The 77th Primetime Emmy Awards were supposed to be a celebration of television’s finest – and they delivered plenty of drama, both scripted and unscripted. From record-breaking wins to shocking snubs, and even a few high-profile no-shows, this year’s Emmys gave fans and critics alike plenty to talk about.
Between a historic night for British drama Adolescence, long-awaited recognition for Stephen Graham, and the youngest-ever male Emmy winner in Owen Cooper, the ceremony struck a mix of triumph and turbulence. But not everyone walked away happy: Kathy Bates, Michelle Williams, and The White Lotus cast were among the night’s biggest surprises in the “loser” column.
Lynn Carratt, PR and entertainment expert at E20 Communications, says the 2025 Emmys were a turning point for Hollywood’s awards season, signaling a new era where risky, intimate storytelling wins out over prestige legacy shows.
Here's Carratt in her own words on the most significant developments to come out of an eventful night at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Key Takeaways
★ Carratt: "I see a young Leonardo DiCaprio" in youngest-ever male Primetime Emmy winner Owen Cooper
★ Steven Graham now "a global superstar" following his long-awaited writing and lead acting Emmy triumphs
★ Major no-shows a lowlight of the 2025 Emmys, with several notable stars absent from the awards
★ Shocking losses punctuated the festivities, led by Kathy Bates, Michelle Williams and The White Lotus
★ Could Stephen Colbert's "Late Show" Emmy save the program from cancellation?
Owen Cooper makes history
At just 15, Owen Cooper became the youngest male performer ever to win a Primetime Emmy – and the youngest Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series ever to take home the award.
This isn’t just a personal triumph for him. It puts the British phenom in Emmy history, meaning his name and work will now be cited in conversations about teenage performance, breakout acting, and award show records.
The Lancashire lad says after his Emmy win that he will back at his school desk on Wednesday. But what trajectory does this set for his future?
He has already lined up his next role, set to play a young Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights. Emerald, who also wrote hit movie Saltburn, was responsible for casting Irish actor Barry Keoghan – and I can see similarities between him and Owen.
Barry built a career from taking offbeat, unsettling, morally complex roles and became an awards darling and this is exactly what Owen did in Adolescence. He could now carve out a niche as the actor who always takes the difficult roles and makes them great.
However, I also a see young Leonardo DiCaprio in him. Leonardo started young in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? and won early acclaim for emotionally intense performances, beyond his years. He was only 19 when he was nominated for an Oscar for the film. Like Leo, Owen’s debut in Adolescence is already heavy, layered, and awards-worthy.
For now, the 15-year-old needs to keep his young head on his shoulders and stay grounded, taking on roles that will benefit his future career.
Stephen Graham fetes his long overdue wins
Stephen called his two Emmy award wins for writing and as lead actor in a limited series, “The Utmost Humbling Thing I Could Ever Imagine”. He also fended off stiff competition from Colin Farrell and Jake Gyllenhaal.
These Emmy triumphs are long overdue for Stephen, who has carved out a career as one of Britain’s intense and reliable character actors. The award is a major career milestone for him and gives him the validation that he has finally made it as a led actor and producer in Hollywood.
He’s now a producer and storyteller (alongside co-creator Jack Thorne) in his own right, which will open up new creative and industry possibilities for him on both sides of the Atlantic – and has truly turned him into a global heavyweight.
However, as a loveable down-to-earth character, I don’t think we’ll see him bolting his beloved Liverpool and setting up home in L.A.
I believe he'll stick to roles where he can make a difference – and not just as a lead. And this is already evident in his next undertaking: a supporting role in Animol, featuring the directing debut of his Adolescence co-star Ashley Walters.
An empty Emmys punctuated by no-shows
It didn’t go unnoticed that the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards was a fairly subdued event, featuring a noticeably sparse crowd with several high-profile nominees and presenters absent.
Many have said that the recent re-election of Donald Trump has amplified division in Hollywood, and that several celebrities skipped the event in protest. The show was also seen as overly political, with many actors using their speeches and the red carpet appearances for their causes and political beliefs.
