Emmy Awards Statuette Redesigned For Its 75th Anniversary

The Television Academy confirmed that the Emmy trophy will receive a redesign for the 75th annual ceremony this year. The number “75” will be etched into the base of the award that features a female figure with wings holding up a globe-like sphere. The Academy noted that it drew inspiration from Halley’s Comet, which returns into view every 75 years.

Maury McIntyre, president of the Television Academy, expressed the organization’s desire to honor the historic nature of the anniversary, claiming, “Those standards really haven’t changed significantly regardless of what era the greatest medium on Earth has been in. In that spirit, we didn’t want to veer too far with Emmy herself.”

Television Academy creative director Scott Buford revealed he was apprehensive about changing TV’s golden prize. When asked about altering the statuette, “My first reaction was, ‘Are you sure? This is like giving a nip and tuck to the Statue of Liberty or the Statue of David.’” Thankfully, Buford was prepared for the undertaking, though he lamented over how tedious the process was for the team. “It took us seemingly 48 weeks of meetings, illustrations, debates, false starts, and ruminating to get to the finish line.”

Per the Television Academy, the Emmy statuette weighs 6 pounds, 12 ounces, stands 15.5 inches tall, and has six pieces. Each piece is plated with copper-nickel, silver, and 24-carat gold. The entire process takes about five and a half hours to make an Emmy.

The 75th annual Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to air Monday, September 18, 2023, as a live broadcast on Fox. There is speculation that the ceremony may be delayed this year if the writers’ strike runs deep into the summer months. The Writers Guild of America has been on strike against Hollywood’s largest employers since May 2, 2023.