‘1923’ Emmys Submissions: Helen Mirren, Harrison Ford, Taylor Sheridan

“Yellowstone” may have been shut out at the 2022 Emmys, but Paramount+’s Western spinoff “1923” is hoping to break that cycle.

Creator Taylor Sheridan, who wrote the entire first season of the freshman series, has chosen to submit the premiere episode, titled “1923,” for Emmy consideration, Variety can exclusively confirm. In addition, the same kickoff episode will serve as Ben Richardson’s official submission for outstanding directing for a drama.

Read Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Emmy predictions in all categories.

The eight-episode prequel to Paramount Network’s “Yellowstone” and sequel to Paramount+’s “1883” follows a generation of the Dutton family during various hardships, including prohibition, drought and the early stages of the Great Depression.

With the star power of veteran actors Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, the duo will be vying for the lead actor and lead actress drama prizes.

Ford, 80, has never received an Emmy nom — and this year, could get two. The other is for his career-best performance as a senior therapist with Parkinson’s disease in “Shrinking” from Apple TV, which he’s submitted for supporting comedy actor.

Mirren, on the other hand, has been an Emmy darling going back to her recognition for “Prime Suspect” in 1996 and her return to the character in 2007, with two other wins in between for “The Passion of Ayn Rand” in 1999 and “Elizabeth I” in 2006. Mirren is also wickedly close to achieving EGOT status after winning best actress for “The Queen” (2006) and a Tony Award in 2015 for “The Audience.” All that is needed is a Grammy prize (spoken word album incoming?).

In addition, the network has opted to submit an onslaught of supporting players.

Supporting drama actor will have Timothy Dalton, Brandon Sklenar, Darren Mann, Jerome Flynn, Brian Geraghty, Sebastian Roché and Robert Patrick up for consideration, while supporting drama actress hopes to include Aminah Nieves, Julia Schlaepfer, Michelle Randolph, Jennifer Ehle and Marley Shelton.

Paramount announced a second season in February after the show became a hit as the most-watched Paramount+ premiere of all time in the U.S., with 7.4 million viewers. It also received positive reviews, with Variety critic Joshua Alston writing that “Mirren and Ford – both 80-ish, neither a stranger to action badassery – make for such a potent pairing, their chemistry alone is enough to make ‘1923’ feel like an elevated version of Sheridan’s neo-Western fare.”

Emmy voting begins on June 15.

“1923” Emmy Submissions