At the “2025 Primetime Television Emmy Awards”, decades of television were honored and memorable wins took place. However, it was politics that truly took center stage as actors used the award show’s platform to amplify causes they care about.
The host, comedian Nate Barzgate, began the show with an introductory sketch that featured other comedians and humorously imagined how television came to be. Barzgate went on to take the stage for his opening monologue and announced the plan to donate $100,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of America, a nonprofit network of local chapters that provide afterschool and summer programs for young people. This donation from the Emmys would support the Boys and Girls Club’s mission of imparting the importance of good character and citizenship to young people
However, Barzgate explained that the donation amount would fluctuate depending on the length of winners’ speeches. If a speech was longer than 45 seconds then money would be deducted and if a speech fell under the cap money would be added to the donation. The gimmick continued throughout the night as actors scrambled to complete their speeches within the time limit or decided to completely disregard it. The amount was ultimately in the negatives by the end of the night; however, Barzgate and the CBS pledged a donation of $350,000 to the Boys and Girls Club.
Barzgate’s donation bit was not the only contributor to the speeches’ heightened importance this year. Several of the night’s winners chose to not only discuss their work and thank friends and family but also, speak out about the political climate in the U.S. and around the world.
A prominent example is Hannah Einbinder, who won for her performance as a supporting actress in comedy series “Hacks”. Einbinder concluded her speech cheering for NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, expressing her disdain for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and calling for the freedom of Palestine. “I thought it was important to talk about Palestine…it’s an issue that’s very dear to my heart,” said Einbinder in a press conference following the award show. She went on to say, “I feel like it is my obligation as a Jewish person to distinguish Jews from the State of Israel.”
Talk show host and comedian Stephen Colbert also included political messages in his acceptance speech for Outstanding Talk Series. Colbert’s show, “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”, was recently cancelled by CBS. Many speculate that the cancellation was a reaction to the pressure from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and President Trump. At the time, the FCC was facilitating the merger between Paramount, the parent company of CBS, and Skydance. While Trump had just settled his legal dispute with Paramount mere days before the cancellation was announced, and in his speech, Colbert alluded to his feelings about both his show’s cancellation and the current political climate. “You only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it…I have never loved my country more desperately,” he said. Colbert also implored viewers to preserve and remain resilient, “God bless America, stay strong, be brave.”
Celebrities such as Ruth Negga of “Presumed Innocent” and Amiee Lou Wood of “White Lotus” also took to the red carpet to spread political messages, incorporating different pins and other accessories into their outfits to bring attention to current issues they care about. Megan Stalter, who stars in “Hacks”, arrived on the red carpet clad in jeans, a plain t-shirt, and a canvas tote bag that read “Cease Fire!” Stalter’s look made a statement both because of its informality and its direct acknowledgment of the complexities in Gaza.
But how did viewers, more specifically viewers at Poly Prep, respond to the award show as a whole and the political commentary throughout? Among the student-thespians and participants in the performing arts programs, Owen Cooper’s win for “Adolescence” was resonant. Cooper, at 15-years-old, is the youngest actor to ever win for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or TV Movie. “The fact that he gave such an amazing performance with such hard, dark adult themes was inspiring and made me prideful, weirdly enough,” said Isaac Wise ’28 an active participant in Poly’s theater productions. Wise commended Cooper’s portrayal of a character who “is convicted of something that everyone believes that he isn’t capable of…and the result is that he is capable of it.”
Some members of the Poly community believe actors should have the ability to use their fame to advocate for issues they are passionate about. “I love award shows like the Emmys… they definitely mean something,” said Drew Brandmeyer ‘28, a participant in Poly’s theater productions since middle school. “If you have a platform, you should have every right to use it however you’d like to and I definitely agree with speaking about what you believe in, even if it’s just to raise awareness about something important to you,” said Brandmeyer.
Others advise caution when intersecting the arts with politics. “I don’t mind people having causes. I just sometimes think that you have to be careful about how you deliver it,” said Middle School Theater teacher Andrew Cooper-Leary. Cooper-Leary explained that he often finds himself wondering about an actor’s intentions when it comes to commenting on politics in settings like the Emmys. “I always say that the danger of some of the politics stuff is, are you really caring about the cause? Or are you caring about you?” he concluded.
This year’s Emmys reminded viewers that arts and media don’t only reflect culture — they shape it, and as artists navigate the line between activism and entertainment the focus of award shows, such as the Emmys, will change. However, the question is, will the evolution of the Emmys mirror the evolution of audiences’ beliefs and morals?
