Ayo Edebiri & Uzo Aduba Bag 2025 Emmy Nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

The 2025 Emmy nominations are out, and two incredible women of Nigerian descent are making us proud. Announced today, Tuesday, both Ayo Edebiri and Uzo Aduba are in the running for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. Ayo for her brilliant role in “The Bear” and Uzo for the murder mystery comedy “The Residence.”

For Ayo, this nomination is extra special. She’s not just up for Best Actress, she’s officially made Emmy history. The 29-year-old actress and comedian is now the first woman to ever be nominated as both an actor and a director in a comedy series. Her work directing the emotional “Napkins” episode of “The Bear” landed her an additional nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.

And if you think that’s impressive, her awards record speaks for itself. Last year, Ayo single-handedly dominated the award season with a clean sweep of the first three major ceremonies of the year. In just one week, she took home Best Supporting Actress awards at the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Awards, and, as of that same week, the Emmys Best Supporting Actress, for her performance as Syd in Hulu’s critically acclaimed series “The Bear.”

Meanwhile, Uzo Aduba, who we all know as an Emmy favourite thanks to her unforgettable run on “Orange is the New Black,” is back in the spotlight with her performance in “The Residence.” She gained wide recognition for her role as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren on the Netflix original series, winning Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series in 2014 and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2015. Uzo is also one of only two actors — alongside Ed Asner — to win an Emmy in both the comedy and drama categories for the same role.

This year’s Emmy Awards will take place on September 14th at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze.