerry Ferrara was best man at Dillon's wedding.

Vanessa Williams, 'Ugly Betty'

Nomination: Best Supporting Actress, Comedy
Fun Fact: She'll be striking up an on-air romance this season on 'Ugly Betty' with her real-life ex husband, NBA star Rick Fox.

T.R. Knight, 'Grey's Anatomy'

Nomination: Best Supporting Actor, Drama
Fun Fact: Knight has appeared on Broadway numerous times, notably with roles in 'Noises Off,' 'Boy' and 'Tartuffe.'

Dixie Carter, 'Desperate Housewives'

Nomination: Guest Actress, Comedy Series
Fun Fact: Carter was first runner-up in the 1959 Miss Tennessee pageant.

Rainn Wilson, 'The Office'

Nomination: Best Supporting Actor, Comedy
Fun Fact: Wilson has a blog called Schrute-Space in which he writes as 'The Office' character Dwight.

Salma Hayek, 'Ugly Betty'

Nomination: Guest Actress, Comedy Series
Fun Fact: Hayek was nominated for two Daytime Emmys in 2003 for The Maldonado Miracle,' one of which she won.

Judith Light, 'Ugly Betty'

Nomination: Guest Actress, Comedy Series
Fun Fact: Light won back-to-back Outstanding Actress Daytime Emmys in 1980 and 1981 for her role on 'One Life to Live.'

Tim Daly, 'The Sopranos'

Nomination: Guest Actor, Drama Series
Fun Fact: Daly was nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2006 for Outstanding Performer in a Children/Youth/Family Special for 'Edge of America.'

Queen Latifah, 'Life Support'

Nomination: Lead Actress, Miniseries or Movie
Fun Fact: Queen Latifah's real name is Dana Elaine Owens.

Thomas Haden Church, 'Broken Trail'

Nomination: Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie
Fun Fact: Church gained over ten pounds of muscle for his role as Sandman in 'Spider Man 3.'

Marcia Gay Harden, 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'

Nomination: Guest Actress, Drama Series
Fun Fact: Harden's father, brother, and husband are named Thaddaeus.

Elizabeth Reaser, 'Grey's Anatomy'

Nomination: Guest Actress, Drama Series
Fun Fact: Reaser received a B.F.A. from Juilliard in 1999; She'll reprise her role of Ava/Jane Doe/Rebecca Pope on the new season of 'Grey's.'

Giovanni Ribisi, 'My Name Is Earl'

Nomination: Guest Actor, Comedy Series
Fun Fact: Ribisi's twin sister, Marissa, is younger by fifteen minutes and married to the singer Beck.

Toni Collette, 'Tsunami, The Aftermath'

Nomination: Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie
Fun Fact: Collette gained twenty-five pounds for her role in 'In Her Shoes.'

David Morse, 'House'

Nomination: Guest Actor, Drama Series
Fun Fact: During a fight scene in 'Disturbia,' Morse broke his fingers but finished the take.

Anna Paquin, 'Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee'

Nomination: Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie
Fun Fact: Paquin was the second youngest Oscar winner ever, taking home the supporting actress award for 'The Piano.'

August Schellenberg, 'Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee'

Nomination: Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie
Fun Fact: 'Wounded Knee' character Sitting Bull is Schellenberg's all-time favorite role.

Samantha Morton, 'Longford'

Nomination: Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie
Fun Fact: Morton is expecting her second child in January 2008.

Leslie Caron, 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'

Nomination: Guest Actress, Drama Series
Fun Fact: Caron was discovered by Gene Kelly, who chose her for the big screen in 'An American in Paris' in 1951.