2025 Emmy Awards: 5 Well Deserved Wins & 5 Robberies

2025 Emmys: 5 Well-Deserved Wins & 5 Robberies

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re celebrating the most deserving wins from the 2025 Emmys and shining a light on those nominees who were overlooked.

#5: Robbed: Jenny Slate

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Not many people watched “Dying for Sex,” so it’s understandable why Jenny Slate’s performance was overlooked. Slate starred opposite Michelle Williams as Nikki Boyer, a struggling actor and free spirit who sets aside her own life to help her best friend pursue one last mission for pleasure after she is diagnosed with cancer. Based on a real person, the character demanded a delicate balance of playful spontaneity and emotional grounding, which Slate delivered with precision. Of course, eventual winner Erin Doherty was remarkable as a child psychologist in “Adolescence,” but this was a career-best performance from Slate. After years of consistently strong work, winning this Emmy would have been a satisfying climax for her.

#5: Deserved: “The Studio” (2025-)

Outstanding Comedy Series

Anyone who watched “The Studio” knew it was destined to win the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. Co-created by and starring Seth Rogen, the freshman comedy follows Rogen as a newly minted studio executive torn between making quality films and meeting the financial demands of the business. The show was firing on all fronts – writing, directing, performances, its ambitious long takes and an endless list of celebrity cameos – all of which melded into a distinctive and genuinely hilarious experience. Plus, its biting satire of Hollywood and its inner workings is exactly the kind of self-roast the industry loves. It shattered the record for the most trophies won by a comedy in one night and allowed Rogen to tie the record for the most individual wins.

#4: Robbed: Harrison Ford

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

As one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors, it was quite surprising that Harrison Ford only received his first Emmy nomination in 2025, at the age of 83. That nomination came for his role as Dr. Paul Rhoades, an arrogant psychotherapist, in “Shrinking.” The performance brought Ford some of the strongest reviews of his decades-long career, with many critics naming him the frontrunner, in a category stacked with past winners like Colman Domingo and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. However, in a twist hardly anyone saw coming, the award went to Jeff Hiller, for his standout performance in the criminally underrated “Somebody Somewhere.” While Hiller’s win was equally deserving, Ford’s shocking loss left many of his fans stunned.

#4: Deserved: Katherine LaNasa

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

The 2025 Emmy for best supporting drama actress was a hotly contested category, even just among the nominees from “The White Lotus.” The HBO anthology series fielded four actors, all of whom delivered career-defining performances. And then there was also Patricia Arquette, nominated for her chilling turn in “Severance.” But among this crowded field, the award ultimately went to first-time nominee Katherine LaNasa, whose performance as the warm but no-nonsense Nurse Dana Evans in “The Pitt” made her an instant fan favorite. Her victory may have surprised many, but it was well-earned. LaNasa stood out among “The Pitt’s” strong ensemble, infusing her character with rare grit and compassion, so it was truly incredible to see all her hard work pay off.

#3: Robbed: Colin Farrell

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

HBO’s “The Penguin,” a spinoff of 2022’s “The Batman,” premiered to overwhelmingly positive reviews for its writing, direction and performances. But despite all of that acclaim, it was almost entirely shut out of the Limited Series categories by “Adolescence.” One of those categories was for Outstanding Lead Actor, which saw the trophy go to Stephen Graham instead of Colin Farrell. This result was quite surprising, since Farrell appeared to have everything in his favor: a recognizable name, a powerhouse performance and prior awards from the Critics’ Choice, Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild. Considering “The Penguin” was conceived as an intense character study of Farrell’s role, which he delivered with chilling precision, many felt he was the more deserving contender.

#3: Deserved: Cristin Milioti

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

While “Adolescence” swept the Limited Series categories, Cristin Milioti was the only actor from “The Penguin” who took home an Emmy, and it was well-deserved. After years of playing thankless roles in shows like “Fargo” and “Black Mirror,” Milioti finally got the opportunity to fully showcase her wealth of skills as Sofia Falcone. “The Penguin” may have been centered around Colin Farrell’s titular crime lord, but Milioti stole every scene with her gripping portrayal of a calculated, vengeful antihero fighting to reclaim her family’s legacy in Gotham City. Even in a category stacked with heavy hitters like Cate Blanchett and Michelle Williams, there was just no one more deserving of that trophy than Milioti.

#2: Robbed: Kathy Bates

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Heading into Emmy night, Kathy Bates was undoubtedly the frontrunner for lead drama actress. She earned her nomination for portraying Madeline Kingston, a retired lawyer who returns to the profession to take down the firm she believes was complicit in her daughter’s death. Bates played the part to perfection, capturing every layer of the character as she shifted through multiple personas in search of the truth. Had she won, Bates would have been the oldest recipient in the category, at the age of 77, as well as the first winner from a major broadcast network since Viola Davis in 2015. However, the honor ultimately went to Britt Lower for her role in “Severance,” an equally impressive and deserving performance.

#2: Deserved: Owen Cooper

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

The Netflix miniseries “Adolescence” was a huge success, both on the streaming platform and at the 2025 Emmys. Among its many honors, none felt more deserved than the award won by actor Owen Cooper. At just 14 when he was cast, Cooper played Jamie Miller, a teenager accused of killing his classmate, for which he won the Emmy for Supporting Actor in a Limited Series, beating out veterans like Javier Bardem and Bill Camp. Despite having no prior professional experience, Cooper was a natural on screen. He brilliantly captured the character’s frantic energy, balancing it with a tender, childlike vulnerability. No one else could compare. With his victory, Cooper made history as the youngest male winner in any acting category.

#1: Robbed: Adam Scott

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Noah Wyle was outstanding in “The Pitt,” delivering a truly layered performance that harked back to the golden days of television. However, absolutely nothing on TV this year came close to Adam Scott in “Severance.” Playing Mark Scout, Scott embodied two very different versions of the same man: one grieving and detached on the outside, and another stuck in the sterile corporate world, trying to piece together an existential puzzle. Scott had to shift from dry humor to devastating grief, to thriller levels of suspense, sometimes all in a single scene. The season finale alone, where both versions of Mark collide emotionally, showed a level of range that is rare, even in prestige television. Few performances this decade have been as inventive, and Scott should have been the obvious choice.

#1: Deserved: Tramell Tillman

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Many acting categories at the 2025 Emmys were highly competitive, with everyone divided until the envelopes were opened. However, one category felt pretty much settled from the start: Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. While every other nominee turned in great work, this award was destined for Tramell Tillman. Tillman was nominated for his role as Seth Milchick in “Severance,” the severed floor manager whose role expanded into one of the main antagonists in the second season. Tillman’s performance was extraordinary; he elevated every scene with his sharp comedic timing and his ability to depict menace without ever going ham. His win was not only well-deserved but also historic, marking the first time a Black actor and an openly gay actor won in that category.

Which of the wins at the 2025 Emmys did you agree with? And which nominees did you think should have won? Let us know in the comments below.