Emmy Nominee Cristin Milioti Discusses Her ‘Meaningful’ Awards Season

Cristin Milioti attends the SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversations Presents “The Penguin” at The Meryl Streep Center for Performing Artists on August 19, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.

Getty Images for SAG-AFTRA Foundation

Cristin Milioti has been the name and the performance on everyone’s lips lately, ever since her television introduction as Sofia Falcone on the HBO Max limited series, The Penguin. Playing the daughter of Gotham mob boss Carmine Falcone in Matt Reeves’ ever-expanding The Batman universe, Milioti, 40, has enchanted audiences with her remarkably deep and multi-layered performance of a woman put through unfathomable pain, simply for calling out the wrongdoings of those around her.

Co-starring with Colin Farrell throughout these eight captivating episodes from the visionary mind of writer Lauren LeFranc, Milioti has been honored with a wide array of recognition for her acting achievements over the past few months – winning the Critics Choice Award, being nominated for a Golden Globe and a SAG award – and most recently, nominated for an Emmy in the “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited, Anthology Series or Movie” category.

I sat down with Milioti over Zoom this week, wondering first what this awards season and getting to interact with her industry peers during these events lately, has meant to her as an artist and as a working professional.

“Gosh, it’s meant so much,” Milioti said, “I would say the most meaningful part has been being able to meet so many of the people whose work I admire and whose work has inspired me for years, you know? People I watched when I was a kid, people I watch now – that has been the most rewarding part, and getting to tell them how much their work means to me and getting to just chat with them about what we do. That has been really incredible. It’s, of course, meaningful too, to be acknowledged. Awards are a real crapshoot, for lack of a better term. You never know how it’s going to go – and you also don’t do this for that, but it is lovely to be acknowledged and to be able to get together, again and again. That’s the other special part, is that it’s been so wonderful to be reunited as a [The Penguin]

cast and crew at these events, because this was such a labor of love, this show. It’s so nice to see each other and celebrate, honestly, over and over. It’s so rare to get to do that. So, it’s been very meaningful and very moving in a multitude of ways.”

Within Milioti’s Emmy category are fellow powerhouse actresses, who have also had long and hard-earned journeys within their careers – including Cate Blanchett, Meghann Fahy, Rashida Jones and Michelle Williams.

Milioti said, “It’s such a fabulous group of women. Every time I have had the privilege of being nominated for something this year, the category that I’m in has been so flattering. I’ve been a fan of all these women for a long time. I’ve known Meghann for years. I’m so thrilled for everything that’s been happening to her. It’s so deserved. I have yet to meet Cate – I’m very excited. I’ve never met Michelle, either. And Rashida, I worked with a million years ago, who’s lovely. It’s such a great group. So, I’m honored to be alongside them, for sure.”

Even though Milioti’s performance in The Penguin series has garnered her more attention than usual, she is no newcomer to Hollywood, having made waves on previous projects like Black Mirror, Palm Springs, The Wolf of Wall Street and How I Met Your Mother – just to name a few. However, it is her embodiment of Sofia on-screen that is rightfully showing audiences the uncharted depth that she is willing to go as an actress.

So, after taking on this character that many still cannot determine whether she is ultimately the hero or villain of this story, I was curious if after filming The Penguin series, if Milioti noticed any mannerisms or habits she took on as Sofia, that stayed with her in the weeks and months that followed.

Milioti said, “No, I’m pretty good at – let me rephrase that. I don’t love goodbyes, I will say, especially when I’ve worked on something that I really love. After doing this for a minute now, I still have trouble with goodbyes. It makes me sad to leave the crew that I’ve become friends with – the cast that I’ve bonded with. As for mannerisms, maybe they stick around for a couple days, but they usually fade away, unless I have to access them again in some capacity. I think certainly playing Sofia, especially in the later episodes, she’s confident in a way that maybe I’m not in real life – that rubbed off a bit, so that was very nice.”

Having previously spoken with Cristin last year, before the HBO Max limited series premiered on television, I wondered about her chosen creative approach in becoming Sofia, and if there were any specific conversations that she had with LeFranc, director Helen Shaver or anyone else on-set that gave her the most memorable suggestions or support as she mentally and physically prepared for this role.

