When it comes down to it, Bargatze said he could’ve explained the rules a bit better.

“I almost sent an email out,” he said on his “Nateland” podcast on Wednesday as he discussed the award show segment.

That unsent email ended up costing the comic-turned-Emmys-host hundreds of thousands of dollars in the fallout of a failed hosting bit. At the start of the night, Bargatze announced that he was pledging $100,000 to the Boys & Girls Club of America. For every second an acceptance speech went over 45 seconds, however, the host said he would take $1,000 from the pot, while every second under time would add $1,000.

“They ask you to come up with a way to make everybody go shorter. Comics, I don’t think, are good to ask that, because I will try to really find a solution,” Bargatze said. “CBS was amazing. They loved it. But like, some of the people that talked about it, you go, ‘Alright, so don’t find a solution.’ Like, you want to go, ‘Y’all don’t want any of this messed with. You want to do what you want to do.'”

“You go, ‘I found the most efficient way to handle it,'” Bargatze’s co-host Aaron Weber joked.

The bit, however, did not go to plan. While some speakers — particularly early in the night — felt the pressure of the ticking clock, the pot began to dwindle as the night went on. Not even the presence of young children from the Boys & Girls Club could effectively shorten speeches. By the end of the night, the donation was well in the red, with the Boys & Girls Club owing the Emmys more than $50,000 at the end of the night. Bargatze and CBS swooped in, with the comic pledging $250,000 of his own money and the network adding the initial $100,000.

“I thought it was going to be, you know, I don’t know, Netflix donation, or Apple, you know? The shows that won,” Bargatze said. “It’s not like I expected that kid to give money — which, I covered for that kid — but it’s like, I kind of thought that’s what would happen. In my head, I pictured it as they could then go long, but then be a hero. So it was like a win-win.”

The bit became a critical sore spot on Emmys night, with many reviews calling it, at best, a distracting element of the evening. Some audiences chafed against the truncated speeches from actors and creators finally getting recognition on the Emmys stage. The gag also brought up the renewed complaint that, while winners are always encouraged to speed through their speeches, presenter gags (which did not apply to Bargatze’s timer) are allowed to run rampant, often with unfunny results.

However, the gag obviously was not without its successes. Weber said that the Boys & Girls club was “flooded” with donations, both from the Emmys ceremony itself and from viewers at home.

“A lot of the reviews did not like the Boys & Girls Club thing,” Bargatze said. “It came from a real place of heart. That’s all I wanted. Everybody at home loved it. Everybody at home liked it. It was fun, it was entertaining seeing money go down and all this. I thought it would be a fun, I kind of, in my head, I wasn’t trying to put anybody on the spot, I wasn’t trying to make someone donate money, but in my head, I kind of thought like ‘Make it fun. Do what John Oliver did,’ where John Oliver like stuck it to me and made me have to pay more money.”

Bargatze made it clear that he did not intend to overshadow speeches, nor did he expect to let the Boys & Girls Club go home empty-handed. While he thinks the night overall was successful, he noted that he perhaps could’ve helped the bit along more smoothly.

“I don’t know if I just didn’t explain it enough in the room … they might not know enough about me, because they know me as a stand-up comedian, but I’m not around these people all the time. I don’t know, you know, so I think it just, I had it in my head one way, it kind of came out another way, but the reasoning was there. I wasn’t gonna give that money at the end. Like, I wasn’t thinking that I was gonna have to. But the way it went, I was like, I can’t, I’m not gonna not.”

You can listen to the full “Nateland” podcast episode in the video above.

The post Nate Bargatze Didn’t Think He’d Have to Pay $250,000 Boys & Girls Club Donation Himself in Awkward Emmys Bit | Video appeared first on TheWrap.

The Academy announced that the scholarship will be given out for the first time at the 45th Annual College Television Awards. The college team that wins the Comedy Series category at the Spring 2026 ceremony will receive the $10,000 prize, created by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios.

“There’s a big hole in our hearts, in our cast and the ‘Gen V’/’The Boys’ universe,” Jaz Sinclair, who starred alongside Perdomo in “Gen V,” told TheWrap for “Gen V” Season 2. “Having to move forward without Chance was really heavy for everybody and really difficult emotionally. My personal experience with it was just trying to get through it and do him as much justice as we can.”

In addition to the scholarship, the TV Academy Foundation announced Tuesday that submissions to the annual College Television Awards are now open. Student entries may be submitted through Oct. 10 at 5 p.m. PDT at TelevisionAcademy.com/CTA/submit.

TV Academy members will evaluate the student submissions, handing out a number of awards and more than $40,000 in prizes at a Hollywood ceremony in 2026. Teams can enter into eight returning categories: Animation Series; Comedy Series (for undergraduate students); Commercial, PSA or Promo; Drama Series (for undergraduate students); News; Nonfiction Series; Sports; and the Loreen Arbus Focus on Disability Award. Additionally, the TV Academy Foundation added a Scripted Series category for graduate students to the 2026 show, “spotlighting creators whose specific screen credits are producer, writer and director and whose functions support those credits.”

“For 45 years, the College Television Awards has been a career launching pad for emerging storytellers and content creators. Widely regarded as the most prestigious honor a media arts student can receive in the U.S., it continues to spotlight the next generation of talent,” said Television Academy Foundation chair Tina Perry in a statement. “We’re proud to offer this one-of-a-kind opportunity that celebrates talented media-arts students and helps provide access to the entertainment industry. We encourage students nationwide to submit their work for consideration.”

Nominations for the 45th College Television Awards will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

The post TV Academy Foundation Launches $10,000 Scholarship in Honor of Late ‘Gen V’ Star Chance Perdomo appeared first on TheWrap.

Bloys noted that, as an industry, TV got further away from that consistency “as television became bigger in scope, more cinematic … [with] more detailed visual effects and locations,” admitting that HBO has embraced that shift to make some “pretty incredible, huge shows.” But the love for “The Pitt” at the 77th Emmys, which also saw nods for Noah Wyle for best lead actor and Katherine LaNasa for best supporting actress, proves there’s still value in that formula.

“‘The Pitt’ shows that you can also go back to the formula that was perfected over decades of doing more than 10 episodes … and setting up a show that can return on an annual basis, which was a really important part of television, being there for viewers and fans to spend time with the characters on a more regular basis,” Bloys told TheWrap. “What ‘The Pitt’ shows is you can do that at a high quality level, and still maintain those properties. I think that’s great for television, and if we get a few more of those shows to go along with our big, giant cinematic blockbusters, that’s great.”

Beyond “The Pitt,” HBO saw some love across its slate, including in comedy acting categories for “Hacks” and the surprise win for “Somebody Somewhere’s” Jeff Hiller, bringing HBO and HBO Max’s Emmy count up to 30, tying with Netflix and coming in ahead of Apple TV+, which collected 22 awards between “Severance” and “The Studio.”

One HBO series that didn’t get too much love this time around was “The White Lotus,” which Bloys said was a “victim of its own success.” Bloys breaks it all down below.

TheWrap: FX dominated drama and comedy last year, and this year HBO split the fortune with Netflix. How does it feel to be back on top, and with so much love for “The Pitt?”

Bloys: It is obviously great to tie for the most awards. It was especially sweet for “The Pitt” to win; [it] was very gratifying, because … they set out to make television in a more traditional way, meaning more episodes and the ability to return on an annual basis, so the fact that they’re doing that, and it’s a first-year show … for a show like that to break through, not only be nominated, but to win was pretty extraordinary.

I say this every year, it is very nice to be nominated — it’s especially nice to win. It is not the reason why we make the shows we do, but it is a really nice validation of all the people who are working on the shows to have their work recognized like that, so that’s really the point.

Jeff Hiller had a surprise win for best supporting actor on “Somebody Somewhere.” The show ended its run with Season 3 and is one of the few niche comedies left on HBO’s slate. Where does making an auteur show like stand in your programming these days?

That’s still very much the tradition of shows we’re working on. I think the conditions have not changed. What was really appealing about that was Bridget [Everett] as a writer-performer in that voice and, continuing that tradition, we’ve got Rachel Sennott’s [“I Love LA”] coming up in the fall. We’ve got Tim Robinson coming up in the fall. I think HBO has traditionally done a really nice job with platforming interesting writer-performers.

We didn’t see as many wins for “The White Lotus,” seems like it lost in most categories because nominees split the votes. Does that change how you might approach nominations in the future?

It was obviously a victim of its own success. Even seeing them again last night, those are hard decisions to make because there were so many great actors and actresses to choose from … I think that had something to do with it. That’s how it goes sometimes. More importantly, Mike [White] is busy work on Season 4, which I’m excited for.

Mike White is in the South of France scouting for “White Lotus” Season 4. When are you expecting we’ll see that return?

I can’t give you a date now, but I know he’s starting to write and think about his ideas.

Hannah Einbinder finally got her win for supporting actress. What was it like to see that win?

First of all, I was thrilled to see Jean [Smart] recognized again. It was really nice, because every year, [I] wasn’t sure if Hannah was going to break through or not. So for her to actually win this year was really, really nice. It was nice compliment to Jean also being recognized again. I know it’s great for the show.

Hannah also let the cat out of the bag that “Hacks” is ending with Season 5. Now that that’s been confirmed, why did the creators feel like it was time to end it and what can you tell us about that final season?

I believe that’s where they’re heading. I believe they’ve had a plan from the beginning for five seasons, but we usually leave that decision up to the creator. They will have to give you their thoughts on that when they confirm.

This was the first awards season in a while where HBO didn’t have a “Game of Thrones” show in contention, and two are on the way for next. When can we expect those shows to arrive?

“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” will be in January, and then “House of the Dragon” will probably be just outside this Emmy cycle.

“Watchmen” was a huge Emmy winner for you guys, and Damon’s working on “Lanterns.” Do you have similar awards hopes for that DC show?

You go into every show wanting to make the best show possible, so if awards follow all the better.

What shows from the slate are you feeling good about for next year’s Emmys?

What I feel really good about is that we’ve got the drama frontrunner coming back in January, so that’s really nice that “The Pitt” is coming back in January. I’m hoping that “The Gilded Age” and that powerhouse cast get some Emmy love next year; “Task,” which is airing right now with Tom Pelphrey and Mark Ruffalo; I’m hopeful [we] get some recognition for “”A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” We’ve got Richard Gadd’s new show that we’re doing with the BBC, “Half Man.” We’ve got “Industry” coming back. We’ve got a pretty phenomenal limited series with Jason Bateman and David Harbour. Of course, “Euphoria” is coming back. Bill Lawrence has a new Steve Carell comedy that we’re excited about, and “The Comeback” is coming back.

