*The 2025 Emmy Nominee Celebration, hosted by HBO Max at NYA Studios in Los Angeles, brought together talent from across the network’s Emmy-contending shows, offering attendees a unique behind-the-scenes lens into some of the year’s most talked-about television.
Among the standout voices at the event were three Black creatives—Natasha Rothwell, Brian Badie, and Amber Jasmin Morrow—each offering personal and powerful insight into the artistry behind their acclaimed work.
Natasha Rothwell, nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for reprising her role as Belinda in “The White Lotus,” reflected on how new casting choices added unexpected emotional depth to her character.
“But what was interesting with the casting of Nicholas Duvernay,” Rothwell said of the actor playing Belinda’s son Zion, “I remember telling Mike [White], I was like, this gives me some more information about Belinda that I didn’t already have. Like, she was a younger mother.”
Rothwell continued, “And he’s biracial. So that said something… about her character and sort of like her approach to love and life.”
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The two quickly formed a personal bond that extended beyond their onscreen connection.
“We sat down and when we first met, I was like, oh, it’s going to be a quick drink, because he’s a little younger than me,” Rothwell said. “But we sat down for four hours, and we were just like drinking and talking about life. He’s just an amazing, incredible human. I think we have the same aura.”
Brian Badie, Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for “The Penguin,” shared insight into his creative process while working with Colin Farrell’s transformation into the infamous Gotham mobster.
“For me, it was a bit of an adjustment because I had to follow his lead,” Badie explained. “Colin had already developed a very specific look for his version of Oz [Oswald Cobblepot]. I came in with a clean slate and focused on listening closely to his direction.”
As the production scaled, Badie recalled the growing demands on his team. “Call times became crazy, and we brought in a hair person specifically for my team,” he said. “Then about a month and a half in, we added another stylist to focus solely on Colin’s needs—basically his personal.”
Amber Jasmin Morrow, who is nominated in the hairstyling category for “Fantasmas,” discussed how fast-paced creative decisions and character archetypes shaped the show’s signature look.
“This show was one of the most artistically fulfilling shows I’ve ever worked on in my life,” Morrow shared during a panel.
She recalled a particularly hectic shoot that required building character looks on the fly.“ I didn’t have any prior fittings. So, I had these wigs designed and we were in the camper being like, okay, this person is supposed to be a ‘Real Housewife of Beverly Hills,’ we’re going to make this person Potomac…”
Referencing another scene, Morrow described a moment of spontaneous inspiration with show creator Julio Torres. “When we were talking about the scene maybe a week or two before, I was like, Julio, I have this idea… how do you feel about bioluminescence? And he’s like, great, let’s do it.”
The event featured a wide range of Emmy-nominated talent from across HBO and Max’s programming, including “The Last of Us,” “Hacks,” and “The Penguin.”
Among the many engaging moments, the reflections from Rothwell, Badie, and Morrow stood out for their personal candor and creative depth.
“The Last of Us” nominee Pedro Pascal spoke about the emotional gravity of certain scenes.
“To have to put something on screen that you know is not just another scene… it’s something that is going to be inside of people’s hearts and heads for forever,” Pascal said. “You realize how monumental [it is] when a TV audience experiences episode two of season two… the whole world of gaming opens up to you.”
At the “Hacks” panel, Emmy-winning actress Jean Smart and co-star Hannah Einbinder reflected on the show’s cross-generational themes and evolution.
“Half of what she does is how she looks,” Smart observed, while Einbinder emphasized the creative rhythm that continues to shape their comedy.
Photo by Keith L. Underwood
Surrounded by immersive displays, activations, and curated visual installations, the night served as a tribute not only to performance but to the intricate and collaborative work that makes it all possible.
For Rothwell, Badie, and Morrow, their 2025 Emmy recognition is more than a nomination—it’s a signal of how nuanced storytelling and behind-the-camera representation continue to shape the cultural narrative.
From the column: Black in the Green Room
By Keith L. Underwood
Follow: @mrkeithlunderwood (IG), @blackinthegreenroom (IG), YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook
Keith L. Underwood is a writer, producer, director, and former celebrity publicist whose work explores the intersection of Black culture and entertainment. He is the creator and host of Black in the Green Room, a syndicated column and radio series spotlighting Black creatives in television, film, theater, and music. The column runs weekly in the Los Angeles Sentinel, and the companion radio show airs on KBLA Talk 1580. The series can be seen on YouTube (@blackinthegreen) and heard across most major podcast platforms. You can also follow Keith on Instagram (@mrkeithlunderwood), TikTok and Facebook (@keithlunderwood).
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