Carol Burnett could make history as first nonagenarian acting winner with Emmy nomination at 91

Burnett is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work in Apple TV+'s "Palm Royale."

Carol Burnett is already making history with the 2024 Emmy nominations — but she could set an even bigger record when the awards show airs this fall.

The legendary actor and comedian is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work in Apple TV+'s Palm Royale. At 91 years old, that makes her the oldest female comedy actor to be nominated for an Emmy.

Related: Carol Burnett reflects on her most iconic roles, from Annie to The Carol Burnett Show

That's already an impressive honor on its own, but if she wins, she would also make history as the first nonagenarian acting winner in any category. Betty White currently holds the record as the oldest acting Emmy winner, as she was 88 years old when she won her fifth trophy for guest hosting Saturday Night Live in 2010.

Even if she doesn't take home the trophy during the ceremony this fall, Burnett is now part of a very small, esteemed group of nonagenarian acting Emmy nominees. The only other actress to be nominated in her 90s is Cicely Tyson, who was recognized five times in the guest actress in a drama category for How to Get Away with Murder, the latest being when she was 95.

As for men, Eli Wallach was nominated twice in his 90s (in the guest actor in a comedy category for Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip in 2007 at 91, and then again as a guest actor but in the drama category for Nurse Jackie in 2010 at 94), and Ernest Borgnine was nominated once at 92 in the guest actor in a drama category for ER in 2009.

Meanwhile, Dick Van Dyke became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy award last month when he collected a trophy for his guest performance as Timothy Robicheaux on Days of Our Lives. "I'm the oldest nominee in history — I can't believe it," the 98-year-old Mary Poppins actor said in his acceptance speech. "If I had known I was gonna live this long, I would've taken better care of myself."

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This is Burnett's first time being nominated in the comedy supporting actress category, as well as her first nod for a regular role on a non-sketch series. She has been nominated for an Emmy 24 times. Her last acting Emmy win came in the guest actress in a comedy category in 1997 for Mad About You. She recently took home her seventh Emmy for co-producing her own birthday special, 90 Years of Love + Laughter.

Burnett appears in all 10 episodes of Palm Royale's first season as Norma Dellacorte, the comatose aunt-in-law to Kristen Wiig's character. She is running alongside fellow nominees Liza Colón-Zayas (The Bear), Hannah Einbinder (Hacks), Janelle James (Abbott Elementary), Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary), and Meryl Streep (Only Murders in the Building).

The 2024 Emmys is set to air live on Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC.

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.