Among the "major snubs" from the nominations for the 70th Emmy Awards was AL PACINO for his role in "PATERNO," according to James Hibberd of EW.com. This level of Hollywood icon casting in an HBO biopic is "normally a lock to get nominated, but not this time" (EW.com, 7/12). VANITY FAIR's Sonia Saraiya noted the "biggest shock is that an HBO film performance tailor-made to appeal to awards voters somehow ended up being overlooked." The industry has a "noted weakness for star power, and Pacino in particular so rarely does projects for the small screen that his lead role" as JOE PATERNO was "thought to be a shoo-in." However, voters "were not impressed" (VANITYFAIR.com, 7/12). In Houston, Cary Darling noted Pacino's role would "seem to be Emmy bait of the highest order." Darling: "Guess not" (CHRON.com, 7/12). VARIETY's Danielle Turchiano noted while this sort of snub "normally might seem unfathomable," OPRAH WINFREY was snubbed last year, so "simply being a big name may just not be enough if the project isn’t also extremely buzzy in this time of peak TV" (VARIETY.com, 7/12). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Hilary Lewis noted the HBO film did "score a best TV movie nomination as well as one" for director BARRY LEVINSON (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 7/12).
