Britt Lower took home the award for best lead actress in a drama series during Sunday night’s 2025 Emmys.
Lower was nominated alongside Kathy Bates (Matlock), Sharon Horgan (Bad Sisters), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us) and Keri Russell (The Diplomat).
“I share this award with my heroic cast and crew,” the Severance star said when taking the stage. Throughout the rest of her speech she thanked her team, family and gave a special shout-out to her character on the Apple TV+ series.
“Thank you for this, and thank you for Helly R for choosing me,” she said.
The second season of the series, created by Ben Stiller and Dan Erickson, was Apple TV+’s most watched series worldwide ever, according to the streamer.
“I have so many answers, but the best one I can think of is that it’s a show about what makes us human,” Lower told THR in her Aug. 6 cover story when asked about the show’s success.
“I was at that point where there had been, like, three or four jobs that year that had just gone a different direction,” Lower reflected on the time before scoring the role as Helly R on the Apple TV+ series. “I had developed that kind of resilience that you build from rejection, and you’re just like, ‘OK, cool, it wasn’t meant to be.’ “
When she learned she got the part, Lower told THR that she fell to her knees and cried: “It was a hardwood floor, so my knees hurt.”
The Apple TV+ series Severance led the nominees with a total of 27 noms, including best drama series, competing alongside Andor, The Diplomat, The Last of Us, Paradise, The Pitt, Slow Horses and The White Lotus. The Penguin was next with a total of 24 noms; followed by The Studio and The White Lotus with 23 apiece; The Last of Us with 16, Andor and Hacks with 14 each; and Adolescence, The Bear and The Pitt with 13 apiece. HBO and Max scored the most noms of all platforms.
Lower’s win follows her Severance co-star Tramell Tillman winning the Emmy for supporting actor in a drama series.
The 77th Emmy Awards was telecast live from the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live in Los Angeles Sunday on CBS and streamed on Paramount+. Nate Bargatze hosted. See the red carpet looks here.