It was a surprise that Bella Ramsey didn't attend their historic nomination; the reason given was that they were filming overseas for a secret HBO series, and the schedule just clashed. But rumblings suggest that there was plenty of drama around gendered categories, and Ramsey had previously mentioned feeling a bit off about the whole awards.
Meanwhile, despite being nominated head-to-head in the Outstanding Variety Special (Live) category – a happening I thought might compel the couple to appear – it still wasn’t enough for Jay-Z and Beyoncé to attend. Jay-Z was photographed out in Atlantic City, while Beyoncé was nowhere to be seen.
Despite being halfway to EGOT status, it seems the only awards shows the couple shows up for these days are the Grammys and the Oscars.
Elsewhere, Jeremy Allen White went to his best friend's wedding. And it is believed Zoe Kravitz ditched the awards to attend Charlie XCX’s wedding in Rome with Harry Styles, so we’ll have to wait longer for their red carpet debut.
It seems some actors have deemed the Emmys not significantly important enough to attend. I believe this will be discussed in hopes of ensuring a better ceremony next year.
Kathy Bates, Michelle Williams, White Lotus suffer stunning snubs
It was a night of surprise losses.
Kathy Bates was widely considered the favourite to take home Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama; the closing Emmy Awards odds had her as a -330 favorite (carrying implied odds north of 76.7%). Her career-long prestige, combined with a performance steeped in emotional depth make her a safe-bet and opened up the coversation about ageism in Hollywood.
Kathy’s loss to Britt Lower of Severance is indicative of the trend for this year's Emmy Awards, which favored fresh faces and performances that push boundaries over honoring long-standing prestige names.
Michelle Williams missed out on Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series, failing to secure a history-making second Emmy win. In Dying for Sex, she delivered a deeply emotional performance that critics loved. I expected her to win and make it a career-defining moment for her, and I believe missing out will feel like a snub.
Pedro Pascal was also another front-runner for The Last of Us in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama category; despite two nominations, he has never won an Emmy. Pascal’s charismatic performance as Joel was considered a standout, though he did trail in the final odds to eventual winner Noah Wyle of The Pitt.
His defeat reflects how Emmy voters sometimes prioritise intimate, less-showy performances over blockbuster-driven roles.
Meanwhile, the White Lotus lost in multiple categories – supporting acting, directing, and writing in drama/comedy.
This was a surprise as the previous series have been awards magnets. Walking away with fewer awards than predicted signals a swing in voter preference toward riskier, less mainstream shows (Severance, The Studio, Adolescence).
It was also a bad night for Irish actress Sharon Horgan, who lost out on the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Eva Garvey in Bad Sisters.
It had to have been disappointing for Horgan, who earned widespread praise for the depth and complexity she brought to her portrayal of Eve – a performance that resonated with both critics and audiences alike.
This year the Emmys favored risk-taking, intimate storytelling over established franchises, nostalgia performances, and big-budget spectacle. The “losers” mostly fall into one of two categories:
- Critically acclaimed but mainstream/popular (e.g., The Last of Us, The Bear).
- Veteran performers expected to sweep again (e.g., Michelle Williams, The White Lotus cast).
Anthology, Stephen Colbert among the big winners
Amid the notable absences, political tensions, and unexpected losses, the Emmys saw plenty of significant victories, as well – especially for those across the Atlantic from Sunday's festivities.
British drama Adolescence swept the board with six major wins, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.
Other nods went to Cooper, who snagged the Supporting Actor award for the show; Graham (Lead Actor and co-writer with Jack Thorne); Erin Doherty (Supporting Actress); and director Philip Barant. Their efforts have put British acting and screenwriting squarely on the map in Hollywood this year.
Elsewhere, despite leaning heavily on its cameo prestige and industry backing, The Studio dominated the comedy categories with four Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Seth Rogen’s first Lead Actor win for his role as a hapless studio boss. Rogen directed and starred in The Studio while skewering the very industry handing him the Emmy.
On the heels of those wins, it will be interesting to see how it fares with UK viewers given its present low profile, but these Emmys will surely give it a global platform.
It was also an historic night for Stephen Colbert’s Late Show winning an Emmy amid its cancellation – the first for the show since he took over in 2015. Could this be seen as bittersweet revenge win against network pressures? And could his bosses reconsider their decision to sack the program?
