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A visual history · Emmys

The winners who defined Lead Actor (Comedy).

62 ceremonies, 1957–2025. 34 different winners. The longest run belongs to Don Adams, with 3 straight wins.

Who won most recently?
Seth Rogen in 2025 for The Studio.
Who has won the most?
Carroll O'Connor, Jim Parsons, Kelsey Grammer and Michael J. Fox, tied on 4 wins each.
  1. The StudioSeth Rogen
  2. The BearJeremy Allen White
  3. The BearJeremy Allen White
  4. Ted LassoJason Sudeikis
  5. Ted LassoJason Sudeikis
  6. Schitt's CreekEugene Levy
Years explored
1957–2025
Different winners
34
Category leader
Carroll O'Connor · 4
About this record

Lead Actor in a Comedy Series was first awarded in 1957, so it does not run the full 1951–2025 window.

2000–2025

26 ceremonies

19572025

01 / The reigns

Tony Shalhoub set the longest run.

The timeline turns the 2000–2025 record into a sequence of reigns. Longer bands reveal sustained runs; color shows the credited network.

  1. 01
    Jim Parsons4 wins
  2. 02
    Tony Shalhoub3 wins
  3. 03
    Alec Baldwin2 wins
  4. 04
    Bill Hader2 wins
  5. 05
    Jason Sudeikis2 wins
Each band is one winner’s reign. Wider means a longer run. Colored by network; hover for details.
Michael J. Fox'00
Eric McCormack'01
Ray Romano'02
Tony Shalhoub'03
Kelsey Grammer'04
Tony Shalhoub'05–'06×2
Ricky Gervais'07
Alec Baldwin'08–'09×2
Jim Parsons'10–'11×2
Jon Cryer'12
Jim Parsons'13–'14×2
Jeffrey Tambor'15–'16×2
Donald Glover'17
Bill Hader'18–'19×2
Eugene Levy'20
Jason Sudeikis'21–'22×2
Jeremy Allen White'23–'24×2
Seth Rogen'25

02 / The power map

Who stood behind the winners?

CBS leads the recorded network credits with 6 wins, 2000–2025. The full distribution shows whether power was concentrated or shared.

CBS6 wins
NBC4 wins
Apple TV+3 wins
FX3 wins
HBO3 wins
USA3 wins
Wins by network
  1. CBS623%
  2. NBC415%
  3. Apple TV+312%
  4. FX312%
  5. HBO312%
  6. USA312%
  7. Other415%

03 / The near misses

The names that kept coming back without the ending they wanted.

Counting nominations in this category only, 2000–2025.

Most nominated, never won this award

  1. 01
    Anthony Anderson
    7 noms
  2. 02
    Larry David
    7 noms
  3. 03
    Matt LeBlanc
    7 noms
  4. 04
    Don Cheadle
    6 noms
  5. 05
    Steve Carell
    6 noms
  6. 06
    William H. Macy
    6 noms

Most losses in this category

  1. 01
    Anthony Anderson
    7L · 0W
  2. 02
    Larry David
    7L · 0W
  3. 03
    Matt LeBlanc
    7L · 0W
  4. 04
    Don Cheadle
    6L · 0W
  5. 05
    Steve Carell
    6L · 0W
  6. 06
    William H. Macy
    6L · 0W

04 / The archive

Every year.
Every winner.

The complete reference behind the story, showing 2000–2025. Open any year to see the rest of the field when nominee records are available.

