‘The Pitt’ Star Jeff Kober on Why He Submitted Himself for an Emmy

Self-submissions are rare in Hollywood, but Jeff Kober had a hunch worth betting on. That instinct just earned him the most significant recognition of his four-decade career.

It's not often that an actor puts himself forward for an Emmy nomination, but Jeff Kober decided to bet on himself — and it paid off. With more than 40 years in the entertainment industry, he knows a thing or two about how the business works.

The "General Hospital" alum recently appeared on the critically acclaimed medical drama "The Pitt," playing mechanic Duke Ekins opposite the show's lead, executive producer, director and writer, Noah Wyle. Kober featured in six episodes this season.

The heartbreak he brought to a storyline tied to Wyle's character earned him his first-ever Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. HBO opted not to submit him for the category, but his work clearly resonated with voters regardless.

"There are so many great performances on this show, and they have a limited number of people that they can submit. But I knew it was a job that I wanted to have seen," Kober shared in a recent interview.

He continued, "I knew the material and my particular wheelhouse were perfectly aligned, so I really wanted to at least have it be seen." Although the studio passed on submitting him, Kober insists he holds no grudge.

"When I heard that they weren't submitting me, it wasn't really that big a deal. It was just, 'Okay, what do I have to do?' And I just went through the process of doing it myself," he said.

This isn't the first time his self-advocacy has worked in his favor.

Kober went on to note that he won a Daytime Emmy in 2022 for "General Hospital," a category for which he also self-submitted. "You know when you do work that merits inclusion and those sorts of things," the actor said.

"The Pitt" dominated this year's drama categories with 25 nods overall, including a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. In his own category, Kober is up against another of the show's guest stars, Ernest Harden Jr.

The 72-year-old actor also made history as the only performer nominated for both a Primetime and Daytime Emmy in the same year, thanks to a Daytime Emmy nod for his recent guest appearance on "General Hospital."

In the meantime, Kober is already gearing up for the awards ceremony in September. "I'm bringing my wife. She gets to go out shopping and buy some new clothes," he said of his wife, Adele Slaughter.

Kober also opened up about his creative partnership with Wyle. "You bring yourself into this imaginary world and you assume this relationship with another person. You open yourself up and are vulnerable to the extent you're able," he explained.

He added, "Then you let yourself fall into the relationship and let it play itself out. I was doing that from my side and he was doing that from his side."

Reflecting on what the nomination means to him, he shared, "There are people in my life who have loved me and supported me and whom I have loved and supported, who haven't had this opportunity. It feels like I get to do this for all of them as well. It feels very crowded with love around me right now."