Cristin Milioti wins 1st Emmy for 'The Penguin'
What's the story
Cristin Milioti, who played Sofia Falcone in HBO's The Penguin, won the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series at the 77th Emmy Awards on Sunday (Monday IST). This is her first-ever Emmy win after being nominated for the first time. The show has a 95% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and was up against Cate Blanchett (Disclaimer), Meaghann Fahy (Sirens), Rashida Jones (Black Mirror), and Michelle Williams (Dying for Sex).
Acceptance speech
Milioti wrote winning speech on back of her therapy notes
Milioti, 40, was visibly shocked when her name was announced. She told the Emmy audience through tears while holding onto a piece of paper, "I'm sorry, I wrote this on the back of notes I took in therapy the other day, so don't look at the back." The How I Met Your Mother star thanked several professional and personal loved ones before concluding, "I love acting so much, wooo!"
Twitter Post
Hear her speech here
lol I love Cristin Milioti so much. this was such a cute Emmys speech
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) September 15, 2025
"I wrote this speech on the back of notes I took in therapy the other day. so don’t look at the back!" pic.twitter.com/VMzk7a4ChM
Role and sequel
More about 'The Penguin'
In The Penguin, Milioti plays Sofia Falcone, a presumed psychopathic serial killer who seeks to avenge her brother's death while competing with Colin Farrell's Oswald "Oz" Cobb for control over Gotham City's criminal underworld. The show was a huge hit for HBO and was nominated for 24 Emmy Awards. Farrell has expressed uncertainty about a potential second season, saying he has "no idea" if it's happening but heard rumors of interest in a second season.