Michael Urie of ‘Shrinking’ is a first-time Emmy nominee. Follow along as he gets ready for the show

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Lately, Michael Urie has been busy signing programs after each show of “Oh, Mary!,” a funny and somewhat risqué comedy where he plays Mary Todd Lincoln’s teacher. And amidst the autographs and photos with fans, people occasionally shout “Good luck at the Emmys!”-a surprising reminder of another big accomplishment he had this year.

He said he was still wrapping his head around the news, exclaiming something like, “Oh, yeah! I actually need to take care of that!” after learning about his Emmy nomination.

Forty-five-year-old actor Michael Urie has been nominated for a supporting actor award for his role as Brian in the Apple TV+ comedy series “Shrinking.” Brian is a lawyer who’s rebuilding a friendship with his therapist friend, Jimmy (Jason Segel), after a period of distance. While Urie is well-known for his comedic work in shows like “Ugly Betty” and stage productions, the second season of “Shrinking” allowed him to showcase both humor and emotional depth. His character, Brian, is grappling with anxieties about becoming a father at the same time that he unintentionally reconnects Jimmy with the man, Louis (played by Brett Goldstein, who also co-created the show), responsible for his wife’s death.

Honestly, when I first heard they were bringing this character into the show, I was completely stumped – I couldn’t picture how it would even work! It turned out *my* character was the one who ended up introducing him. Looking back, it feels almost… meant to be. My character meets him at a point where both of us really need something. I think I was walking a dog I’d nearly hurt when we first cross paths. It’s this powerful scene with a really broken guy who desperately needs help, and I’m there to offer it. He needs a lot of forgiveness, and by bringing him into the group – it’s a bit chaotic, admittedly – he finally starts to get it.

Urie is up for an award alongside his co-star Harrison Ford, who plays a grumpy but kind therapist named Paul. Paul finds love while dealing with Parkinson’s disease. Urie shared that he received a funny text from Ford that morning mentioning him, Jessica Williams, and another actor nicknamed ‘Big Head.’ The show, created by Jason Segel, Bill Goldstein, and Bill Lawrence, earned seven nominations in total, including one for best comedy series, as well as acting nominations for Segel and Jessica Williams.

Until now, Jordan Urie had only won one Emmy, back in 2007. That year, the Emmys tried a new format with host Ryan Seacrest, who was also popular on “American Idol.” The show featured a rotating stage in the round, but it wasn’t well-received and never happened again. Urie was there as part of the cast of “Ugly Betty,” which was nominated for 11 awards. America Ferrera, the show’s lead actress, won that night for her comedic performance.

Urie recalls briefly stepping away to use the restroom and receiving a text from a friend asking for his location. He jokingly notes he probably missed a chance to be filmed during that moment. He does remember the excitement of watching America win, though.

He’s thrilled to celebrate his success with his new colleagues. He said, “It’s amazing to be surrounded by such a great group of people, and the entire cast will be there. I can’t wait to see what happens that night!”

He was really worried about sweating through his clothes on the big night! He specifically asked his stylist for an outfit that would stay dry, even after sitting for a long time – he even used the phrase “swamp ass” to explain what he wanted to avoid. That’s some seriously detailed preparation!

Urie has given The Times special access as he goes through his first Emmy Awards nomination. Get live updates as he prepares and experiences the event!

As a huge fan, let me tell you, the night before the Emmys is absolutely buzzing! It’s a whirlwind of parties celebrating everyone nominated for amazing TV work. I was so excited to hear that Darren Criss – Urie – flew in from New York to Los Angeles on Saturday and hit up all the pre-Emmy celebrations. He went to parties hosted by BAFTA, Warner Bros., and Apple TV+, plus the big annual event put on by the Motion Picture and Television Fund. It sounded like an incredible night!

Urie said he went to more parties last night than he had all year, hitting four different events in just five hours. He ran into fellow nominee Ike Barinholtz at one party and thought he was very friendly. He also saw Bowen Yang, Jeff Hiller, and Colman Domingo, who he knows from a group of friends he jokingly calls his ‘gang mafia’.

We’re at the West Hollywood Edition hotel, and he’s standing by the large window with a view of Los Angeles. He’s wearing eye patches to relax and his groomer, Jenna Nelson, is styling his hair. Nearby, his partner, actor Ryan Spahn, is chatting about times they’ve met people at parties, with Whitney Houston music playing softly. They started getting ready early, around 9 a.m.

He mentioned he’s already received a ton of supportive messages, and we were curious if his former “Ugly Betty” castmates were among those sending them. He basically confirmed that, of course, they were.

Vanessa Williams sent me a video message from London, and she told me she was really proud of me.

He had been texting with Becki Newton, and he recently saw America Ferrera while they were both filming for “The View.”

Urie is very busy with his current project, “Oh, Mary!,” which runs through September. He’s also preparing to star as Richard II in an off-Broadway production this fall, leaving him with little free time to watch television.

“Except …! ” Spahn quickly interjects, “‘The Gilded Age.’”

Urie admits they’re a bit behind schedule, so he asks everyone to keep things under wraps. He’s particularly excited because the project features a lot of New York-based actors, and you never know who you might run into on set or around the city.

I asked him what he’d like to do, ideally. However, others offered some helpful suggestions as well.

“I could see you as an equestrian,” Nelson says.

“I could see you running for city council,” Spahn says.

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2025-09-15 00:01