Jennifer Coolidge drew attention during the 2025 Emmy Awards by making an Ozempic joke that referenced herself and fellow actress Elizabeth Debicki during a speech at the ceremony.
The event also handed out awards across drama, comedy, limited and reality categories, with wins for Severance performers, Seth Rogen’s The Studio, The Traitors and a string of individual acting and creative honors.
Severance, which received multiple nominations, was recognized in acting categories: Britt Lower won Best Actress in a Drama Series for her work on the show, Tramell Tillman took Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and Merritt Wever won Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series for a separate performance. Katherine LaNasa won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work on The Pitt. Dan Gilroy won Best Writing for a Drama Series for Andor, and Adam Randall received the Emmy for Best Directing for a Drama Series for his work on Slow Horses.
In comedy, Jean Smart won Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks. Seth Rogen, nominated for acting and creative roles tied to his series The Studio, won Best Actor in a Comedy Series and shared awards for both Best Writing and Best Directing for a Comedy Series. Hannah Einbinder won Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Jeff Hiller won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Bryan Cranston won Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series and Julianne Nicholson won Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series.
Reality and unscripted programming also featured prominently. The Traitors won Best Reality Competition Program, and Alan Cumming was named Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program. Love On The Spectrum won for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program. Jimmy Kimmel, as host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, won Host for a Game Show. SNL50: The Homecoming Concert took the prize for Outstanding Variety Special (Live).
Limited and anthology series honors included Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham winning Best Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Adolescence, and Philip Barantini won Best Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for the same project. Owen Cooper won Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Nominees spanned a wide range of streaming and broadcast fare. Best Actor in a Drama Series nominees included Sterling K. Brown for Paradise, Gary Oldman for Slow Horses, Pedro Pascal for The Last of Us, Adam Scott for Severance and Noah Wyle for The Pitt. Best Actress in a Drama Series nominees included Kathy Bates for Matlock, Sharon Horgan for Bad Sisters, Bella Ramsey for The Last of Us and Keri Russell for The Diplomat.
Several series posted large nomination totals. The Penguin amassed 24 nominations, making it the second-most-nominated series of the year, and The White Lotus received 23 nominations with multiple supporting and guest acting nods. Kathy Bates, at 77, was the oldest acting nominee this year.
The ceremony highlighted the industry’s continued blending of film and television talent: established film directors and actors received acting nominations for episodic television work, and creators such as Rogen—whose series The Studio earned multiple honors—were recognized for both creative and performance contributions.
Presenters and winners reflected a mix of veteran performers and newer faces. The awards underscored ongoing shifts in prestige television, where limited series, anthology formats and streaming platform productions continue to compete with traditional network programming for major honors.
Organizers and attendees characterized the night as a celebration of the current TV landscape’s diversity of formats and storytelling approaches. The wins acknowledged individual performances, creative teams and series that drew critical attention and industry support over the past season.