Emmy Awards 2020: Paul Mescal credits Normal People nomination to co-star

Mescal and Edgar-Jones played lovers Connell and Marianne in the BBC drama

Normal People actor Paul Mescal has credited his co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones for his Emmy nomination.

Mescal was nominated for best lead actor in a limited series for his role as aspiring writer Connell Waldron, but Edgar-Jones was overlooked.

The Irish actor told his co-star that his citation "only exists because of you and your extraordinary talent".

He accompanied his post with a shot of him crying, taken from the BBC Three adaptation of Sally Rooney's novel.

Normal People also received nominations for its casting, directing and writing.

Edgar-Jones responded by posting a photo of Mescal and director Lenny Abrahamson, writing: "I could not be more proud of these two utterly incredible people, working with you both has been one of the greatest joys of my life."

The drama followed the romantic entanglements of two young people from a small town in Ireland as they leave school and attend university in Dublin.

Other nominees to respond to their nominations include former child star Zendaya, who is up for best actress in a drama for Euphoria.

The 23-year-old said her first Emmy nod had left her "honestly speechless" and her heart "overflowing with love and gratitude".

• Watchmen leads way at Emmy nominations

• Emmy Awards 2020: The main nominations

Glow star Betty Gilpin, meanwhile, used her nomination for best supporting actress in a comedy series to comment on current events.

"I really can't stress enough how much of a threat this nomination is to my current quarantine brand of pasta and sad," she wrote.

"Before this nomination phoenixes me out of mediocrity and I explode into ribbons... the cops who killed Breonna Taylor still have not been arrested."

Breonna Taylor was a health worker who was shot eight times by police who entered her apartment in Louisville, Kentucky on 13 March.

The three officers involved in her killing have been placed on administrative leave during an investigation. None of them have been charged.

Zendaya played a teenage drug addict fresh out of rehab in HBO drama Euphoria

According to the Hollywood Reporter, this year's acting categories have the highest percentage of black actors in Emmy awards history.

"The 34.3% of nominations represents an all-time high for black actors, besting the previous record of 27.7% two years ago," it writes.

The 35 nominations black actors have secured include the two each received by double nominees Maya Rudolph and Giancarlo Esposito.

Esposito, shortlisted for both Better Call Saul and The Mandalorian, called his dual recognition "the most delightful, overwhelming surprise".

'Devastated'

Mescal's competition at the Emmys comes from X-Men star Hugh Jackman, who is shortlisted for his work in HBO film Bad Education.

Jackman joked that Ryan Reynolds - with whom he has a long-standing mock "feud" on social media - had been "devastated" to hear of his success.

Reynolds responded by calling Jackman's nomination "crazy" in a Twitter message.

"Careful @VancityReynolds... you're looking a bit green," Jackman replied. "Thank you @TelevisionAcad for making this moment possible!"

Bad Education, which is also up for best television movie, tells the true story of a US school administrator accused of embezzlement.

HBO superhero series Watchmen will lead the way at this year's ceremony, having received 26 nominations overall.

The winners will be announced on 20 September at a ceremony to be broadcast by ABC and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.