Julie Andrews won her third Emmy Award at age 89 for best character voice-over performance in Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton,’ while ‘The Studio’ from Apple TV+ led with nine wins and ‘The Penguin’ from HBO secured eight at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Saturday, September 6, 2025, highlighting a night of technical and artistic achievements in television.
Andrews, a legendary figure in entertainment, was honored for her role as Lady Whistledown, though she was not present to accept the award. This win adds to her previous Emmys from 1973 and 2005, and she now only lacks a Tony Award to complete her EGOT status, despite her acclaimed Broadway career in productions like ‘My Fair Lady.’ Her victory was a sentimental highlight, underscoring her enduring talent and contribution to the industry.
‘The Studio,’ a satire on Hollywood, dominated the comedy categories with wins in cinematography, production design, and casting. Cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra was recognized for the episode ‘The Oner,’ which was filmed in a single shot, mirroring the show’s self-referential humor. A recurring joke involved winners thanking the fictional character Sal Saperstein, played by Ike Barinholtz, adding a layer of meta-comedy to the acceptance speeches and reflecting the series’ clever narrative style.
In the limited series arena, ‘The Penguin’ excelled with eight awards, including prosthetic makeup and visual effects, showcasing its technical prowess and dark, gritty aesthetic. This strong performance positions it as a frontrunner for the upcoming Primetime Emmy Awards. Meanwhile, ‘Adolescence’ from Netflix won best cinematography for a limited series but only managed two awards overall, being overshadowed by ‘The Penguin’s’ sweep.
Other notable winners included ‘Andor,’ the ‘Star Wars’ series on Disney+, which secured four awards in drama categories, and ‘Severance’ from Apple TV+, which took home six trophies, including best cinematography for a series. However, as the most nominated show with 27 nods, ‘Severance’s’ haul was relatively modest compared to last year’s record-setting ‘Shogun,’ suggesting a more competitive field this season.
Guest acting categories brought star power to the event, with Julianne Nicholson winning her first Emmy for best guest actress in a comedy for her role as Dance Mom in HBO Max’s ‘Hacks.’ She expressed surprise and delight at the win, noting it was a fun departure from her usual serious roles. Bryan Cranston won best guest actor in a comedy for ‘The Studio,’ marking his seventh Emmy, while Merritt Wever won for ‘Severance’ and Shawn Hatosy for ‘The Pitt,’ who praised co-star Noah Wyle in his speech.
The Creative Arts Emmys, held over two nights at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, award nearly 100 trophies in craft categories and are not televised live, with an edited presentation set to air on FXX on September 13. Presenter Maya Rudolph humorously dubbed it ‘the real Emmys,’ emphasizing the importance of these behind-the-scenes contributions to television production.
Looking ahead, the Primetime Emmy Awards will air live on CBS on September 14, where major categories like best drama and comedy series will be decided. The strong showings by ‘The Studio’ and ‘The Penguin’ indicate they are top contenders, but the distributed wins across various shows suggest a potentially unpredictable and exciting ceremony ahead.