I’m hopeful that we’ll have a good year. Never count on anything — you never know which way it breaks with the Emmys, but I feel good about the slate that we’ve got coming.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The post HBO’s Casey Bloys Says ‘The Pitt’ Emmy Wins Show TV Can ‘Go Back to the Formula,’  ‘White Lotus’ Was a ‘Victim of Its Own Success’ appeared first on TheWrap.

Unfortunately, racing through the speeches came at too high a cost for the show itself, one that played out in uneven pacing and awkward moments strewn throughout.

Not that you can entirely blame the producers for trying something a little bit different. Unlike the Oscars, the Television Academy must adhere pretty rigidly to its three-hour broadcast window, which makes finishing on time more of a priority.

The gimmick to run a tighter ship sounded funny when Bargatze laid it out: The host announced a $100,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which would rise or fall depending on how well people adhered to the 45-second limit on acceptance speeches.

It was at first blush inspired, hilarious and more than a little cruel, representing a novel twist on the whole “play-off music” issue that bigger stars tend to ignore.

Hollywood egos versus charity? Who would win?

In practice, though, even if it seemed likely the charity would be made whole before the night was over (as it was, to the tune of $350,000), the pressure to rush off winners robbed the show of much of its spontaneity, as the gag worked against Emmy recipients addressing issues that might resonate beyond the room.

The result was an initially fast-paced ceremony — until things ground to a halt in the final hour — but an otherwise bland affair, which, one suspects, is just the way the Television Academy wanted it.

The major outlier in that regard was “Hacks'” star Hannah Einbinder, who said she would “pay the difference” to the Boys & Girls Club and used her time to say “F–k ICE” (although that was mostly obscured by the censor’s button) and “Free Palestine,” to what sounded like a roar of approval from the crowd.

The show did derive intermittent emotion from an abundance of first-time winners, including “Severance’s” Britt Lower and Tramell Tillman, Seth Rogen (“The Studio”), Jeff Hiller (“Somebody Somewhere”), Stephen Graham and Erin Doherty (“Adolescence”), Cristin Milioti (“The Penguin”), and “The Pitt’s” Katherine LaNasa.

While the producers don’t control who wins, they benefited from the spectacle of seeing some lesser-known actors triumph in categories they shared with superstars, none bigger than an exuberant Hiller taking home supporting actor over Harrison Ford.

Granted, there were nice moments, such as Ray Romano and Brad Garrett riffing together near the end, or Owen Cooper, the 15-year-old star of “Adolescence,” getting his supporting-actor honor. But that was a speech to bask in, not one for watching the timer.

So while people discussed politics on the red carpet, the telecast felt largely stripped of meatier moments. And there was the disconnect of presenters taking all the time they wanted, then chasing off the winners who followed.

Even a few highlights that might have lent themselves to more pointed statements stayed in relatively benign territory. After opening with a standing ovation for Stephen Colbert, the outgoing CBS late-night host merely joked about his future employment prospects, handing a resume to Harrison Ford.

Later winning for “The Late Show,” Colbert delivered an emotional rallying cry for America, noting that his program had gone from one about love to loss. Notably, of the 26 competitive categories handed out Sunday, the two that went to broadcasters were both for late-night franchises (the other being “Saturday Night Live’s” 50th anniversary), while streaming claimed 21 of the statuettes.

Improbably, one of the few political statements came from TV Academy president Cris Abrego, who referenced the group’s pre-broadcast honor to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the need to champion inclusion and “keep telling stories” that will bring people together.

The last hour also saw the presentation of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award to Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen for their philanthropic endeavors, allowing them time to offer a heartfelt speech that seemed more welcome juxtaposed with the hurried ones that preceded it.

As for the host, Bargatze had a relatively limited role beyond an opening sketch about the creation of television and servicing the acceptance-speech bit. His contribution turned out to be another victim of the idea that dominated the evening.

“What a night,” Bargatze muttered near the end.

It’s worth noting the Emmy ceremony rotates (for now) among the four major broadcast networks, but its TV-rights future after next year remains up in the air.

While poking fun at award shows on an awards show certainly has its place, appearing to make an award show aimed at people who dislike awards shows doesn’t. And in terms of fixing that, the TV Academy’s clock should start ticking now.

The post Emmys Review: Speeding Up the Acceptance Speeches Came at a Too-High Cost appeared first on TheWrap.

In 2024, the show took home 11 Emmys for its second season, becoming the winningest comedy series in a single year at the Television Academy awards. On Sunday, however, the show didn’t score a single Emmy. When combined with its shutout at the Creative Arts Emmys in early September, “The Bear” ends its 2025 season with a total of zero Emmy wins.

This gives it the biggest drop for a comedy series in a single year in Emmys history — and ties it with “The Crown” for the biggest drop for any series.

Why did the once adored FX series have such a precipitous fall from grace? There are a few reasons.

