It’s Emmy season, and NBCUniversal just summoned half of Hollywood for what looked suspiciously like a very fancy cafeteria hangout. That’s right, your fave network threw an Emmy Season Kick-Off Luncheon on Friday (April 11) at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles, and basically every celebrity who’s ever appeared on Peacock, NBC, or even just thought about a Universal logo showed up.
The event? A glitzy celebration of all things Emmy-eligible — including the shows you actually watch, and some you pretend to have heard of at brunch. Whether they were from NBC, Peacock, or Universal Content Productions’ random show drops on Netflix and Max, the stars came to eat (literally) and be seen (always).
Who was there? Oh, just a casual mix of Oscar winners, TV royalty, reality TV chaos agents, and your favorite “hey I know them from somewhere” faces.
Here’s a breakdown of the A-List Luncheon guest list, a.k.a. “Oh wow, they really invited everyone.”
🎉 The Roll Call of Glam, Giggles & Glamorous Salad-Eating:
– Aja Naomi King (Grosse Pointe Garden Society) – Serving elegance and horticultural mystery.
– Allison Tolman (St. Denis Medical) – Probably diagnosing the shrimp cocktail.
– Amanda Seyfried (Long Bright River) – Came with award-winning cheekbones and prestige vibes.
– AnnaSophia Robb (Grosse Pointe Garden Society) – Small but mighty, like a fancy canapé.
– Ariana Madix (Love Island) – Reality queen alert! Probably brought her own rosé.
– Belissa Escobedo (Happy’s Place) – Too cute for her own good. Watch out, Emmys.
– Ben Rappaport (Grosse Pointe Garden Society) – Bringing dramatic flair to plant-based intrigue.
– Brandon Larracuente (On Call) – Hot EMT energy.
– Carl Clemons-Hopkins & Christopher McDonald (Hacks) – Sassy, sharp, and Emmy-slaying veterans.
– Colman Domingo (The Four Seasons) – The moment. The vibe. The award magnet.
– David Alan Grier (St. Denis Medical) – Diagnosing us with “too much charisma.”
– Debby Wolfe, George Lopez, Mayan Lopez, Selenis Leyva (Lopez vs. Lopez) – Basically a Lopez family reunion with Emmy buzz and better lighting.
– Josh McDermitt, Lex Scott Davis, Stephen Amell (Suits LA) – Trying to bring law and order and sex appeal to a zip code near you.
– Kristen Doute (The Valley) – Reality TV’s favorite chaos coordinator.
– Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Stephanie Beatriz, Ted Danson (A Man on the Inside) – Emmy bait disguised as a quirky ensemble.
– Meagan Good (Harlem) – Absolutely serving LOOKS and talent, as usual.
– Melissa Fumero, Melissa Peterman, Melissa Rauch, Melissa Roxburgh – It was basically a Melissa convention. Only Melissas allowed.
– Natasha Lyonne (Poker Face) – Probably chain-smoking a prop cigarette and giving detective realness.
– Questlove (Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music) – Soundtrack to your fave sketches AND your Emmy dreams.
– Renée Zellweger (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy) – YES, Bridget is back and yes, she will be awkwardly charming at lunch.
– Rian Johnson (Poker Face) – The mind behind the mystery. Probably sat next to the shrimp tower plotting season 2.
– Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano (The Traitors) – Strategizing his way to dessert.
– Tina Fey, Will Forte, Ted Danson, Colman Domingo (The Four Seasons) – The Avengers of prestige comedy.
– Troian Bellisario (On Call) – From Pretty Little Liar to Pretty Big Emmy Hopeful.
– Wendi McLendon-Covey (St. Denis Medical) – Probably snuck in a killer one-liner over dessert.
🗓️ What’s Next?
Mark your calendars, because Emmy nominations drop July 15, and the big night hits your screens September 14. Until then, expect stars to keep popping up at every fancy brunch that serves tiny avocado toasts and bottomless praise.
NBCUniversal really said, “Let them eat (network-funded) cake!”
And we say: Emmy season has officially begun, and it’s already juicier than a reality TV confessional. 🍸📺
Colman Domingo, Renée Zellweger, Amanda Seyfried, Natasha Lyonne, Tina Fey and more posed for a group photo at the @NBCUniversal FYC lunch. pic.twitter.com/I3rDOWb3xy
— Gold Derby (@GoldDerby) April 11, 2025