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Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen make history at 2025 Emmys, become first couple to win Bob Hope Humanitarian Award
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen made Emmy history by becoming the first couple to win the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen took the stage together Sunday night at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, standing in front of a full house at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles as they accepted the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award. The couple, married 30 years, made history as the first to receive the honor as a pair, reports ABC News.
Chosen by the Television Academy’s board of directors, the award goes to people in the industry whose work off-screen - from philanthropy to activism - leaves a real, lasting mark.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kristen Bell and Michael Schur, Danson’s collaborators on The Good Place, presented the award. Bell called the couple’s legacy one of “extraordinary philanthropy, activism and unwavering commitment to global good.”
Ted Danson opens with gratitude
Taking the microphone first, Ted Danson reflected on the award’s namesake. “It’s named after a man whose very name was Hope, and that is what Bob Hope brought to people for 50 years as he traveled the world entertaining our troops,” he said, sending his regards to Hope’s family. “There’s no honor that would mean more to Mary and me than this one, and the fact that it’s been given to both of us means the world," he added, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
The moment drew loud applause, not only for the couple’s words but for the recognition of their decades of advocacy work across causes from the environment to social justice.
Steenburgen shares a personal story
Steenburgen followed with a story about her father, a freight train conductor in Arkansas. “He played by all of the rules at work, save one. When he came across a man down on his luck and hiding in a box car. He didn’t put them off the train. He let them ride,” she said.
She tied that lesson to the present day, telling the audience: “Life is made up of two emotions, love and fear. The world’s a little out of balance. We don’t want to live in fear, so we make ourselves useful working for organizations that move the scale away from fear and put us smack dab in the middle of love.”
A night of history at the Emmys
The ceremony, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze, aired live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+. Running from 5–8 p.m. PT (8–11 p.m. ET), the show marked another milestone in Emmy history as Danson and Steenburgen added their names to a short list of recipients linked to Bob Hope’s legacy of service.
FAQs:
Who presented Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen with their award?
Kristen Bell and Michael Schur presented it.
What makes their award historic?
They are the first couple to share the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.
What story did Mary Steenburgen share in her speech?
She recalled her father showing kindness to a man hiding in a boxcar.
Who hosted the 2025 Emmy Awards?
The ceremony was hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze
