HBO Celebrates landmark 142 Emmy nominations

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HBO Max’s highly acclaimed shows came out to celebrate their 142 nominations for a day of panel conversations from shows including Hacks, The White Lotus, The Pitt, The Last of Us, The Penguin, Somebody Somewhere last August 17 held at NYA Studios West in Hollywood, California.

The event featured a range of immersive experiences, including Music From & Inspired By selections from popular series such as The Last of Us, Hacks, The Righteous Gemstones, and The White Lotus. Guests were able to explore immersive rooms showcasing VFX reels, cinematography displays, and title designs from across the HBO Max slate. 

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Costume showcases highlighted iconic looks from Dune: Prophecy, Hacks, House of the Dragon, The Penguin, The Righteous Gemstones, and The White Lotus. 

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Interactive activations include Chimp Crazy, The Rehearsal, Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, Mountainhead, and more. 

Photo ops were available for fans of Mountainhead and Last Week Tonight. Additionally, a script wall displays original pages from acclaimed shows such as Hacks, Conan O’Brien Must Go, Somebody Somewhere, The White Lotus.

 

To start the day were the cast and crew of the The Last of Us. Executive Producers Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann took the stage with cast members including Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal, Kaitlyn Dever, and Joe Pantoliano. The incredible conversation for the second season of The Last of Us was moderated by Mallory Rubin of The Ringer. 

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Next in the spotlight for the special day were the production design and visual effects artisans from Dune: Prophecy, House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, and The Penguin.

 

The morning sessions closed out with the star studded The White Lotus panel with Showrunner Mike White along with cast including Carrie Coon,  Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey,  Sam Rockwell, Natasha Rothwell. Katey Rich from The Ankler served as moderator.

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In the second part of the day were the teaw behind Pee-Wee As Himself with director Matt Wolf, who also served as Executive Producer; producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff, and editor Damian Rodriguez discussing the incredible life of Paul Reubens.  

 

The wickedly funny cast and creators of the year’s funniest show celebrating LA and Late Night Comedy, Hacks, took the stage including Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, and Jen Statsky alongside cast including  Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder. 

 

In an incredibly touching panel closing out the final season of Somebody, Somewhere, Bridget Everett, Jeff Hiller, Paul Thureen, Hannah Bos took the stage in conversation with Carolyn Strauss to recount the importance of the final season and the impact it has made. 

At the panel for The Pitt,  the creative team delved into the making of the hit drama. R. Scott Gemmill and Noah Wyle shared insights into crafting the character-driven story of Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, played by Wyle himself. Also present were cast members Katherine LaNasa and Shawn Hatosy who spoke about the emotional depth and complexity of their roles. The panel, moderated by Yvonne Villareal of the Los Angeles Times, offered a dynamic look at how various creative forces collaborated to bring The Pitt to life.

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Closing out the day was the two-part panel for The Penguin moderated by Variety’s Jazz Tangcay. The team offered a comprehensive look at the making of the much-anticipated series. In Part 1,directors Helen Shaver and Jennifer Getzinger, composer Mick Giacchino, costume designer Helen Huang, and editor Henk Van Eeghen took the stage to discuss  the show's dark aesthetic, intricate tone, and cinematic ambition. 

The second part brought out the cast including Colin Farrel, Cristin Milioti,  Deirdre O’Connell, prosthetic designer Mike Marino, and casting director Suzanne Ryan. Together, they discussed the depth of character development, the transformation process behind Farrell’s prosthetics, and the casting choices that shaped the Gotham underworld. Both sessions emphasized the collaborative artistry behind creating a gritty and layered continuation of the Batman saga.

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