Variety’s 2025 FYC TV Fest brought in stars from mega-popular and award-winning shows like “Hacks,” “Yellowjackets,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “The Traitors” and many more.
Jean Smart was honored with the Mary Tyler Moore Visionary Award for her Emmy-winning comedy work on HBO’s “Hacks” and gave a heartfelt speech. Also on the comedy side, the stars of “Going Dutch,” “Animal Control,” “Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage,” “Étoile” and “Jimmy Kimmel Live” sat down for insightful panels on their shows and the state of comedy.
In more dramatic discussions, the casts of “The Day of the Jackal,” “Lockerbie: A Search for Truth,” “Matlock,” “Elsbeth,” “Evil” and “Dark Winds” talked the new seasons of their shows. And on the reality front, fan-favorite winners from “Drag Race,” “Traitors” and “The Challenge” reflected on their achievements.
See the full portrait gallery below.
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Onya Nurve
![Onya Nurve photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Onya Nurve: Season 17 Winner, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
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Jewels Sparkles
![Jewels Sparkles photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Jewels Sparkles: Season 17 Runner Up, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
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Jean Smart
![Jean Smart photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Jean Smart: Multiple Award-Winning Actor, Deborah Vance on “Hacks”
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Stephanie Koenig
![Stephanie Koenig photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Stephanie Koenig: Actor, Gwen Sanders on “English Teacher”
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Abby Elliott
![Abby Elliott photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Abby Elliott: Actor, Natalie ‘Sugar’ Berzatto on “The Bear”
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Matt Bomer
![Matt Bomer photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Matt Bomer: Actor and Executive Producer, Jerry Frank on “Mid-Century Modern”
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Poorna Jagannathan
![Poorna Jagannathan photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Poorna Jagannathan, Actor, Lucky on “Deli Boys”
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Gideon Glick
![Gideon Glick photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Gideon Glick: Actor, Tobias Bell on “Étoile”
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Luke Kirby
![Luke Kirby photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Luke Kirby: Actor, Jack McMillan on “Étoile”
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Niecy Nash
![Niecy Nash photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Niecy Nash: Actor and Executive Prododucer, Lois Tyron on “Grotesquerie”
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Elisabeth Moss
![Elisabeth Moss photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Elisabeth Moss: Actor, Executive Producer and Director, June Osborne on “The Handmaid’s Tale”
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Emily Osment
![Emily Osment photographed at the Variety TV Fest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Emily Osment: Actor, Mandy on “George & Mandy’s First Marriage”
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Montana Jordan
![Montana Jordan photographed at the Variety TV Fest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Montana Jordan: Actor, George on “George & Mandy’s First Marriage”
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Chuck Lorre
![Chuck Lorre photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Chuck Lorre: Co-Creator and Executive Producer, “George & Mandy’s First Marriage”
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Kaitlin Olson
![Kaitlin Olson photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Kaitlin Olson: Actor, Morgan Gillory on “High Potential”
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Ellen Pompeo
![Ellen Pompeo photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Ellen Pompeo: Actor and Executive Producer, Kristine Barnett on “Good American Family”
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Nicole Brydon Bloom
![Nicole Brydon Bloom photographeda at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Nicole Brydon Bloom: Actor, Jane Driscoll on “Paradise”
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Dolores Catania
![Dolores Catania photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Dolores Catania: Contestant, “The Traitors”
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“Boston” Rob Mariano
!["Boston" Rob Mariano photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety “Boston” Rob Mariano: Contestant, “The Traitors”
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Dylan Efron
![Dylan Efron photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Dylan Efron: Contestant, “The Traitors”
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Bob the Drag Queen
![Bob the Drag Queen photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Bob the Drag Queen: Contestant, “The Traitors”
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Justin Booth and Julia Pizzi
![Justin Booth and Julia Pizzi photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Justin Booth, Executive Producer and Showrunner, “The Challenge” with and Julia Pizzi, President & CEO, Bunim/Murray Productions & 51 Minds Entertainment
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CT Tamburello
![CT Tamburello photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety CT Tamburello: Star, “The Challenge”
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Rachel Robinson
![Rachel Robinson photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Rachel Robinson: Star, “The Challenge”
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Leroy Garrett