YearWinnerNetwork
2025Seth Rogen (The Studio)
beat 4 others
  • Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This)
  • Jason Segel (Shrinking)
  • Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
  • Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)
Apple TV+
2024Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)repeat
beat 5 others
  • Matt Berry (What We Do in the Shadows)
  • Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
  • Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)
  • Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
  • D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Reservation Dogs)
FX
2023Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)
beat 4 others
  • Bill Hader (Barry)
  • Jason Segel (Shrinking)
  • Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
  • Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
FX
2022Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)repeat
beat 5 others
  • Donald Glover (Atlanta)
  • Bill Hader (Barry)
  • Nicholas Hoult (The Great)
  • Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building)
  • Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building)
Apple TV+
2021Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso)
beat 4 others
  • Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
  • Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)
  • William H. Macy (Shameless)
  • Kenan Thompson (Kenan)
Apple TV+
2020Eugene Levy (Schitt's Creek)
beat 5 others
  • Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
  • Don Cheadle (Black Monday)
  • Ted Danson (The Good Place)
  • Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)
  • Ramy Youssef (Ramy)
Pop TV
2019Bill Hader (Barry)repeat
beat 5 others
  • Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
  • Don Cheadle (Black Monday)
  • Ted Danson (The Good Place)
  • Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method)
  • Eugene Levy (Schitt's Creek)
HBO
2018Bill Hader (Barry)
beat 5 others
  • Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
  • Ted Danson (The Good Place)
  • Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
  • Donald Glover (Atlanta)
  • William H. Macy (Shameless)
HBO
2017Donald Glover (Atlanta)
beat 5 others
  • Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
  • Aziz Ansari (Master of None)
  • Zach Galifianakis (Baskets)
  • William H. Macy (Shameless)
  • Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)
FX
2016Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)repeat
beat 5 others
  • Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
  • Aziz Ansari (Master of None)
  • Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth)
  • William H. Macy (Shameless)
  • Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley)
Amazon
2015Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)
beat 6 others
  • Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)
  • Louis C.K. (Louie)
  • Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
  • Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth)
  • Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
  • William H. Macy (Shameless)
Amazon
2014Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)repeat
beat 5 others
  • Louis C.K. (Louie)
  • Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
  • Ricky Gervais (Derek)
  • Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
  • William H. Macy (Shameless)
CBS
2013Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
beat 5 others
  • Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
  • Jason Bateman (Arrested Development)
  • Louis C.K. (Louie)
  • Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
  • Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
CBS
2012Jon Cryer (Two and a Half Men)
beat 5 others
  • Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
  • Louis C.K. (Louie)
  • Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
  • Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
  • Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
CBS
2011Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)repeat
beat 5 others
  • Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
  • Louis C.K. (Louie)
  • Steve Carell (The Office)
  • Johnny Galecki (The Big Bang Theory)
  • Matt LeBlanc (Episodes)
CBS
2010Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
beat 5 others
  • Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
  • Steve Carell (The Office)
  • Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
  • Matthew Morrison (Glee)
  • Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
CBS
2009Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)repeat
beat 5 others
  • Steve Carell (The Office)
  • Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords)
  • Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)
  • Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
  • Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men)
NBC
2008Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
beat 4 others
  • Steve Carell (The Office)
  • Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies)
  • Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
  • Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men)
NBC
2007Ricky Gervais (Extras)
beat 4 others
  • Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
  • Steve Carell (The Office)
  • Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
  • Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men)
HBO
2006Tony Shalhoub (Monk)repeat
beat 4 others
  • Steve Carell (The Office)
  • Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
  • Kevin James (The King of Queens)
  • Charlie Sheen (Two and a Half Men)
USA
2005Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
beat 4 others
  • Jason Bateman (Arrested Development)
  • Zach Braff (Scrubs)
  • Eric McCormack (Will & Grace)
  • Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond)
USA
2004Kelsey Grammer (Frasier)
beat 4 others
  • Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
  • Matt LeBlanc (Friends)
  • John Ritter (8 Simple Rules)
  • Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
NBC
2003Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
beat 5 others
  • Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm)
  • Matt LeBlanc (Friends)
  • Bernie Mac (The Bernie Mac Show)
  • Eric McCormack (Will & Grace)
  • Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond)
USA
2002Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond)
beat 4 others
  • Kelsey Grammer (Frasier)
  • Matt LeBlanc (Friends)
  • Bernie Mac (The Bernie Mac Show)
  • Matthew Perry (Friends)
CBS
2001Eric McCormack (Will & Grace)
beat 4 others
  • Kelsey Grammer (Frasier)
  • John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun)
  • Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle)
  • Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond)
NBC
2000Michael J. Fox (Spin City)
beat 4 others
  • Kelsey Grammer (Frasier)
  • John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun)
  • Eric McCormack (Will & Grace)
  • Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond)
ABC