To begin with, “The Bear” had extremely limited competition for this negative record. The majority of shows that have won 10 Emmys or more are limited series or TV movies (beginning with “Angels in America” in 2004 and also including “John Adams,” “Chernobyl,” “Watchmen,” “The Queen’s Gambit” and “Behind the Candelabra”), which didn’t return the following year and thus couldn’t suffer a drop.

“Game of Thrones” was one of the only shows that could reasonably compete with “The Bear” in this arena. In 2015, the HBO series broke the record for the most wins in a single season for an ongoing program, scoring 12 Emmys for Season 5. The following year, “Game of Thrones” matched this total, bringing in 12 more Emmys for Season 6. After a year off, “Game of Thrones” returned in 2018 with a nine-Emmy haul (giving it a drop of only three awards from one season to the next). It then beat this total with 12 wins in 2019 for its final season.

Aside from “Game of Thrones” and “The Bear,” only three seasons of continuing series television have scored double-digit wins at the Emmys. In 2022, Season 1 of “The White Lotus” scored a 10-Emmy haul — though this happened in the limited series category, where its first season was classified. The following year, Season 2 was moved to the drama series categories and won half as many Emmys, five. In 2024, “Shōgun” shattered the Emmys record with 18 wins, but the show has yet to release a second season.

That leaves “The Crown,” which earned 11 Emmys out of 24 nominations for its fourth season in 2021. When the Netflix series returned to the Emmys in 2023, however, it went home empty-handed with only six noms, giving it a similar fall to “The Bear.” The show would return in 2024 for its final season, winning three times.

As for what made Emmy voters turn on “The Bear” so dramatically, it may be a combination of the fresher competition and the renewed discourse over whether the intense show even belongs in the comedy category.

At the moment, voters seem to be looking for comedy series that are first and foremost funny. Its worth noting that even during its record-breaking season, “The Bear” lost the top Emmy prize to “Hacks,” a show about the art and business of comedy that is packed with frequent and overt humor.

This year, it was Apple TV+’s “The Studio” that received the most voter love of any comedy. The show won 13 Emmys total, including Outstanding Comedy Series. The Hollywood send-up is unwaveringly committed to generating laughs, with Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and company filling each episode with wall-to-wall gags. It also boasts strong technical elements, using long takes and intricate sets to play up both the glamor and the mania of show biz. No wonder it’s the new champ.

The post From Hero to Zero: ‘The Bear’ Suffers Massive Drop in Emmy Wins in a Single Year appeared first on TheWrap.

“I just felt so much love from the fans,” LaNasa told press just minutes after receiving her Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for her portrayal of Nurse Dana on “The Pitt.” “I think a lot of tired old working women really feel seen now.”

LaNasa added that she hopes medical professionals also feel seen, noting that “The Pitt” and her performance in it and “all that [Dana] gives and endures” is a “love letter” to nurses and doctors, especially given her own cancer journey, about which she has previously been outspoken.

“Joining the role, even just the imaginary process of being present for someone else’s serious trauma, has really opened me up to, first of all, what healthcare workers are bearing for us all day, every day — people in the emergency department, which basically is only seeing trauma immediate things that mean immediately — but also mean more things that you don’t know what people are going through,” LaNasa said.

With LaNasa winning in the best supporting actress in a drama series categories against the likes of Carrie Coon and Patricia Arquette, the actress said her win stands for the longevity of her career, noting that an actor’s life is full of strategy.

“I love the acting, but the job of being an actor can be really difficult without getting the little recognition here and there,” she said.

LaNasa will reprise her role as Nurse Dana when “The Pitt” returns for its second season in 2026, a return that thrilled many fans after her character expressed doubt in returning to the Pittsburgh emergency room after a particularly traumatic day.

“The Pitt” Season 1 is now streaming on HBO Max.

The post ‘The Pitt’ Star Katherine LaNasa Says Nurse Dana Makes ‘Tired Old Working Women’ Feel Seen appeared first on TheWrap.

“The Studio” ended Emmy season in glory on Sunday night, taking home 13 awards and setting two new records before the end of the night. Its record haul was made up of nine wins at the Creative Arts Emmys on Sept. 6 — including Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (Bryan Cranston) and Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series — and an additional set of wins at the Primetime Emmys on Sunday, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Seth Rogen), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and the top prize: Outstanding Comedy Series.

The trophy trove made the Apple TV+ and Lionsgate series the new holder of two records previously set by FX’s “The Bear.” “The Studio” broke the record as the comedy series with the most Emmy wins in a single season, pushing ahead of “The Bear,” whose 11 Emmys for its second season set a new milestone just last year. (In spite of its record-breaking haul, “The Bear” lost the Outstanding Comedy Series award to “Hacks.”)

“The Studio” also had the winningest first season of a comedy series — an achievement “The Bear” claimed in 2023 with 10 awards.

“The Studio” follows Seth Rogen as Matt Remick, a lifelong movie fan promoted to studio chief. As Remick ascends to his dream job, he realizes that he must walk the uncomfortable line between art and commerce. Rogen and longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg created the show with Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory and Frida Perez.

Reasons for “The Studio’s” dominance include its showing at the Creative Arts Emmys. While “The Bear’s” record season scored seven CAE wins in 2024, “The Studio” earned nine. In addition to being a compelling comedy, “The Studio” is technically sophisticated, making extensive use of long, complicated takes. Its craftsmanship enabled it to take all of the Creative Arts categories in which “The Bear” won — cinematography, picture editing, sound editing, sound mixing and guest acting — but also add wins for production design, contemporary costumes and music supervision.