![Leroy Garrett photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Leroy Garrett: Star, “The Challenge”
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Aneesa Ferreira
![Aneesa Ferreira photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Aneesa Ferreira: Star, “The Challenge”
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Janelle James
![Janelle James photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Janelle James: Actor, Ava Coleman on “Abbott Elementary”
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Jane Lynch
![Jane Lynch photographed for the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Jane Lynch: Actor, Sazz Pataki on “Only Murders in the Building”
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Joel McHale
![Joel McHale photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Joel McHale: Actor and Executive Producer, Frank Shaw on “Animal Control”
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Jean Smart and Dr. S. Robert Levine
![Jean Smart and Dr. S. Robert Levine photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Jean Smart and Dr. S. Robert Levine, Founder and CEO, The Mary Tyler Moore Initiative
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Steven Paul Judd
![Steven Paul Judd photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Steven Paul Judd: Director & Writer, “Dark Winds”
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Zahn McClarnon
![Zahn McClarnon photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Zahn McClarnon: Actor and Executive Producer, Lt. joe Leaphorn on “Dark Winds”
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Jamie Martin
![Jamie Martin photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Jamie Martin: Editor, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
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Goloka Bolte
![Goloka Bolte photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Goloka Bolte: Casting Director, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
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Molly McNearney
![Molly McNearney photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Molly McNearney: Head Writer & Executive Producer, “Kimmy Kimmel Live!”
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Michelle King and Robert King
![Michelle King and Robert King photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Michelle and Robert King: Creators and Showrunners, “Evil” and “Elsbeth”
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Jonathan Tolins
![Jonathan Tolins photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Jonathan Tolins: Showrunner, “Elsbeth”
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Carrie Preston
![Carrie Preston photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Carrie Preston: actor, Elsbeth Tascioni on ‘Elsbeth”
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Wendell Pierce
![Wendell Pierce photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Wendell Pierce: actor, Captain C.W. Wagner on “Elsbeth”
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Kathy Bates
![Kathy Bates photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Kathy Bates: Executive Producer and Actor, Madeline ‘Mattie’ Matlock on “Matlock”
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Jason Ritter
![Jason Ritter photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May. 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Jason Ritter: actor, Julian Markston on “Matlock”
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Skye P. Marshall
![Skye P. Marshall photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May. 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Skye P. Marshall: Actor, Olympia Lawrence on “Matlock”
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Leah Lewis
![Leah Lewis photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Leah Lewis: actor, Sarah Franklin on “Matlock”
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David Del Rio
![David Del Rio photographed at the Variety TV Fest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety David Del Rio: Actor, Billy Martinez on “Matlock”
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Jennie Snyder Urman
![Jennie Snyder Urman photographed at the Variety TVFest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Jennie Snyder Urman: Showrunner and Executive Producer, “Matlock”
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Jonathan Lisco
![Jonathan Lisco photographed at the Variety TV Fest in Los Angeles, CA in May 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Jonathan Lisco: Executive Producer and Showrunner, “Yellowjackets”
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Ashley Lyle
![Ashley Lyle photographed at the Variety TV Fest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Ashley Lyle: Executive Producer and Showrunner, “Yellowjackets”
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Melanie Lynskey
![Melanie Lynskey photographed at the Variety TV Fest in Los Angeles in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Melanie Lynskey: Actor Shauna on “Yellowjackets”
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Bart Nickerson
![Bart Nickerson photographed at the Variety TV Fest in Los Angeles, CA in May, 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Bart Nickerson: Executive Producer and Showrunner, “Yellowjackets”
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Gareth Neame
![Gareth Neame photographed at the Variety TV Fest in Los Angeles in May 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Gareth Neame: Executive producer, “Lockerbie: A Search for Truth” and “The Day of the Jackal”
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Nigel Marchant
![Nigel Marchant photographed at the Variety TV Fest in Los Angeles in May 2025]()
Image Credit: Dan Doperalski for Variety Nigel Marchant: Gareth Neame, Executive producer, “Lockerbie: A Search for Truth” and “The Day of the Jackal”
