Emmys 2025: Hannah Einbinder takes home first Emmy for Hacks, thanks co-star Jean Smart in speech

Hannah Einbinder’s persistence finally paid off at the Emmys 2025 on September 14, 2025, when she won her first Emmy after three consecutive years of nominations without a victory. The Hacks star took home Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Ava Daniels, the ambitious but often conflicted comedy writer who partners with Jean Smart’s Deborah Vance.

The Emmys 2025 ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, turned her long-running narrative of being “the one who always lost” into one of the night’s most talked-about triumphs.

Einbinder’s win came in a fiercely competitive category that included veterans Catherine O’Hara and Kathryn Hahn for The Studio, Jessica Williams for Shrinking, and Abbott Elementary’s Sheryl Lee Ralph and Janelle James. Her speech combined humor, gratitude, and a controversial political edge, a mix that made it to the news.

She joked about her history of Emmy defeats before warmly crediting Smart as “like a sun” whose presence shaped her work on the series. But the moment turned controversial when she closed with a political statement censored on the live CBS broadcast. Even with that twist, the win itself signaled long-overdue recognition for Einbinder, who has become central to Hacks’ success.

Hannah Einbinder breaks through with her first Emmy Win for Hacks at the Emmys 2025

Hannah Einbinder’s Emmy win in 2025 felt like the culmination of a journey that had quietly been unfolding for years. For three consecutive seasons, she competed in the same category, her performances consistently strong yet often overshadowed by flashier names and more established shows. This year, however, voters finally recognized what Hacks had been proving all along: Ava Daniels isn’t just a supporting character, she’s the show’s beating heart.

Season four of the HBO Max comedy cemented that. With Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) landing her long-coveted late-night hosting gig, Ava’s promotion to head writer gave Einbinder the material she had been waiting for. Suddenly, the sarcasm and dry humor that defined her earlier seasons were layered with something weightier, moments of doubt, loyalty, and the pressure of holding her own next to a legend.

Episodes where Ava stumbled and clawed her way through the unforgiving world of late-night television were among the season’s sharpest, and critics didn’t hesitate to single her out. By the time Emmy night arrived, the case for her recognition was undeniable. This was a breakthrough that Hacks itself had been building toward all along.

The Emmys 2025 category itself was no easy path. Catherine O’Hara and Kathryn Hahn were both nominated for The Studio, a series that dominated in comedy wins. Jessica Williams earned a nomination for Shrinking, while Abbott Elementary brought back Sheryl Lee Ralph and Janelle James, both past favorites of Emmys 2025 voters. Einbinder’s ability to break through such a crowded lineup showed that her performance was essential.

Her acceptance speech emphasized that fact without overstating it. By thanking Smart so directly, she underlined the chemistry that has carried Hacks since its debut. Viewers know the show would not work without the push-and-pull between Deborah and Ava, and Einbinder used her time on stage to give credit to that partnership.

Her choice of words felt like an acknowledgment of how much the show thrives on that generational contrast, with Smart’s established gravitas allowing Einbinder’s sharper, younger perspective to land with even more weight.

In the end, the Emmys 2025 mark Einbinder’s personal achievement, and it signaled that Hacks continues to evolve, with its supporting cast playing as critical a role as its lead. For Einbinder, the win repositions her from perennial nominee to Emmys 2025 winner, changing her trajectory in a way that will shape both her career and the show’s legacy.

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