Two of the night's biggest triumphs at Sunday's Emmy Awards crossed paths in an unexpected and charming encounter, far removed from the glittering red carpets or star-studded afterparties. Shortly after 9:30 p.m. PT, Noah Wyle, star of *The Pitt*, and Stephen Graham, the breakout sensation from *Adolescence*, happened upon each other on the sidewalk beside production trailers opposite L.A. Live. Surrounded by a small entourage that included their spouses, they exchanged heartfelt compliments. Graham, brimming with enthusiasm, lauded Wyle’s performance in *The Pitt* as “phenomenal,” mentioning that he and his wife, Hannah, had been longtime admirers since Wyle’s days on the iconic medical drama *ER*.
Not long after this serendipitous meeting, Graham took a FaceTime call from his stepfather, greeting him warmly with “Pops!” It was a touching interlude following his emotional acceptance speech, during which he paid tribute to his stepfather for nurturing his dream of becoming an actor. “Standing here today before my peers and being recognized by you is the most humbling experience I could ever imagine,” declared the native of Kirkby, England, addressing the crowd at the Peacock Theater. “I want to dedicate this to my dad, who took me to the video shop when I was a kid and sparked my love for film at Quarry Green video shop.”
Graham was instrumental in the Netflix limited series, co-creating, writing, executive producing, and starring in it. The series clinched a total of eight Emmy Awards, including honors for Outstanding Limited Series, Lead Actor for Graham, Supporting Actor for Owen Cooper, Supporting Actress for Erin Doherty, Directing for Philip Barantini, Writing for co-creator Jack Thorne, Casting for Shaheen Baig, and Cinematography for Matthew Lewis.
Meanwhile, Wyle took home the Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series and another for Best Drama Series as an executive producer. After their sidewalk rendezvous, the two parted ways—Graham heading to Netflix’s afterparty at Nya West, while Wyle made his way to the HBO Max gathering at San Vicente Bungalows.
