'West Wing' Reunion at Emmys Ahead of Show's 25th Anniversary Leaves Viewers Emotional: 'I'm Literally Gonna Cry'
Fans were thrilled to see the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards pull off a reunion of The West Wing cast members during the ceremony held in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 15.
The special moment occurred just days before the beloved political drama is due to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its premiere.
Though producers of the awards show didn’t confirm the reunion in the days leading up to the event, rumors that it would happen sparked after organizers unveiled the official list of presenters on Monday, Sept. 9. The list included several key members of the NBC show’s cast: Dulé Hill, Allison Janney, Janel Moloney, Richard Schiff, Martin Sheen and Jimmy Smits were all slated to play a part, though none were nominated for any awards at Sunday’s ceremony.
As it turned out, only Sheen, Janney, Hill, Schiff, and Moloney appeared on the Emmys stage at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE about three hours into the show.
The audience reacted with laughter when the former costars reminisced about how 25 years ago, West Wing writers were forced to imagine outrageous political plot lines instead of just borrowing stories from the news.
“Our political landscape has shifted,” Moloney said, then reminded viewers to vote.
On social media, West Wing fans had "nothing but respect" for the actors.
The reunion made some viewers understandably emotional, with one saying that it "got me in my feels."
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Still others couldn't help but wax nostalgic over the classic series.
After the brief presentation from the West Wing cast, the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy was awarded to Shogun, which collected 18 wins in total.
The West Wing’s pilot episode aired on Sept. 22, 1999. The show, which followed the lives of several White House staff members working for a fictional Democratic administration led by President Josiah Bartlett, played by Sheen, was widely popular over the course of its seven-season run. The show and its stars were nominated for 95 Emmys and won 26.
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