Fervor for “The Studio” also reflects how the Television Academy has cooled on the once unbeatable FX series about culinary greatness. In just one year, “The Bear” dropped from 11 wins to scoring none in 2025. It’s a record decline that comes amid weaker reviews for “The Bear” Seasons 3 and 4 and, perhaps even more significant, widespread debate over whether the largely dramatic show should compete as a comedy.

One sign that voters might be taking note of that debate came last year, when the show set its record for wins but then notably lost the Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy to Season 3 of HBO Max’s “Hacks,” a show about…comedians.

With this in mind, it’s not hard to see how “The Studio” crossed the finish line as the new champ. The show is both a throwback to and evolution of traditional sitcoms, with each episode following a single, largely non-serialized premise with high production value — and a steady stream of laughs.

The post ‘The Studio’ Breaks Comedy Emmys Records Once Held by ‘The Bear’ appeared first on TheWrap.

As someone who has watched too many award shows — and has to for a living — here’s a simple suggestion: Embrace political speeches and encourage recipients to articulate strongly held views.

That likely sounds counterintuitive, especially with so many conservative voices just waiting to pounce on Hollywood liberals, charging that they’re out of touch and elitist and hate Donald Trump, blah blah blah. Why potentially alienate more viewers or rile up those already waiting to be outraged?

The toxic political environment has surely played a role in celebrities shying away from political speech, anticipating volleys of online vitriol or targeting by President Trump’s social media account. A wave of political violence, the latest being the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, has added to the broader sense of unease, making the prospect of backlash seemingly even more potent, as Trump and allies like advisor Stephen Miller seek to clamp down on dissent by intimidating and silencing critics.

Given all that, turning a career-defining moment into a call to action might sound like a lot to ask. Yet regardless of the politics espoused or the cause promoted, those speeches generally prove more memorable because they’re about something, delivered with passion and a point of view that goes beyond the customary, “I’d like to thank my agent and co-stars.” And if award shows need anything right now, it’s a sense of spontaneity — a must-watch factor — to overcome all the well-documented forces dragging down linear TV ratings in general.

Conservatives will argue that like-minded viewers stay away because some outspoken liberal deeply wounded them — or at least hurt their surprisingly frail feelings — by talking about the environment, women’s rights or badmouthing Trump.

The president himself picked up that theme last week, after West Point canceled an event that would have honored Tom Hanks. Trump posted, nonsensically, that award shows should do away with “woke” recipients and “watch their DEAD RATINGS SURGE!”

Such gripes conveniently ignore the challenges plaguing the entertainment industry broadly and award shows in particular: a more fragmented audience, with less rooting interest in series and movies many haven’t bothered to see. Plus the knowledge that people can see show clips in near-real time on social media, without having to sit through three hours of presenter blather and commercial breaks.

With those elements diluting the live experience, it’s only genuine, from-the-heart moments that tend to stand out. And aside from the burst of emotion around claiming a major award — Olivia Colman’s hilarious speech after winning for “The Favourite” as one politics-free example of getting by on unbridled charm — recipients have the best chance of connecting on a deeper level by daring to discuss something bigger than themselves.

Admittedly, people still watch award shows for various reasons, many having nothing to do with who wins. That’s definitely the case for performance-driven showcases like the Grammys or Tonys, but even the Oscars and Emmys can deliver showbiz flair if they get the alchemy right.

Seeking gifts from “the award-show gods”

Among more traditional award-show viewers, though, what tends to make a show memorable are things that can’t be planned — what Gil Cates, the late producer of many Oscar telecasts, referred to as the “award-show gods.”

Plan all the presenter banter, reunions, skits and honorary awards that you like, but anyone who has watched award shows knows the limits of those scripted sequences.

Invariably, moments that have withstood the test of time don’t come from a teleprompter, from Marlon Brando dispatching Sacheen Littlefeather to accept his Oscar for “The Godfather” to Halle Berry’s tear-filled speech after making history for “Monster’s Ball.” Ditto for documentarian Michael Moore’s indictment of the Iraq war in 2003, Patricia Arquette’s plea for women’s rights (and equal pay) at the 2015 Oscars, Andrew Garfield embracing LGBTQ rights at the 2018 Tonys or Meryl Streep’s 2017 Golden Globes speech clearly aimed at Trump’s hostility toward immigrants, without ever naming him.

Who won best picture at that show? Who knows? But Arquette’s speech, with Streep enthusiastically pointing at her, prompted an enduring meme, while Streep’s comments echoed for days — and drew an inevitable “Overrated” rebuke from Trump.

Award-show ratings have remained on a downward arc, which reflects the gravity dragging at all of linear television, as well as the lingering after-effects of COVID and strike-disrupted years.

While last year’s Emmys rebounded to almost 6.9 million viewers, that followed two years of historic lows — the audience first slipped below 10 million viewers in 2019 — indicating that there’s relatively little to lose. And with its existing TV deal, in which the awards rotate among the four major broadcast networks, due to expire after next year’s ceremony, the Television Academy has a heightened need to present a telecast people will watch and someone will pay to carry.

