🌟 The Big Picture
The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards nominations, announced on July 15, 2025, show a vibrant mix of seasoned hits and bold newcomers. Slated to air on September 14 from Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre, hosted by the hilarious Nate Bargatze 🎤 .
Top Nominated Shows
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Severance (Apple TV+) leads the drama race with 27 nominations—the most of any show this year .
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The Penguin (HBO Max) follows closely with 24 noms, anchoring the Limited Series lineup.
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The White Lotus (HBO) and The Studio (Apple TV+) each snag 23 nominations—with The Studio breaking records as the most-nominated freshman comedy.
HBO Max amassed a record 142 total nominations, surpassing Netflix (120) and Apple TV+ (79) (Los Angeles Times).
🎭 Drama Categories
Outstanding Drama Series
Nominees:
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Andor, The Diplomat, The Last of Us, Paradise, The Pitt (new!), Severance, Slow Horses, The White Lotus.
Severance leads the charge with an astonishing 27 nods .
Lead Actor in a Drama
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Sterling K. Brown (Paradise)
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Gary Oldman (Slow Horses)
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Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us)
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Adam Scott (Severance)
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Noah Wyle (The Pitt) (Vanity Fair).
Lead Actress in a Drama
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Kathy Bates (Matlock)
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Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters)
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Britt Lower (Severance)
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Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us)
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Keri Russell (The Diplomat) (6abc Philadelphia).
Supporting Categories
Supporting Actor (Drama): Zach Cherry, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, James Marsden, Sam Rockwell, Tramell Tillman, John Turturro .
Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, Carrie Coon, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Aimee Lou Wood, Katherine LaNasa, Julianne Nicholson .
Insight:
Severance and The White Lotus sprint through the acting races—devouring nominations. But don’t sleep on The Pitt, which scooped 13 noms including Lead Actor for Noah Wyle (The Wall Street Journal), and Paradise, with surprising nods for Sterling K. Brown and James Marsden (6abc Philadelphia).
😂 Comedy Categories
Outstanding Comedy Series
The eight nominees: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking, The Studio, What We Do in the Shadows.
The Studio makes a splash as a freshman with 23 noms !
Lead Actor in Comedy
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Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This)
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Seth Rogen (The Studio)
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Jason Segel (Shrinking)
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Martin Short (Only Murders…)
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Jeremy Allen White (The Bear) .
Lead Actress in Comedy
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Uzo Aduba (The Residence)
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Kristen Bell (Nobody Wants This)
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Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary)
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Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)
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Jean Smart (Hacks)
Supporting Comedy
Actors: Ike Barinholtz (The Studio), Colman Domingo, Harrison Ford, Jeff Hiller, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Michael Urie, Bowen Yang.
Actresses: Liza Colón-Zayas, Hannah Einbinder, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle James, Catherine O’Hara, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Jessica Williams .
Fun fact: Bowen Yang earned a nod despite SNL getting shut out in guest categories . Colman Domingo also brings LGBTQ+ pride to the floor 💫.
🍿 Limited / Anthology Series
Outstanding nominees: Adolescence, Black Mirror, Dying for Sex, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, The Penguin .
Lead Actor (Limited)
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Colin Farrell (The Penguin)
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Stephen Graham (Adolescence)
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Jake Gyllenhaal (Presumed Innocent)
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Brian Tyree Henry (Dope Thief)
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Cooper Koch (Monsters…)
Lead Actress (Limited)
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Cate Blanchett (Disclaimer)
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Meghann Fahy (Sirens!)
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Rashida Jones (Black Mirror)
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Cristin Milioti (The Penguin)
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Michelle Williams (Dying for Sex).
Highlight:
Colin Farrell and Cristin Milioti’s work in The Penguin earned them serious acclaim . Additionally, Meghann Fahy’s lead Actress nod is a stunning debut !
🎤 Variety, Reality & Talk
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Talk Series: The Daily Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Los Angeles Times).
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Variety: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, Saturday Night Live (Los Angeles Times).
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Reality/Competition: The Amazing Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Survivor, Top Chef, The Traitors (Los Angeles Times).
Representation Moment: RuPaul, Alan Cumming (The Traitors), and Kristen Kish (Top Chef) were all nominated—continuing queer visibility at the Emmys .
💔 Snubs & Surprises
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Out: Selena Gomez and Steve Martin for Only Murders in the Building .
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Big misses: 1923, House of the Dragon, Squid Game, and Elisabeth Moss for The Handmaid’s Tale .
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Also overlooked: Poker Face’s Natasha Lyonne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Allison Janney .
Underdogs rising: Meghann Fahy’s lead actress nod, Colman Domingo and Bowen Yang’s wins for LGBTQ+ representation, and The Pitt breaking through with strong nomination.
🗓️ Timeline & Ceremony Info
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Nominations announced: July 15, 2025
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Creative Arts Emmys: Sep 6–7
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Main telecast: Sep 14 (CBS + Paramount+), hosted by Nate Bargatze .
📈 Breakdown by Platform
| Platform | Total Nominations |
|---|---|
| HBO Max | 142 (record high) (Los Angeles Times) |
| Netflix | 120 nominations |
| Apple TV+ | 79 nominations (incl. The Studio, Severance) |
💥 Why It’s a Monumental Year
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Fresh faces shine – The Studio, The Pitt, Adolescence, Sirens… rookie series are making waves and rewriting Emmy history.
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Drama depth – Severance’s 27 noms show a beloved series doubling down, balancing prestige and audience love.
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Networks battle for glory – HBO Max dethrones Netflix, proving it’s still the streaming powerhouse.
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Inclusivity in action – LGBTQ talent like Bowen Yang and Colman Domingo are stepping into the spotlight.
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Unexpected snubs keep us guessing—sometimes love or hype doesn’t translate to Emmy gold.
🥂 What to Watch For
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Severance vs. Andor vs. The Last of Us in Drama—who’ll reign supreme?
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Colin Farrell chasing Emmy gold off his Golden Globe momentum.
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Meghann Fahy becoming a breakout star in her first lead-nomination.
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The Studio aiming to top the comedy space in its debut—record in sight?
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RuPaul and Drag Race keeping queer artistry front and center.
🎬 Final Thoughts
This Emmy season feels electric⚡ From juggernauts like Severance and The Penguin to game-changing newbies like The Studio and The Pitt, 2025’s race promises fireworks. Heavy hitters are stacked across genres, representation is thriving, and surprises are lurking. Whether you're Team Drama, Comedy connoisseur, or Limited Series devotee, there’s plenty to root for.
Count me in—I’ll be on the edge of my couch come September 14. What’s your dream outcome? Drop your picks—let’s geek out together !!
