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‘The Studio’s’ Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg hope their 23 Emmy nominations help stack Season 2

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Regarding his influence within the movie industry, opinions may vary, yet the character Matt Remick, a fictional studio boss, has garnered admiration from his colleagues in television production.

As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to share that “The Studio,” with Seth Rogen brilliantly portraying the clumsy Hollywood studio head, managed an impressive feat during its first season. It bagged a staggering 23 Emmy nominations, a record-breaking achievement for a freshman comedy series in Emmy history. Previously,

In significant categories like screenwriting, direction, and performances, “The Studio” delivered a strong performance.

Originating from the minds of Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez, this satire delves into the journey of a film enthusiast climbing up the executive ladder and grappling with maintaining artistic integrity against corporate pressures in his new role. The cast boasts Rogen himself, who co-directed the series with Goldberg, alongside Catherine O’Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, and Kathryn Hahn. However, what sets this production apart is its impressive array of big-name guest stars, including directors like Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Dave Franco, Anthony Mackie, Bryan Cranston, and Zoë Kravitz – all of whom were recognized with guest actor nominations.

The Times spoke with Rogen and Goldberg about the “The Studio’s” big Emmys debut.

Television

Here are the nominations for the 2025 Emmy Awards.

Hello! I’m curious to find out, approximately when did you get a response from Matt Belloni, who is an influential entertainment journalist and co-founder of the Puck newsletter? He was often mentioned and made an appearance in the show’s first season.

Rogen: He hasn’t texted me yet.

Goldberg: Me either.

Rogen: That motherf—. No messages. Zero. I’m checking right now. Nothing! [laughs]

Goldberg: Ron Howard stopped his busy day. Belloni can’t find the time.

The Studio” has broken the record for the most Emmy nominations ever received by a freshman comedy, surpassing “Ted Lasso.” How do you feel about this achievement?

Goldberg: It’s a real honor and an incredible thrill.

Rogen: It’s completely surprising! Our career has been a long, wonderful journey without any awards recognition whatsoever. [laughs] To think that, at this stage in our lives, something entirely new is being added to our work and lives, is truly delightful. There’s a freshness to it that we haven’t experienced before, and it feels incredibly gratifying – something we’re not typically accustomed to feeling.

Goldberg: And it will either trigger or prevent our midlife crisis.

Rogen: Too late for that.

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Seth, how do you think Matt views award nomination mornings? How does his routine compare to yours?

Rogen: Gosh, it seems that Matt and I share more similarities than I’d prefer to acknowledge – we’re both individuals who have a strong desire for external recognition. Additionally, any positive news we receive is quickly transformed into potential stress and anxiety about maintaining the same level of performance. I believe Matt would react in much the same way as I am now, feeling a mix of excitement and immense pressure to keep up with a show that people enjoy watching.

The series explores the complex dynamics within the Hollywood industry, where one often needs to compromise on personal preferences to succeed or continue creating content they love. By shedding light on this dilemma through the show, has it influenced your perspective or strategy in navigating today’s creative landscape as a professional?

Goldberg expresses deep appreciation for the show, having always admired it greatly. However, now his admiration has intensified, as they get to create art, much like Zoe’s speech at the Globes. It’s an exhilarating experience that highlights the challenges portrayed in the series. This is something they often encounter: friends outside Hollywood love the show for its fun factor, whereas friends within Hollywood find it stressful and can only watch a few episodes at a time due to recognizing its realism, intensity, and complexity. Living and working on the show serves as a constant reminder of the difficulties involved.

Rogen: The series mirrors our own perspective on it, as it becomes clear that the film industry today is less eager to take risks compared to its past. To cope with this reality, we, as creators, have had to adapt. We produce content based on well-known properties and strive to create smaller projects from original ideas. Many aspects of the show reflect our own struggles and challenges as artists who primarily aim to generate unique content. However, we’ve found that if you want to create something akin to this while still ensuring it’s adequately funded and reaches audiences, you often need to base your original work on existing properties.

Essentially, what you’re saying is that “JAWS,” “The Godfather,” and “Gone With the Wind” are all examples of intellectual property (IP), and Hollywood has always been proactive in finding ways to reduce risk. It seems that people have often sought means to avoid blame when something goes wrong. If a creation resembles or builds upon an existing work, it provides a shield against criticism. The fact that we were given the opportunity to create this show suggests a favorable viewpoint towards our idea, which is not necessarily original. The show explores Hollywood, a topic that many believe is unappealing for both production and consumption. Despite this, we were granted considerable creative freedom. Interestingly, the show critiques a system while simultaneously benefiting from it, a paradox we are fully aware of.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve been pondering over who I might express my gratitude to on the grand occasion. Now, when it comes to the bigwigs, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos surely deserves a mention on my list of appreciation.

Goldberg: We just get up there, shout Ted’s name and just walk off.

Rogen: Yeah, we only thank Ted and no one from Apple.

Television

Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Peter Huyck, Alex Gregory, and Frida Perez discussed how the show’s featured celebrities contribute to depicting authenticity of working within the Hollywood industry.

In this rephrased version, I’ve aimed to maintain the original meaning while making it more conversational and easy to understand:

“The Studio is filled with memorable appearances by famous actors. It’s quite satisfying to know that we provided a stage for Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese to receive their first acting nominations. Now, Seth, have you given any thought to inviting some of the cast from ‘The Valley’ to make a guest appearance?

Goldberg: I’m still finding it hard to believe the first part of your question. It feels unreal. Just meeting those two men was an incredible experience. Doing anything that could make them look good is one of the most astonishing things that has ever happened in my life.

In a similar vein as portrayed in the series, what I dread most as an individual is disappointing the filmmakers who are dear to me and who initially sparked my passion. The reassurance that they’re receiving acknowledgement and appear to not have squandered their time collaborating with us is tremendously comforting. It greatly improves my overall sense of satisfaction. I am concerned, however, that I might be persuading people I hold dear to work with me, only for them to depart feeling dissatisfied with the experience or believing they weren’t showcased effectively.

About “The Valley,” I’m pondering over it. I haven’t discussed it with my crew just yet, but your hint has nudged open the possibility. I might have an angle to propose.

Are you considering using the Emmy event as an opportunity to discuss your requests with some of the nominees who are present there?

If we handle things skillfully, we’ll end up with all of Season 2 neatly prepared and waiting for us.

Rogen: Every Hollywood event I go to now is literally just so I can ask people to be on our show.

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2025-07-16 00:01

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