Severance Season 2 Dominates 2025 Emmy Nominations With 27 Nods

The Emmy Awards 2025 are shaping up to be a massive success for Apple TV+’s Severance, which made a stunning leap in its second season. The psychological sci-fi thriller soared past expectations with 27 Emmy nominations, firmly establishing itself as a leading contender for this year’s Best Drama Series. With an impressive nine acting nods and multiple technical category wins, Severance avoided the dreaded sophomore slump and instead achieved Emmy dominance.
In comparison, Severance outpaced last year’s Emmy leader Shōgun by two nominations and came within five of the all-time record held by Game of Thrones (32 nominations). Here’s a detailed breakdown of where the show excelled — and where it was unexpectedly overlooked.
Major Emmy Nominations for Severance
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Best Drama Series: As expected, Severance secured its place among the top contenders. The competition includes Andor, The Diplomat, The Last of Us, Paradise, The Pitt, Slow Horses, and The White Lotus.
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Best Actor in a Drama Series: Adam Scott earned his second consecutive nomination. His powerful dual performance in the finale — portraying two versions of Mark — makes him a frontrunner in what’s expected to be a tight race with The Pitt’s Noah Wyle.
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Best Actress in a Drama Series: Britt Lower scored her first Emmy nomination for her complex portrayal of both Helly R. and Helena Eagan. She faces tough competition from Kathy Bates (Matlock), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), and Keri Russell (The Diplomat).
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Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (3 nominations): Severance saw John Turturro, Tramell Tillman, and Zach Cherry receive nods. Tillman and Cherry delivered breakout performances, becoming potential trailblazers as the first Black actors to win in this category.
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Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series: Patricia Arquette returns with a nomination for her role as Harmony Cobel. However, Dichen Lachman, pivotal to Season 2’s plot, was snubbed despite acclaim for her performance as Gemma/Ms. Casey.
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Best Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Severance secured three nominations in this category: Gwendoline Christie, Merritt Wever, and Jane Alexander. Notably, Sydney Cole Alexander did not make the final list.
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Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Surprisingly, the show was shut out here. Neither Robby Benson, John Noble, nor Michael Siberry were nominated.
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Best Writing in a Drama Series: Series creator Dan Erickson earned another nod for writing the explosive finale “Cold Harbor”, showcasing the season’s emotional depth and narrative complexity.
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Best Directing in a Drama Series (2 nominations): Ben Stiller earned his second directing nomination, while Jessica Lee Gagné received her first for Episode 7, marking a strong directorial debut.
Technical and Craft Category Recognition (13 Nominations)
Severance earned nominations in nearly every major craft category, including:
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Cinematography
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Music Composition
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Music Supervision
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Sound Editing
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Sound Mixing
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Stunts
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Visual Effects
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Production Design
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Picture Editing (3 nominations)
The series also repeated in casting and main title design. However, it missed nominations in costume design, hairstyling, and makeup.
With 27 total nominations, Severance has not only met expectations — it has exceeded them. The series now stands as a leading force in the 2025 Emmy race and may very well be the one to beat come awards night.