The 2025 Emmy Awards featured plenty of wins, reunions and surprises for TV fans.
Host Nate Bargatze welcomed Hollywood’s most successful actors and actresses to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 14, to celebrate the very best in TV.
Breaking tradition from most awards shows, Bargatze, who didn’t have the easiest night on the mic, started the show with a skit involving Saturday Night Live cast members Bowen Yang, Mikey Day and Austin Johnson.
The group traveled back in time to help create the TV and joke about what television would give to the world.
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“By inventing TV, we create a world where a woman will host her own popular late-night talk show,” Bargatze said. “Not in real life, but on a fictional show called Hacks.” (Jean Smart would later win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as host Deborah Vance.)
Keep reading for the best and worst moments from the telecast that everyone will be talking about this week.
Best Recognition for a Presenter: Stephen Colbert
Before presenting the first award of the evening for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Colbert received a standing ovation following news of the Late Show’s cancellation.
“Thank you very much. You are very kind,” he said. “Sit down! Thank you very much. We’ve got to go!”
Once the crowd finally took a seat, Colbert gave credit to the entire Late Show team who help make the telecast possible.
“While I have your attention, is anyone hiring because I’ve got 200 very qualified candidates with me here tonight who will be available in June,” he said. “I also brought my own resume here tonight. I haven’t had a chance to update my headshot in a bit, but I think it still works. … Harrison Ford, could you get this to [Steven] Spielberg?”
Best Acceptance Speech: Owen Cooper
At 15 years old, Cooper stole the show when he made history as the youngest male actor to win Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie thanks to his role in Adolescence.
In addition to thanking his parents, Cooper shared an inspirational message to those thinking of stepping out of their comfort zone.
“When I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here,” he said. “I was nothing about three years ago. I’m here now so if you are listening and you are focusing, you step out of your comfort zone a little bit, who cares if you get embarrassed? Anything is possible.”
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Best TV Reunion: Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel
In celebration of Gilmore Girls’ 25th anniversary, Graham and Bledel reunited to present the award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series on a set straight from Stars Hollow. Before announcing the winner, the actresses reminded fans of their quick wit and funny jokes as they looked back on a show that once had little budget.
“We saved up all year long to have one snow episode,” Bledel said.
Graham added, “And then E.R. would wet down their street and wash it all away.”
While Bledel replied that her TV mom has to “let that go,” fans will never forget their fond memories watching the beloved series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino.
Best Creativity in Award Reveals: Jeff Probst
Probst found a way to bring the Survivor set to the Emmys stage when he presented the award for Best Scripted Variety Series.
With Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Saturday Night Live serving as the two nominees, Probst announced the award in a mock tribal council featuring cutout images of John Oliver and Lorne Michaels.
“There is no immunity to protect them,” Probst said before announcing “the sole survivor” is Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.
Best Award Dedication: Noah Wyle
When accepting the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series thanks to his portrayal of Dr. Robinavitch on The Pitt, Wyle was quick to praise the real life doctors and health care workers who work in hospitals across the country each and every day.
“To anybody going on shift tonight or coming off shift tonight, thank you for being in that job,” he said. “This is for you.”
Best Acceptance Speech Rule: Nate Bargatze
In an attempt to prevent any and all acceptance speeches from going on and on, Bargatze set some guidelines in the name of charity.
“Everybody gets 45 seconds. Honestly, give your speech. I know how hard you guys have all worked to get here,” he explained at the beginning of the show. “I’m not trying to take anything away, but 45 seconds. That’s what you got. If you want to do more than that, do it on social media later. More people are going to see it there anyway.”
To start the show, Bargatze pledged to donate $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America, a nonprofit that helps get kids future ready. Every second a winner goes over, $1,000 is dedicated. If actors go under, $1,000 a second will be put back on for the total donation.
At the end of the night, Bargatze announced he would be donating $250,000 to the cause while CBS would be adding an additional $100,000.
But Also Worst Acceptance Speech Rule: Nate Bargatze
While Bargatze deserves credit for adding a charity component to the live telecast, some viewers questioned why presenters had no limits on how long they could speak at the Peacock Theater.
“A lot of people at home were asking, ‘Are we penalizing the presenters if they go long or something?’ I just want to get it straight — we are not,” he said as the audience laughed. “Only the people that have worked the hardest to get here. I’m busy hosting, so I can’t keep track of all the money stuff.”
Worst Injury: Sterling K. Brown
Before presenting the award for Outstanding Supporting Actor, Comedy to Somebody Somewhere‘s Jeff Hiller, Brown showed up to the stage on a knee scooter as a result of an injury he sustained while filming season 2 of Hulu’s Paradise.
In an Instagram post, Brown revealed he tore his Achilles tendon. He decided to postpone his surgery so he could try to enjoy the awards show.
“I can motivate myself and try to celebrate with my cast and the producers of Paradise because we got recognized,” he said via Instagram on September 9. “It will be nice to be out there.”
Worst Name Flub: Nate Bargatze
It was a challenging night for Bargatze, who tried his best to keep the 45-second acceptance speech rule fresh for three hours.
Another hiccup came when he introduced a tribute to The Golden Girls with Little Big Town’s Karen Fairchild.
“Please welcome Reba McEntire and Little Big Town’s Kerry Fanchild — Fairchild! Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman!” he said on live TV.
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Worst Snub: ‘The White Lotus’
One of TV’s biggest — and buzziest — shows of 2025 didn’t come out as a big winner during the 2025 Emmys. Despite seven nominations in Outstanding Supporting Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actress categories alone, the cast didn’t walk away with any major awards. Instead, The Pitt dominated in the drama categories.
As for comedies, The Bear, Nobody Wants This, Abbott Elementary and Only Murders in the Building also walked away with zero awards in major categories.
