At the 2025 Emmy Awards held on September 14 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, Seth Rogen earned the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy award for his portrayal of Matt Remick in Apple TV+’s The Studio. In his acceptance speech, Rogen humorously recalled a childhood moment, drawing a lighthearted comparison to his Emmy Award win.
Rogen shared,
“I still could not wrap my head around this happening that I literally prepared nothing,”
expressing his surprise. He also recounted an amusing anecdote from his youth:
“I’ve never won anything in my life. When I was a kid, I bought a used bowling trophy at an estate sale, and my parents were like, ‘Yeah, that’s a good idea. You should probably buy that.’”
The 43-year-old Canadian actor outperformed fellow nominees Adam Brody, Jason Segel, Martin Short, and Jeremy Allen White for the award. During his speech, he credited his family and colleagues, saying,
“Thank you so much. This is really just so lovely.”
Rogen praised his wife Lauren Miller, his mom, and his castmates for their support.
Although previously nominated for five Emmy Awards, this ceremony marked Rogen’s first acting Emmy win. He was also nominated in multiple other categories this year, including Directing for a Comedy Series, Writing for a Comedy Series, and Outstanding Comedy Series, all shared with his longtime collaborator Evan Goldberg.
The Studio Dominates Emmy Nominations
The Studio led the pack at this year’s Emmys, tying the all-time record for most nominations in a single year for a comedy series with a total of 23 nods. This achievement matched the record previously held by The Bear.
Ahead of the ceremony, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg voiced their astonishment at the show’s recognition. In July, they stated,
“We never thought this would happen. What do we even say?”
The duo added their trademark humor:
“Uh… thanks to our parents, our agents, our publicists, our preschool teachers, our managers, The Television Academy, our assistants, and Apple? Or do you only say that stuff if you win? Oh no! We’re already blowing it. Um… no comment!”
Major Winners Across Key Categories
The 2025 Emmy Awards honored many outstanding performers and series beyond Seth Rogen’s win. Below is a detailed listing of the significant winners and nominees from this year’s event.
Drama and Comedy Series Winners
Outstanding Drama Series Nominees: Andor, The Diplomat, The Last of Us, Paradise, The Pitt, Severance, Slow Horses, The White Lotus.
Outstanding Comedy Series Nominees: Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, Shrinking, The Studio, What We Do In The Shadows.
Lead Acting Awards in Drama and Comedy
Lead Actor in a Drama Series Nominees: Sterling K. Brown (Paradise), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us), Adam Scott (Severance), Noah Wyle (The Pitt).
Lead Actress in a Drama Series Winner: Britt Lower (Severance), alongside nominees Kathy Bates (Matlock), Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), Keri Russell (The Diplomat).
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series: Seth Rogen (The Studio) won over Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This), Jason Segel (Shrinking), Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building), and Jeremy Allen White (The Bear).
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Winner: Jean Smart for Hacks, ahead of nominees Uzo Aduba (The Residence), Kirsten Bell (Nobody Wants This), Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), and Ayo Edebiri (The Bear).
Supporting Acting Honors in Drama and Comedy
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Winner: Tramell Tillman (Severance), with nominees including Zach Cherry, Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, James Marsden, and John Turturro.
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Winner: Katherine LaNasa (The Pitt), among other nominees Patricia Arquette, Carrie Coon, Julianne Nicholson, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, and Aimee Lou Wood.
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Winner: Jeff Hiller (Somebody Somewhere), contending with Ike Barinholtz, Colman Domingo, Harrison Ford, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Michael Urie, and Bowen Yang.
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Winner: Hannah Einbinder (Hacks), featuring prominent nominees Liza Colón-Zayas, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle James, Catherine O’Hara, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Jessica Williams.
Recognition for Limited Series and Guest Performances
Limited or Anthology Series Nominees: Adolescence, Black Mirror, Dying for Sex, Monsters: The Lyle & Erik Menendez Story, The Penguin.
Guest Actor in a Drama Series Winner: Shawn Hatosy (The Pitt), competing with Giancarlo Esposito, Scott Glenn, Joe Pantoliano, Forest Whitaker, and Jeffrey Wright.
Guest Actress in a Drama Series Winner: Merritt Wever (Severance), alongside Jane Alexander, Gwendoline Christie, Kaitlyn Dever, Cherry Jones, and Catherine O’Hara.
Guest Actor in a Comedy Series Winner: Bryan Cranston (The Studio), contending with Jon Bernthal, Dave Franco, Ron Howard, Anthony Mackie, and Martin Scorsese.
Guest Actress in a Comedy Series Winner: Julianne Nicholson (Hacks), featured with Olivia Colman, Jamie Lee Curtis, Cynthia Erivo, Robby Hoffman, and Zoë Kravitz.
Additional Notable Category Winners
Reality Competition Series Winner: The Traitors
Host for a Reality or Reality Competition Program Winner: Alan Cumming (The Traitors)
Scripted Variety Series Winner: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Host for a Game Show Winner: Jimmy Kimmel (Who Wants to Be a Millionaire)
Structured Reality Program Winner: Queer Eye
Unstructured Reality Program Winner: Love On The Spectrum
Significance of Seth Rogen’s Emmy Achievement
Seth Rogen’s Emmy Award win for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series highlights a milestone in his career, marking the first acting Emmy for the actor long known for his comedic talents in films like Superbad. The success of The Studio and its record-tying nominations underscore the show’s critical acclaim and cultural impact within the industry.
This recognition may pave the way for further creative opportunities for both Rogen and his collaborator Evan Goldberg, who also received multiple nominations this year. Their show’s collective achievements reflect a shift in comedy programming, gaining stronger appreciation from peers and audiences alike.
As The Studio continues to garner acclaim, viewers and industry watchers can anticipate more groundbreaking work from Rogen, Goldberg, and their talented cast as they build on the momentum from the 2025 Emmy Awards.
