TV
New Mexico-filmed ‘Pluribus’ wins six Emmys
Vince Gilligan’s Apple TV+ drama earned six awards, including a best actress win for Rhea Seehorn
The 78th Emmys aired Monday night, filled with glitz, glamour and awards. The Apple TV science fiction drama series “Pluribus,” by director Vince Gilligan, was nominated for 18 Emmys; it won six.
The series filmed at several locations in New Mexico, such as a temporary cul-de-sac built on the West Mesa, as well as at Coronado Center and Vernon’s Speakeasy.
Gilligan is well known for producing the shows “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” both of which were also filmed in the state. “Breaking Bad” won 16 Emmys over its series run.
“Pluribus” premiered in November 2025 and over a nine-episode season, followed Carol, played by Rhea Seehorn, in a post-apocalyptic world where a hive mind has taken over nearly everyone.
Seehorn won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, and Gilligan won for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for Episode 1, “We Is Us.”
In her speech, Seehorn thanked Gilligan for giving her “the role of a lifetime” and “for creating sets where we all get to collaborate and we are actually made to feel safe to take risks so we get better as artists.”
She also thanked her fellow cast members and loved ones. This is Seehorn’s first Primetime Emmy win and fourth nomination.
The award for Outstanding Writing was Gilligan’s fifth Emmy win and 26th nomination. In his acceptance speech, Gilligan said the premise of a world where everyone gets along is “so sci-fi” and “so weird,” but not weirder than our current reality.
“These past 10 years you can’t write this stuff. I submit to you that a real world in which people get along is just as believable as what we’ve got now and achievable,” he said. “We will never agree on everything, but we can show respect to one another, maybe even kindness and we can stop listening to a relative few who tell us that that is for suckers and who get their power from dividing us.”
The four other Emmy wins for “Pluribus”:
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) for Episode 1, “We Is Us.”
Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music.
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Drama Series for Episode 1, “We Is Us.”
Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Contemporary Program for Episode 3, “Grenade.”
“Pluribus” has been renewed for a second season, and in , Gilligan said filming would start around late October to early November.
Karolina Wydra, who was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Zosia in “Pluribus,” spoke to USA Today from the Emmys red carpet on Monday about filming in the state.
“I love Albuquerque, New Mexico. I’m a huge fan of that place. I love Santa Fe. New Mexico is magical. It is truly magical,” she said, “and I’m very excited that we get to go back there again.”
What else happened at the Emmys?
“Widow’s Bay” broke a record for a comedy series with 14 awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series and three acting wins. The first-season horror comedy was created by Katie Dippold about a New England island community reckoning with a centuries-old curse. It spoiled the going-away party for “Hacks,” which had gotten the most comedy nominations of any show in its fifth and final season.
“Widow’s Bay” star Matthew Rhys won for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Stephen Root won for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and Kate O’Flynn won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Dippold won for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.
“The Pitt” won Outstanding Drama Series for the second straight year, and star Noah Wyle repeated as best actor in a drama, but the HBO Max emergency room drama won no other Emmys and underperformed its expectations.
Jean Smart won her fifth Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award for the fifth and final season of “Hacks.” No actor had won an Emmy every year of a series that lasted longer than three seasons until Smart did it Monday.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Elizabeth Secor is an arts fellow for the ϼ. You can reach her at esecor@abqjournal.com.