AceShowbiz -

The nominations for the upcoming 65th annual Primetime Emmy Awards have been announced. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Chairman-CEO Bruce Rosenblum was joined by "Breaking Bad" actor Aaron Paul and this year's master of ceremonies, Neil Patrick Harris of "How I Met Your Mother", to reveal the contenders.

"Mad Men" and "American Horror Story" lead the pack with 17 nods each. "Game of Thrones" follows closely with 16 nominations. The AMC drama series and the HBO medieval show are pitted against each other for the Outstanding Drama Series, battling "Breaking Bad", "Downton Abbey", "Homeland" and "House of Cards".

"Mad Men" main cast Jon Hamm and Elisabeth Moss are up for Lead Actor and Lead Actress in a Drama Series respectively. The former faces off Hugh Bonneville ("Downton Abbey"), Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad"), Jeff Daniels ("The Newsroom"), Damian Lewis ("Homeland"), and Kevin Spacey ("House of Cards").

Moss, meanwhile, goes head to head with Connie Britton ("Nashville"), Claire Danes (Homeland"), Michelle Dockery ("Downton Abbey"), Vera Farmiga ("Bates Motel"), Kerry Washington ("Scandal"), and Robin Wright Penn ("House of Cards").

In the comedy categories, "30 Rock", "The Big Bang Theory", "Girls", "Louie", "Modern Family" and "Veep" are nominated for the Outstanding accolade.

Tina Fey of "30 Rock" is vying for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series along with Laura Dern ("Enlightened"), Lena Dunham ("Girls"), Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie"), Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("Veep"), and Amy Poehler ("Parks and Recreation").

The contenders for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, meanwhile, are Alec Baldwin ("30 Rock"), Jason Bateman ("Arrested Development"), Don Cheadle ("House of Lies"), Louis C.K. ("Louie"), Matt LeBlanc ("Episodes") and Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory").

The winners will be announced in a star-studded ceremony Sunday, September 22, which will air live on CBS at 8 P.M. The selected nominees are as follows, and the reminders of the list including the directing and writing categories can be obtained at Emmys.com.

Outstanding Drama Series:

• "Breaking Bad"
• "Downton Abbey"
• "Game of Thrones"
• "Homeland"
• "House of Cards"
• "Mad Men"

• Connie Britton, "Nashville"
• Claire Danes, "Homeland"
• Michelle Dockery, "Downton Abbey"
• Vera Farmiga, "Bates Motel"
• Elisabeth Moss, "Mad Men"
• Kerry Washington, "Scandal"
• Robin Wright Penn, "House of Cards"

• Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey"
• Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
• Jeff Daniels, "The Newsroom"
• Jon Hamm, "Mad Men"
• Damian Lewis, "Homeland"
• Kevin Spacey, "House of Cards"

• "30 Rock"
• "The Big Bang Theory"
• "Girls"
• "Louie"
• "Modern Family"
• "Veep"

• Laura Dern, "Enlightened"
• Lena Dunham, "Girls"
• Edie Falco, "Nurse Jackie"
• Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, "Veep"
• Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"

• Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
• Jason Bateman, "Arrested Development"
• Don Cheadle, "House of Lies"
• Louis C.K., "Louie"
• Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"
• Jim Parsons, "The Big Bang Theory"

• "American Horror Story: Asylum"
• "Behind the Candelabra"
• "The Bible"
• "Phil Spector"
• "Political Animals"
• "Top of the Lake"

• "The Colbert Report"
• "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart"
• "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
• "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon"
• "Real Time With Bill Maher"
• "Saturday Night Live"

• "The Amazing Race"
• "Dancing With the Stars"
• "Project Runway"
• "So You Think You Can Dance"
• "Top Chef"
• "The Voice"

• Tom Bergeron, "Dancing With The Stars"
• Anthony Bourdain, "The Taste"
• Cat Deeley, "So You Think You Can Dance"
• Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn, "Project Runway"
• Ryan Seacrest, "American Idol"
• Betty White, "Betty White's Off Their Rockers"

• Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
• Laura Linney, "The Big C: Hereafter"
• Helen Mirren, "Phil Spector"
• Elisabeth Moss, "Top of the Lake"
• Sigourney Weaver, "Political Animals"

• Benedict Cumberbatch, "Parade's End"
• Matt Damon, "Behind the Candelabra"
• Michael Douglas, "Behind the Candelabra"
• Toby Jones, "The Girl (2012)"
• Al Pacino, "Phil Spector"

• Morena Baccarin, "Homeland"
• Christine Baranski, "The Good Wife"
• Emilia Clarke, "Game of Thrones"
• Anna Gunn, "Breaking Bad"
• Christina Hendricks, "Mad Men"
• Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"

• Jonathan Banks, "Breaking Bad"
• Bobby Cannavale, "Boardwalk Empire"
• Jim Carter, "Downton Abbey"
• Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
• Mandy Patinkin, "Homeland"
• Aaron Paul, "Breaking Bad"

• Mayim Bialik, "The Big Bang Theory"
• Julie Bowen, "Modern Family"
• Anna Chlumsky, "Veep"
• Jane Krakowski, "30 Rock"
• Jane Lynch, "Glee"
• Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
• Merritt Wever, "Nurse Jackie"

• Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"
• Adam Driver, "Girls"
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson, "Modern Family"
• Bill Hader, "Saturday Night Live"
• Tony Hale, "Veep"
• Ed O'Neill, "Modern Family"

• Ellen Burstyn, "Political Animals"
• Sarah Paulson, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
• Charlotte Rampling, "Restless"
• Imelda Staunton, "The Girl (2012)"
• Alfre Woodard, "Steel Magnolias"

• Scott Bakula, "Behind the Candelabra"
• James Cromwell, "American Horror Story: Asylum"
• John Benjamin Hickey, "The Big C: Hereafter"
• Peter Mullan, "Top of the Lake"
• Zachary Quinto, "American Horror Story: Asylum"

• "Antiques Roadshow"
• "Deadliest Catch"
• "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives"
• "MythBusters"
• "Shark Tank"
• "Undercover Boss"

• "The Abolitionist"
• "American Masters"
• "The Men Who Built America"
• "Through the Wormhole With Morgan Freeman"
• "Vice"

• "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown"
• "Brain Games"
• "Inside the Actors Studio"
• "Oprah's Master Class"
• "Stand Up to Cancer"

• "The Kennedy Center Honors"
• "Louis C.K.: Oh My God"
• "Mel Brooks Strikes Back!"
• "Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update Thrusday (Part One)"
• "12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief"

• "Bob's Burgers"
• "Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness: Enter the Dragon"
• "Regular Show: The Christmas Special"
• "The Simpsons"
• "South Park"

• "Good Luck Charlie"
• "iCarly"
• "Nick News With Linda Ellerbee"
• "The Weight of the Nation for Kids: Quiz Ed!"
• "A Young Arts Masterclass"

• Linda Cardellini, "Mad Men"
• Joan Cusack, "Shameless"
• Jane Fonda, "The Newsroom"
• Margo Martindale, "The Americans"
• Carrie Preston, "The Good Wife"
• Diana Rigg, "Game of Thrones"

• Michael J. Fox, "The Good Wife"
• Rupert Friend, "Homeland"
• Robert Morse, "Mad Men"
• Harry Hamlin, "Mad Men"
• Dan Bucatinsky, "Scandal"
• Nathan Lane, "The Good Wife"

• Dot Jones, "Glee"
• Melissa Leo, "Louie"
• Melissa McCarthy, "Saturday Night Live"
• Molly Shannon, "Enlightened"
• Elaine Stritch, "30 Rock"
• Kristen Wiig, "Saturday Night Live"

• Will Forte, "30 Rock"
• Nathan Lane, "Modern Family"
• Bobby Cannavale, "Nurse Jackie"
• Louis C.K., "Saturday Night Live"
• Bob Newhart, "The Big Bang Theory"
• Justin Timberlake, "Saturday Night Live"