Emmys Awards 2025: All the Must-See Moments from TV’s Biggest Night
Martin Jhonson
HBO’s “The Pitt,” a gripping hospital drama, and Apple TV+’s “The Studio,” a whimsical satire of contemporary Hollywood, received the highest accolades at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards 2025 held on Sunday night. The three-hour event was led by first-time host Nate Bargatze, a laid-back stand-up comedian who mostly avoided political topics.
Here’s what you should be aware of regarding the events of the evening:
Nate Bargatze’s SNL Monologue Features Multiple Cast Member Cameos
“Saturday Night Live” actors James Austin Johnson, Mikey Day, and Bowen Yang teamed up with Bargatze for a cold open that poked fun at today’s television scene. Bargatze, wearing a white lab coat, took on the role of Philo T. Farnsworth, the pioneer behind the first all-electronic television system. Although the backdrop was historical, the jokes were modern.
In the skit, Bargatze’s character Farnsworth imagined an innovative broadcasting format known as streaming — “a fresh approach for these companies to incur losses.” When an employee inquired if there would eventually be a channel specifically for white people, Farnsworth confirmed that there would be: CBS. (The acronym for the network actually stands for Columbia Broadcasting System.)
From Controversy to Celebration: Stephen Colbert’s Victory
Stephen Colbert stepped up to present the nominees for the best actor in a comedy series. However, he first acknowledged the major issue at hand: CBS’ choice to pull his late-night show off the air. “While I have your attention, is anyone looking to hire? Because I’ve got 200 highly qualified candidates right here with me tonight, who will be ready in June,” Colbert remarked.
After more than ten years on the air, CBS announced in July that “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” would conclude in 2026. The announcement was made while the Trump administration’s Federal Communications Commission was looking into CBS’ parent company, Paramount, as it got ready to finalize a huge merger with Skydance.
After accepting the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series, Colbert took the stage again a few hours later.
“Sometimes, you only know how much you love something when you get a sense you might be losing it. I have never loved my country more desperately. God bless America. Stay strong and be brave, and if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch a higher floor,” to tremendous applause, Colbert said.
Tramell Tillman Makes History With Emmy Win For ‘Severance’
As the first Black man to win the award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series, Tramell Tillman created history. With his victory speech, Tillman, who plays corporate enforcer Seth Milchick on “Severance,” captivated the crowd. He honored his mother, who was present in the auditorium, as his “first acting coach.” Then he gave him a quotation from her guidance.
“You remember what you want to remember. You make time for what you want to make for. Do the work. Show up. And most importantly, for the love of God, don’t embarrass me in public,” Tillman said.
Hannah Einbinder Uses Emmy Platform to Advocate for Palestine
Wearing a red “Artists4Ceasefire” pin, “Hacks” star Hannah Einbinder concluded her statement with the words “Free Palestine” after accepting the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series. She wasn’t the only one there who supported ending the conflict in Gaza and defending Palestinian rights.
Einbinder’s “Hacks” co-star Meg Stalter was seen with a pocketbook that said “CEASEFIRE!” On the red carpet, Javier Bardem, star of “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” wore a keffiyeh and reaffirmed a promise he had made with other industry professionals: he would “not work” with any entertainment organization that “justifies or supports the genocide.”
The Television Academy Honors PBS Amid Funding Cuts
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the nonprofit that recently lost all federal funding and then announced it would shut down, was one of the topics of remarks made by Cris Abrego, chairman of the Television Academy, which is in charge of the Emmy Awards. His remarks drew applause and cheers.
PBS and NPR stations around the country received funds from the CPB, transforming it into what Abrego called “the backbone of American public media.” He criticized politicians after bringing up the well-known PBS shows “Sesame Street” and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.”
To thunderous jeers, Abrego declared, “Congress voted to defund” the CPB, “and silence yet another cultural institution.”
He added: “That’s a reminder just how much our work here matters, especially right now. In a time when division dominates the headlines, storytelling still has the power to unite us.”
Tributes Pour In For Malcolm-Jamal Warner
In an homage to her former co-star Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the Emmy-nominated actor who drowned on July 20, “The Cosby Show” actress Phylicia Rashad kicked off the annual In Memoriam video package. Rashad remarked, “He is still in our hearts.”
The names and images of other notable people who passed away in the past year were featured in the video, which was accompanied by a musical performance by Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson. These people included Julian McMahon, Teri Garr, Ozzy Osbourne, Anne Burrell, Bill Moyers, George Wendt, Richard Chamberlain, Michelle Trachtenberg, John Amos, David Lynch, and Quincy Jones.
“They made us believe in something bigger: the best within us,” Rashad said.
A Race Against Time
In order to keep each acceptance speech inside the time restriction, Bargatze stated at the beginning of the presentation that he intended to gift $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. However, he would deduct $1,000 for each second that a winner’s remarks exceeded the 45-second limit. However, Bargatze stated that he would reinvest $1,000 per second if the winner stayed inside the time restriction.
“It is brutal,” Bargatze said. “What are you going to do, though? I can’t change it. This is the game I made up, and these are the rules.”
The donation tally, tracked in a real-time graphic at the bottom of the TV screen, bounced up and down throughout the night. HBO late-night host John Oliver managed to recoup some of the lost cash with a rapid-fire speech he delivered in the style of an auctioneer. The writing crew behind “The Studio,” likewise, kept it tight.
Nevertheless, the tracker had fallen below zero by the end of the night. At that point, Bargatze stated that he would donate $250,000, making the total commitment of $350,000, and CBS would add $100,000.
