Seven openly gay stars received Emmy Awards nods as nominations were announced Thursday.

Half of the six men nominated in the Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series are openly gay: Chris Colfer who plays Kurt Hummel on Fox's musical comedy hit Glee, Neil Patrick Harris who plays Barney Stinson in CBS' How I Met Your Mother and Jesse Tyler Ferguson who plays gay dad Mitchell Pritchett on ABC's Modern Family.

Harris is also nominated in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series category for an appearance on Glee.

Recently married Jane Lynch is also a double nominee. She's up for consideration in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category for her role as Sue Sylvester, the sharp-tongued coach of McKinley High whose mission is to ruin the glee club singers on Glee, and her guest appearance on CBS' Two And A Half Men has also been nominated.

Lily Tomlin's supporting role as Marilyn Tobin on FX's legal drama Damages was nominated.

Sir Ian McKellen's interpretation of Two on AMC's miniseries The Prisoner earned the veteran actor an Emmy nomination in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie category.

Alan Cummings' guest spot in CBS' The Good Wife will also be considered when the Emmy Awards are presented live Sunday August 29th on NBC.