The 77th Emmy Awards arrive Sunday night with a handful of tight races and a handful of presumed favorites, and The New York Post released a full set of predictions that put Apple TV+’s science-fiction thriller Severance front and center.
Severance leads the field with 27 nominations, followed by HBO’s The Penguin with 24, and both Seth Rogen’s The Studio and HBO’s The White Lotus with 23 apiece. A newly buzzy medical drama, The Pitt, emerged as a dark horse after picking up 13 nominations, prompting questions about whether it can unseat Severance in the drama categories. The ceremony will be hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze and will be broadcast live on CBS at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 14, from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. To be eligible for this year’s Emmys, series had to premiere between June 1, 2024, and May 31, 2025.
In the marquee drama series category, The Post’s forecast lists eight nominees — The White Lotus, Severance, The Pitt, Andor, The Last of Us, The Diplomat, Paradise and Slow Horses — and picks Severance to win. The outlet argued the Apple TV+ series avoided a sophomore slump, delivering intricate plotting and standout work from an ensemble that continues to generate conversation. The Post acknowledged the possibility of an upset by The Pitt, which it described as a surprise hit driven by word of mouth and Noah Wyle’s comeback turn.
Noah Wyle is the Post’s choice to win lead actor in a drama series, narrowly edging Adam Scott (Severance), Sterling K. Brown (Paradise), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses) and Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us). The Post cites Wyle’s position as the face of The Pitt and the narrative appeal of a comeback after his long association with ER.
For lead actress in a drama series, the Post singles out Britt Lower of Severance over contenders including Kathy Bates (Matlock), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters) and Keri Russell (The Diplomat). The outlet highlighted Lower’s dual performance as both an “outie” character and her rebellious “innie,” saying the role showcased range and helped establish her as a breakout performer.
On the comedy side, The Studio is the Post’s pick to win outstanding comedy series amid a field that includes Hacks, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, Only Murders in the Building, Nobody Wants This, Shrinking and What We Do in the Shadows. The Post argued Hollywood’s appetite for shows about itself and the chatter around Seth Rogen’s series made The Studio the likely winner.
Seth Rogen was also predicted to take the Emmy for lead actor in a comedy series for The Studio, with Jeremy Allen White (The Bear), Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building), Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This) and Jason Segel (Shrinking) listed among the other nominees. For lead actress in a comedy series, the Post forecast Jean Smart of Hacks to continue her strong run in the category, where she previously won and remains a favored presence.
In supporting categories, the Post predicted Walton Goggins would win outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for The White Lotus, while Carrie Coon was selected to take supporting actress in a drama for the same show. The outlet noted that multiple supporting players from The White Lotus could dilute each other’s chances but ultimately placed its bets on Goggins and Coon based on industry buzz and longstanding careers.
The Post’s projection for supporting actor in a comedy series is Harrison Ford for Shrinking — a notable pick given that it would mark Ford’s first Emmy nomination win at age 83 — while Kathryn Hahn was chosen to win supporting actress in a comedy for The Studio. The Post argued Hahn’s role had a larger, more attention-grabbing arc than some of her fellow nominees.
In the limited or anthology series races, The Penguin and Adolescence figure prominently. The Post forecast Adolescence to win outstanding limited or anthology series, calling it the year’s breakout in that field, and predicted Colin Farrell would take lead actor in a limited series for his transformative turn in The Penguin. Michelle Williams was named the likely winner for lead actress in a limited series for Dying for Sex, with the Post citing her awards-season profile and a fearless performance in that series.
The Post ran through other categories as well, including its picks for guest and supporting performances, noting the strong showing by White Lotus co-stars and the surprise emergence of performers from Severance and The Pitt. The outlet repeatedly framed its choices around industry momentum, breakout narratives and the tendency of Emmy voters to reward both established names and emergent talent in the same season.
Prognostications such as these come ahead of the live ceremony and are subject to the unpredictable voting patterns of the Television Academy. The Emmys have in recent years seen both expected outcomes and notable surprises, with ensemble-heavy shows sometimes splitting votes among multiple nominees while star turns can consolidate support. With several high-profile series vying across drama, comedy and limited-series fields, Sunday’s broadcast is likely to feature a mix of veteran winners and potential first-time victors.
Nate Bargatze will lead the live telecast from the Peacock Theater, and the Emmys will be distributed nationally by CBS. The Post’s predictions provide a snapshot of the industry conversation heading into the awards, highlighting Severance’s dominance in nominations and The Pitt’s emergence as a potential spoiler, while elevating The Studio, several veteran performers and a number of breakout actors as names to watch.