“You know, I don’t remember one in particular, although there were sort of innumerable moments of feeling so empowered by Lauren, and certainly by Helen and by Craig [Zobel]. I felt like I was really given permission to go as far as I wanted to go. Lauren and I certainly had hundreds of conversations, leading up to production and throughout production. I came to her with all of my ideas for Sofia and she was extremely supportive. We discussed each one and she just really made me feel like I was in an environment where I could swing for the fences. I’m very grateful for that.”

Circling back to writer LeFranc and director Shaver on Milioti’s masterclass (in my opinion) acting performance within The Penguin’s fourth episode titled “Cent’Anni” – which rather brilliantly showcases Sofia’s turning point in the story – what exactly does it mean to Milioti to have worked on a series with two other bold and talented women, spearheading this television project beside her?

“It feels incredible,” Milioti said. “It’s sort of indescribable and profound – and also, for us to have made that episode within the world of a giant franchise, feels very meaningful.”

With her The Penguin co-star, Farrell, being no stranger to awards seasons throughout his celebrated career, including again with his “Lead Actor” Emmy nomination on this series, I was curious if he gave Milioti any advice along the way during this season, or if she picked up on any mannerisms or approaches that she saw of him in how to maneuver around this special attention, while keeping the work of it all and the passion at the forefront.

She said of Farrell, “I haven’t received any advice – but he’s just the loveliest and the most grounded and humble and gorgeous human being. I will say, he’s very smart. He brings candy and little snacks to all these things, because you don’t get to eat there. And so, he’s always very generous and shares that with me. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner in all this. His generosity knows no bounds.”

Now looking ahead at her career, beyond her The Penguin performance and her Emmy nomination, I wondered if Milioti has noticed her priorities and her overall approach towards the entertainment industry evolving at all in a somewhat different direction, following her experiences in playing Sofia on this production.

“Playing this role was really galvanizing for me. I’ve been wishing for an opportunity like that for a while. I’ve gotten incredible opportunities in my career. I have worked on things that I have genuinely loved and believed in, and had a great time making. I had also been wishing for a role where I could show different sides of myself. This came along and it was thrilling, and it certainly has made me want to pursue more things like that. I don’t mean necessarily like in this level of – exactly like Sofia, but in terms of depth and in terms of what I’m able to do. So, in that way, it’s been wonderful and it’s been clarifying. I definitely want to be able to do more roles like this.”

Being a seasoned actress at this point, following years of landing various roles, I was curious if Milioti has any advice for other creative professionals out there, who want their skills & talents to be considered and recognized in this competitive industry, but struggle to find their own way into the right circles and conversations to do so.

Milioti said, “Gosh, I don’t know. It’s impossible. Honestly, so much of it is luck and just being prepared for when the opportunity does come your way. I don’t know – I’ve been asked for advice before and I truly have no idea. It’s such a chaotic industry. You try to connect the dots and they’re easier to connect when you look back, but in the moment, it’s like trying to back flip through a briar patch. I think just keeping your own little flame inside alive is a good way to start, and to just keep doing what makes you activated or something, you know? I think if you are having a good time and are invested in what you’re making, only good things come from that.”

The Batman DC Comics fandom has been quite vocal across social media lately, in wanting to see more from Milioti in playing Sofia ahead, with rumors that she might be involved in The Batman: Part II sequel, which is currently in pre-production. Also, with the possibility of a second season of The Penguin at some point, I asked Milioti what aspects of Sofia would she like to embody most in the future, if/when the opportunity arises for her to keep showcasing Sofia’s path and decision-making, after all that her character knows and has experienced up until this point.

“Wow. I mean, I would be so thrilled to revisit her and I think what she’s been through can only be more – would only act as more ammunition for her to really try and take over. There’s a very interesting element with her discovering that she has family that she did not know about, with Selina [Kyle], especially for someone who has had no family for so long. I’d be interested to know how she gets out of Arkham. I’m sure it’s in a way that’s utterly fabulous. That’s what I would hope for.”

As I concluded my latest conversation with the Emmy nominee, I reminded Milioti that the last time we spoke, I asked her my signature interviewing question, wondering what she would say to Sofia Falcone, if only she could. This time, I left her with a brand new question: Cristin, what would you like to say to the Sofia Falcones of our real world – the women who do the right thing and are potentially punished for it by men in greater positions than them, and strive to look within themselves to rise above the lies & misconduct, even if other people do not fully understand the reasonings for their actions?

Milioti responded, “God, that question made me very emotional. I would say again, I love you – and hold on.”