From Tramell Tillman and Hannah Einbinder’s wins to Kori… Jackson, the 2025 Primetime Emmy Awards were one for the LGBTQIA+ history books!
Held on 14 September at the Peacock Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, with stand-up comedian Nate Bargatze on hosting duties, the ceremony celebrated the best in television from 1 June 2024 to 31 May 2025.
As expected, Apple TV’s lauded satirical comedy The Studio dominated with 13 wins – breaking the record for the most Emmys awarded to a comedy series in a single season.
HBO’s crime drama The Penguin, based on the iconic Batman villain, followed with nine, while Netflix’s record-breaking Adolescence, Apple TV’s sci-fi thriller Severance and the Saturday Night Live 50th Anniversary Special tied for third place with eight apiece.
Tramell Tillman, who plays Seth Milchick in Severance, triumphed in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category, beating co-stars Zach Cherry and John Turturro, as well as Walton Goggins and Jason Isaacs (The White Lotus) and James Marsden (Paradise).
His win marked a historic first: Tillman is both the first Black man – and the first openly Black gay man – to take home the award.
Meanwhile, Hannah Einbinder finally converted her three-time nominations into a win for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Hacks). In an impassioned speech, she condemned ICE deportations and voiced support for Palestine.
Joined by her co-star Jean Smart – who repeated her win for Lead Actress – Einbinder elaborated backstage: “I feel like it is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the State of Israel, because our religion and our culture is such an important and long-standing institution that is really separate to this sort of ethno-nationalist state.”
For her acclaimed performance as Briony Ariston in Adolescence, Erin Doherty won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
After praising her co-stars Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper, who also won in their respective categories, she dedicated the honour to her sister Grace and her girlfriend Sinéad: “Thank you for making me the happiest person in the world. I love you with everything I’ve got.”
The final major acting award of the night went to Jeff Hiller for his role as Joel in HBO’s beloved cult comedy Somebody Somewhere, which recently wrapped its third and final season.
His win — celebrated by fellow nominees and queer icons Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) and Michael Urie (Shrinking) — was punctuated by a hilarious speech, in which he thanked HBO for “putting a show about sweaty, middle-aged people on the same network as the sexy teens of Euphoria.”
“Thank you to the Duplass brothers for writing a show of connection and love in this time when compassion is seen as a weakness,” he continued.
“Thank you to my sweet husband and my family for never laughing at me, and most of all, thank you, Bridget Everett. You changed my life and you told so many people to believe in themselves, and they do.”
The Traitors once again bested RuPaul’s Drag Race for Outstanding Reality Competition Program, and Alan Cumming accepted the award proudly wearing a pro-trans pin – days after winning his second consecutive trophy for Outstanding Host at the Creative Arts Emmys.
Not all of the night’s most memorable LGBTQIA+ moments came from trophies.
The Hunting Wives stars Brittany Snow and Malin Åkerman sent sapphics into a spiral when, while presenting Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, they took the opportunity to flirt.
“Wow, that took me a while to get here. Sorry, I was really slow to come out,” Snow joked, prompting Åkerman to tease: “Oh, I don’t mind waiting for you to come out…”
(Oh, and good news: The Hunting Wives has just been renewed for a second season!)
On the red carpet, the winners served looks alongside LGBTQIA+ icons and allies including Sarah Paulson, Jean Smart, Bowen Yang, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Kathy Bates, Quinta Brunson, Cate Blanchett, Parker Posey, Selena Gomez and Jennifer Coolidge.
Standouts included Hacks star Megan Stalter with a bold “CEASE FIRE!” handbag, and White Lotus favourite Natasha Rothwell telling Billboard: “I’m always rooting for anybody Black, anybody who’s a lady out there – and for LGBTQIA+ people: I’m there for you guys, always.”
And of course, the queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 17 shut down the carpet: Joella wowed as a Chinese Labubu, while Kori King made good on her promise to “break the internet” with a cheeky homage to – hee, hee! – Michael Jackson.
#Dragrace stars Kori King and Joella arrive at the #Emmys dressed as Michael Jackson and a Labubu pic.twitter.com/QZKKF8jF0K
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) September 14, 2025