Given the whirlwind of social media, taking a stand does invite certain headaches, but there’s plenty of talent with zero F’s to give — what are you going to do, cancel Helen Mirren or Harrison Ford? And besides, it only takes a few key moments, amid the obligatory business that needs to get done, to punctuate these ceremonies.

In an appearance on MSNBC in August, Henry Winkler addressed the issue of having the courage to speak out on matters of importance to him by saying, “I am an American, I’m a man, and then I’m a professional. And people still say to me on Twitter, ‘Stay in your lane.’ And my lane is being a man in America. My profession is being an actor.”

While it would be naive to ignore that choosing a lane involves risks, you often have to take chances to make noise. And that’s what award shows must do, ultimately, if they still hope to create the feeling they’re worth watching.

So bring on the politics. Sure, you’ll offend someone. But honestly, if they’re that sensitive, most of them weren’t going to watch anyway.

The post The Emmys Need a Jolt. Start by Bringing Politics Back to the Speeches appeared first on TheWrap.

The Television Academy announced a list of 39 presenters on Tuesday, lining up former winners, current nominees and popular celebrities for the ceremony. These presenters will join host and comedian Nate Bargatze at the Peacock Theater on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Several of the announced presenters will be pulling double duty as nominees of this year’s ceremony. That includes “Matlock” star Kathy Bates, who has a chance of becoming the oldest winner of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Bates, who this year received her 14th Emmy nomination, took the record of oldest nominee in the category from Angela Lansbury, who was 70 when she nabbed her 12th nomination for “Murder, She Wrote.” Bates, 77, has a chance at dethroning Glenn Close, who was 62 when she won the award in 2009 for her role in “Damages.”

“The Studio” stars Ike Barinholtz and Kathryn Hahn — both nominated in the supporting comedy categories — are also among the first wave of presenters. A running gag in the eighth episode of “The Studio” saw Barinholtz’ character Sal Saperstein inexplicably get thanked by a number of Golden Globes winners as Seth Rogen’s Matt Remick clawed for recognition. We might expect the bit to carry into real life with a Saperstein shout-out at the Emmys, Barinholtz actually presenting an Emmy could give one winner the perfect opportunity.

The triumvirate of “Paradise” nominees — Sterling K. Brown, James Marsden and Julianne Nicholson — will also present Emmys. Nicholson is one of the few actors who has already been recognized at the ceremony, having won the Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series award Saturday night at the Creative Arts Emmys for her work on “Hacks.” She is one of two dual acting nominees this year, joined by Catherine O’Hara, who was nominated for Guest Actress in a Drama Series (“The Last of Us”) and Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (“The Studio”).

Colman Domingo finds himself among the nominees/presenters, nominated in Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his work on “The Four Seasons.” This nomination keeps Domingo’s awards love rolling, as he received back-to-back Best Actor nominations at the Oscars in 2024 and 2025, a Tony nomination for Best Play as a producer in 2023 and a Guest Actor in a Drama Series win at the Emmys in 2022.

Stephen Colbert, whose late show is nominated for Outstanding Talk Series, will present an award at the ceremony. This comes at a key moment for Colbert, who learned of the cancellation of “The Late Show” just days after he went on-air to criticize parent company Paramount for, as he called it, giving Donald Trump “a big fat bribe” to ensure the FCC approved of the company’s Skydance merger. The merger has since gone through. As a presenter, Colbert will have yet another platform for his signature mix of stand-up and commentary, this time at the often-political awards show.

A number of presenters, though not nominated this year, are past Emmys royalty. Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai — who took part in last year’s historic “Shōgun” Emmys season as the winners of Lead Actor and Lead Actress in a Drama Series — are among this year’s presenters. Sydney Sweeney, who was twice nominated in 2022 for “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus,” will present an award herself shortly after her American Eagle “Great Jeans” ad went viral. Jennifer Coolidge, a two-time winner for Supporting Actress awards for “The White Lotus,” will present an award for the show’s third season — the first without her.

Other presenters will be at the ceremony to align with their own current television projects. Jenna Ortega, who was herself nominated for an Emmy for “Wednesday” in 2024, will deliver an award less than two weeks after the second half of “Wednesday” Season 2. Jude Law and Jason Bateman — who co-star as brothers on Netflix’s “Black Rabbit” — will present at the Emmys only days before their own show premieres on Sept. 18. Bateman has 14 Emmy nominations and one win (Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for “Ozark” in 2019), while “Black Rabbit” could pave the way for Law’s first Emmys nod next year.

You can view a full list of the first wave of this year’s Emmys presenters below.

2025 Primetime Emmys Presenters (Wave 1)
Elizabeth Banks
Ike Barinholtz
Angela Bassett
Jason Bateman
Kathy Bates
Kristen Bell
Alexis Bledel
Sterling K. Brown
Stephen Colbert
Jennifer Coolidge
Alan Cumming
Eric Dane
Colman Domingo
Tina Fey
Walton Goggins
Tony Goldwyn
Lauren Graham
Kathryn Hahn
Mariska Hargitay
Justin Hartley
Charlie Hunnam
Jude Law
James Marsden
Christopher Meloni
Leanne Morgan
Julianne Nicholson
Jenna Ortega
Sarah Paulson
Evan Peters
Parker Posey
Jeff Probst
Phylicia Rashad
Hiroyuki Sanada
Anna Sawai
Michael Schur
Sydney Sweeney
Sofia Vergara
Jesse Williams
Catherine Zeta-Jones

The post Angela Bassett, Jude Law, Jenna Ortega and Sydney Sweeney Among First Wave of Emmys Presenters appeared first on TheWrap.

