Stephen Colbert flashed his old headshot at the Emmys, a nod to being on the hunt for a new TV gig after The Late Show's cancellation. (Sonja Flemming/CBS via Getty Images)The 2025 Emmy Awards are in the books, with Adolescence sweeping and The Studio and The Pitt scoring big wins. Nate Bargatze took his first stab at hosting, nominees brought their A-game to the red carpet, and Hollywood's cutest couples served serious A-list energy.
The three-hour show ran just a few minutes over, with Bargatze using a charity gimmick to keep the winners' thank-yous in check. While a few political statements slipped through, most of the night stayed light and drama-free.
Some highlights include Stephen Colbert receiving an early standing ovation, Tramell Tillman and Owen Cooper making history, the Gilmore Girls reuniting and Cristin Milioti delivering a passionate acceptance speech that culminated in a scream.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFrom heartfelt acknowledgments to one-liners and everything in between, these quotes capture the essence of the night."While I have your attention, is anyone hiring?" - Stephen ColbertTwo months after The Late Show was canceled, a decision many viewed as politically motivated, Colbert has received widespread support in Hollywood, and Emmys night was no exception. As the first presenter, the late-night host was greeted with a standing ovation, which he followed with this perfectly delivered employment joke, mostly to shine a light on the 200 staffers of his show who will be out of jobs in June. Later, when Colbert won for Talk Series, the audience stood up again. That time, he reflected on how his goal in taking over the show a decade ago was to create a comedy program about love. "Ten years later ... I have never loved my country more desperately," he said."What a dream this has been." - Noah WyleAfter seven nominations, the star of The Pitt finally added Emmy winner to his résumé. Wyle was nominated five times for acting during his ER era in the 1990s. Fast-forward to his latest doctor drama, playing Dr. Robby, and he won for Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Drama Series. He sweetly dedicated his acting win to the real medical professionals out there, saying: "To anybody who is going on shift tonight or coming off shift tonight, thank you for being in that job. This is for you.""I've never won anything in my life." - Seth RogenThe Studio was a big winner - and nobody was more surprised by the recognition than its star and cocreator. While collecting the Lead Actor in a Comedy Series award, he didn't hide his shock, joking that as a child, he bought a used bowling trophy at an estate sale because he - and his parents - never thought he'd win accolades on his own."'You remember what you want to remember. You make time for what you want to make time for. Do the work. Show up. And most importantly, for the love of God, don't embarrass me in public.' My first acting coach was tough, y'all. But all great mothers are." - Tramell TillmanAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Severance star, who made history as the first Black actor to win in the Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category, sweetly shouted out his mother onstage. Delightfully, she was seated in the audience and put her hand to her heart."I love acting so much. WOOO!" - Cristin MiliotiCristin Milioti. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)Winning for Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Penguin, Milioti gave the most impassioned remarks of the night. After she revealed that she wrote her speech on the back of notes from a therapy appointment, Milioti said that it's "very hard to make sense of being alive right now in this world." Still, she's "deeply grateful for the bright spots," like playing her villainous character. After thanking collaborators, like showrunner Lauren LeFranc, "whose brain I want to freebase," Milioti wrapped up with a gleeful scream."We remember them not just for their immense talent but also for the way they made us believe in something bigger." - Phylicia RashadThe Cosby Show mom introduced the in memoriam section of the telecast, paying tribute to her onscreen son, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who drowned in July at age 54, and other TV stars who died this year."F*** you, Nate Bargatze. That's a lot of money for you." - John OliverAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhile accepting the award for Scripted Variety Series, the Last Week Tonight With John Oliver host delivered his speech at lightning speed. But he made time to playfully jab at host Bargatze's charity bit, which deducted money from a donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for acknowledgments that ran long but also added money for shorter ones."For the past 25 years, I've been like, 'World, I want to be an actor.' And the world's like, 'Uh, maybe computers?'" - Jeff HillerJeff Hiller. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)The Somebody Somewhere