Sharon Horgan drew attention on the red carpet at the 2025 Emmy Awards when a sheer, cut-out gown revealed her bra and underwear, an image that circulated widely after the ceremony. Horgan was nominated for Best Actress in a Drama Series for Bad Sisters but lost the award to Britt Lower for her lead performance in Severance.
The ceremony, which honored television across broadcast and streaming platforms, handed out major prizes across drama, comedy and limited-series categories. The Pitt emerged as the night’s biggest drama winner, taking home Best Drama Series while Noah Wyle won his first Emmy as Best Actor in a Drama Series for his role in that show.
Britt Lower’s win for Best Actress in a Drama Series capped a strong showing for Severance, which also saw Tramell Tillman win Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and Merritt Wever receive Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series. Katherine LaNasa won Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her work in The Pitt, which also collected accolades in other categories and provided Wyle with a long-awaited actor’s trophy.
In limited and anthology categories, Stephen Graham won Best Actor for Adolescence and Cristin Milioti earned Best Actress for her performance in The Penguin, visibly emotional as she accepted the award. The limited-series categories also recognized younger performers: Owen Cooper became the youngest male actor to receive an Emmy when he won Best Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Adolescence, while Erin Doherty won Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role in the same show.
The Studio dominated the comedy field, taking home Best Comedy Series while Seth Rogen was awarded Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in that show and also won Best Directing for a Comedy Series. Jean Smart won Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks. Winners in supporting comedy categories included Hannah Einbinder for Best Supporting Actress and Jeff Hiller for Best Supporting Actor, with Julianne Nicholson honored as Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series and Bryan Cranston winning Best Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.
Writing and directing awards highlighted a range of shows. Dan Gilroy won Best Writing for a Drama Series for Andor, and Adam Randall took Best Directing for a Drama Series for his work on Slow Horses. Best Writing for a Comedy Series went to a writing team for What We Do in the Shadows, and Philip Barantini’s Adolescence won Best Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Reality and variety categories reflected continuing audience interest in competition and live entertainment. The Traitors won Best Reality Competition Program, and RuPaul Charles accepted the award for Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program. Saturday Night Live’s 50th anniversary special took home Outstanding Variety Special (Live), with Lorne Michaels and Colin Jost accepting the award. Stephen Colbert received a standing ovation as he won an Emmy for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert in the talk series category.
Other winners included Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy in the television movie field, and Shark Tank and Queer Eye among programs recognized in reality subcategories. The ceremony covered a broad slate of nominees from established franchises to breakout limited series, and many winners used acceptance speeches to acknowledge collaborators and the creative teams behind their shows.
The night combined high-profile red-carpet moments with a mix of first-time winners, veteran honorees and younger actors reaching milestone achievements. Organizers and presenters marked the awards as a recognition of television’s continuing evolution across traditional networks and streaming platforms, with programs that span genres and formats earning top honors.