“It’s like playing in a sandbox,” Esposito said of acting while discussing his Primetime Emmy nomination for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Stan Edgar in “The Boys.” “The more mature I get in this business, the more child-like wonder I have for what we do … So, to get that phone call is great. It used to be really great for my ego, now it’s really great for my heart.”

Just like his previous roles as Gustavo, Moff Gideon in Disney+’s “The Mandalorian” or even Lex Luthor in the animated series “Harley Quinn,” Esposito once again takes on the role of a meticulous antagonist, who, of course, is the head honcho in charge in “The Boys.” Stan Edgar, the longtime CEO of Vought International, who has since been forced out of his position, is the one person Homelander can’t intimidate. After a deal with Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) to obtain a Vought-crafted virus that reverses the effects of Compound V flops, Stan Edgar is sent back to prison but is then rescued by his daughter Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit).

While Stan’s whereabouts are unknown at the moment, Esposito suspects the disgraced exec’s storyline in “The Boys” universe isn’t done, and there might even be room and board for him on “The Boys” college-based spinoff series “Gen V.”

“I think they have some plans for Edgar — hint, hint,” Esposito said with a smile.

And in the meantime, Esposito is busier than ever. During his conversation with TheWrap, he opened up about his hopes to star in a romantic comedy centered on a mature man’s attempts to find love, his daughter Ruby Esposito becoming Spike Lee Joint alum through her work on Lee’s newest film “Highest 2 Lowest,” his desire to return to theater and more.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You’re nominated for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series for your performance as Stan Edgar in “The Boys.” While this isn’t your first, second, or third time being nominated, what does it feel like for your work to be consistently recognized and applauded at this level?

Esposito: It’s an honor every time. Every time it’s fresh and new for me because I’m never waiting for that phone call to happen — I just do the work. The acknowledgement alone is a win for me. It just makes me feel like I’m where I need to be with the best of all those in TV, working with the best showrunners, the best writers, the best acting and scene partners, and so it’s really elation. I’m elated.

What other part/area of your craft would you like to play around with? I know you’ve mentioned wanting to do a romantic comedy before.

I’ve been talking about a romantic comedy for people of a certain age. I’m a little bit more mature now, but I’m in some of the best shape of my life, because I’m getting ready for an action picture of which I’ll produce and star in and so I run into old friends who may be around the same age as I am, and they go, “Oh, hey, we’re doing great for old men.” And I say, “Speak for yourself. I’m not old at all.” I had this idea, because I’m a divorced man, a mature man, with four daughters who’s still open to having that right someone come into their life. Have we ever seen that story, you know? Where you’re not meeting someone who’s over the hill and ready to die and looking for a partner to hold them up on their cane, but someone who actually has a very young mindset, who’s looking for an equal. But, he also has four daughters who are very protective of him, who want the right person for him. That would be a great kind of romantic comedy.

Is there anyone you’ve yet to collaborate with that you’d like to?

I had the blessing of being able to collaborate recently with Stephen King on a short story in his latest novel called [“You Like It Darker.”] It’s a short story within that, and I’m working with [television screenwriter] Guy Busick (“Ready or Not” franchise,” “Scream 7”) to write the script for a feature film, because I wanted to explore the horror genre after working on “Abigail” with the two lovely, lovely directors of “Scream.” There’s also another story I’m cultivating about [the] end of life [about an] older couple who are going through the veil, their final evolution. [It’s] a very interesting story about a child that they have lost touch with and have to find who went the wrong way. [A] story about how we evolve as we start to accept the fact that we’re going to transition and move on.

I’m writing a memoir. I have a publisher with Crown [Publishing Group], and I’m also doing a graphic novel which also has a publisher, with Simon & Schuster, which explores the all of who I am, so without bifurcating who I am. I’m part Italian and part African American, but I label myself as a Black man in America, that’s a whole different layer. So how do we embrace and allow people to know all of who I am? When I go to Italy, I’m an Italian. I’m trying to figure out, and have plied a story about an Italian who left there early and then went back, and how he finds himself in these two worlds.

So we’ve got to get into “The Boys”: How do you feel about it coming to an end?

I feel like it’s gone too fast. I love what the creators of “The Boys,” especially Eric Kripke, does with the show. It’s such a very satirical look at the world we’re in today. I’ve always loved the show because it’s felt like superheroes with human emotions … So I’m sad. Every season I think Eric’s assumption is that, ‘Oh, I probably won’t be able to get him back, which leads me to another story. [I was] with my daughter during Season 3, I’m watching that episode that’s so outrageous, you know which one I’m talking about (Episode 6: “Herogasm”), and she pauses the TV to go to the bathroom. She comes back, and I’m texting. She’s like, “What are you doing?” I said, “I’m texting Kripke.” She said, “What? What are you saying?” I’m saying, “Don’t forget me in Season 4, because I got to come back” and and she said, “That’s how you do it? I said, “Well, yeah, I like the show, I like him, I want to be a part of it.” Three seconds later, text comes back, “What, would you?” And I said, “Yeah, I would. And that’s how it happened.

