Watch Richard Linklater’s Wistful ‘Last Flag Flying’ Trailer With Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston (Video)

RuPaul, Tony Hale, and Michelle Visage have a lot to smile about. For one, RuPaul and Visage's "Drag Race" on VH1 scored 8 Emmy nominations.

Also Read: Emmy Nominations 2017: The Complete List

Some years at this annual event, part-time Montage resident Justin Bieber has popped in. Not this year. 

Patrika Darbo (who won an Emmy last year) and Lily Tomlin are the "Governors" of the Performers Peer Group. That means they lead this branch of the TV Academy.

Here is a partial group shot of the 2017 acting nominees. On Friday night of Emmy weekend, a larger grouping of the nominees who are in town will pose for another class photo.

Allison Janney (with Leonardo Nam) spent time getting to know "This Is Us" lead Chrissy Metz when they took the stage together. 

Also Read: ‘This Is Us’ Kicked Out of Emmy Costumes Race

Dr. K. on "This Is Us," Gerald McRaney, is a first-time Emmy nominee. He's up for Guest Actor in a Drama Series against two other guest stars on the same show. "This is a little nerve- racking. I like being on the set and the process of doing the work," he said. On working the Emmy campaign trail, McRaney told The Party Report, "It's weird, but it's a damn good weird."

Real friends alert: "Veep" co-stars Tony Hale and Matt Walsh drove off together at the end of the event.

"Television has never been better. Television rivals motion pictures," actor and voice of Porky Pig, Bob Bergen (right) told The Party Report. "I think the Amazons and the Hulus have brought the networks up a notch." 

Salvador Camarena and Ross Matthews

Mindy Sterling (left, with Alan Tudyk) is nominated against herself in the Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.

Darbo and new TV Academy Chairman and CEO Hayma Washington have more than 20 more peer group receptions to attend before the ceremony on September 17.

Also Read: How BBC America’s Nature Series ‘Planet Earth II’ Got So Many Emmy Nominations?