Is that advice you’d give to actors or even people in general when it comes to going after what they want?

That’s exactly right. I tell my kids: Ask for what you want. You can think it, but the universe is not getting that. If you ask it out loud and you just make the call — look when I got the Stephen King piece, you know how I did that? I emailed him. “Stephen. I got a galley copy of your book. This story resounds for me. Can I have the rights?” I think we as human beings, especially actors, we’re insecure. We have to go after roles, wait for the phone to ring — I don’t do that. I ask for what I want. I say, “Hey, I really admire this piece. I would like to develop it. If you can find a place for me to do that.” Or, “I’d like to develop with you.” Or, “I want to talk to you about producing this with you.” I think you know when we are empowering ourselves to ask that question, not out of ego or out of glory, but out of desire and want. And again, that word inspiration, then the universe gives it to us.

Absolutely. Well, is the universe going to give us Stan Edgar in “Gen V”? How much of Stan will we get to see?

I would like Stan Edgar to be in a lot more of “Gen V.” I think they have some plans for Edgar — hint, hint. I do what they ask because I really enjoyed “Gen V.” All of a sudden, I’m working with people my own age. I like working with adults, but I’m just a kid, and these young actors tear it up! We’re going to say that there’s a place for Stan Edgar in this world. The dank world of “The Boys” is coming to an end. It’s sad to me, but power has to get toppled. I think we have to understand what side of that priority of power we have stood one and what we’ve traded off in the mix of it because that was what we thought was right for the right now, but that’s all going to change. It’s all going to go away, just like what’s happening right now [in the U.S.]. It’s all going to go away if you and I can stand our ground and facilitate what’s right for all of us as human beings.

And as far as Season 5 of “The Boys”?

Season 5 of “The Boys” is going to be a torrent coming down, but Stan, Stan is someone who understands what people need. You know, he’s not only the company man who explains to Homelander that you are not a god, “you’re simply bad product.” He also explains to him that it’s a pharmaceutical company, and we got to understand this about America, like he breaks it down. This is about money, it’s about controlling people. I think Stan is onto something, because it places him outside of it, understanding it, running it. We don’t know who for he’s running for some other folks, but he’s certainly gotten rich from it. It certainly aggrandized him, but he’s able to be personal enough to know that you need to be empowered. That’s why Homelander can’t take him out, because he knows Homelander needs a father figure. He needs to be approved. I tell my girls, don’t get your approval from no man. Don’t get your approval from nobody. Validate yourself. And so Stan Edgar is all about that, so we need to see some more of him.

Speaking of your daughters, how does it feel for your daughter Ruby Esposito to now be part of Spike Lee’s filmography just like you? I know she working in the camera department for his new film “Highest 2 Lowest.”

You are so on it. Tears are coming to my eyes; I’m so proud of this girl. We’re sitting there are the premiere and her name is up in the credits. Spike adored her. She did a great job. She went on to be his assistant for a couple of months and she learned even more from that. It’s time, because she is a filmmaker. She’s been a filmmaker since she was 10, put a camera in her hand when she was 8. Papa bear has been telling her for two years now to write your script. I will produce it — $2 million; that’s in my wheelhouse. And I’ll play a small part in it. I could not be more proud to empower her at her own pace, but it’s time. She got somebody she work with on [“Highest 2 Lowest”] who she really likes. They’ve been meeting, cooking up that idea. So Spike is the through line.

You know what he said to me at the “Highest 2 Lowest” premiere? He said, “Hey, they love us at Fiat. They love the Fiat commercial.” I’m like, “Well, Spike, let’s go to Italy and make another one. He’s like, “Bet, set it up.” I’m like, “I’m making a call.” He’s like, family. He’s empowered so many young filmmakers, not only my daughter, also many people who have worked for him for more than a few years in the office are getting some deals now, they’re going to leave him. He teaches them, he lets them go. He’s hard on them sometimes, tough love. I got them phone calls [about Ruby]. I’m like, “Girlfriend, you need to stick that out. I don’t care what he did, it’s Spike Lee. You’re there to learn, right?” So it’s really great. At the premiere, I saw Malcolm Washington, John David [Washington]. Malcolm said, “Oh man, where’s my alumni, where’s my girl?” He had never met my daughter. He said I was with Spike too, just that long, and I was gone. Our kids all coming through Spike. It’s beautiful thing. It’s about those relationships.

And speaking of the Washingtons. Denzel Washington and a few other actors who come from theater, like yourself, are returning to the stage. Could we see that from you at some point in your career?

Without a doubt. I’ve been plying a couple of different things, which are a little bit on hold right now until we re-envision them. One is [William Shakespeare’s] “King Lear.” We had been working on that at the [Park Avenue] Armory. Then, unfortunately, Pierre, the head of the Armory, passed away this year. So that’s kind of changing; I was working on that with [theatre director] Daniel Fish. We put it on hold for a minute, but that’s something that in our sights. [I’m] also talking to the Atlantic Theater Company about something else there with Neil Pepe, and we have to see if that is going to work. I’m all about theater theater, and I want to come back — not for my ego, but for the story. It’s got to be for the right reason. And to me, it’s coming soon. You’ll see me back there soon.

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