Stax: Soulsville U.S.A., Will and Harper, Super Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, Shōgun, Hacks and comedy specials starring Alex Edelman and Ramy Youssef are among music, comedy and entertainment-related programs that have been nominated for 2025 Peabody Awards.
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. tells the story of the fabled label that rose out of Memphis, Tennessee, to become one of the most successful R&B labels in music history. The label was founded by two siblings, business partners Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton (whose last names formed the basis of the label’s name). Booker T. & the M.G.’s served as the label’s house band. Other artists signed to the label in its glory years include Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Eddie Floyd and Isaac Hayes.
Other nominated programs or films with a strong music tie-in are Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story, about a Black trans soul singer, and We Are Lady Parts, a comedy about an all-female Muslim punk band.
Alex Edelman won a Primetime Emmy in September for outstanding writing for a variety special for his HBO special Alex Edelman: Just for Us. The comedian won a special Tony three months before that for the Broadway show which was the basis for the special.
Nominees in the Arts, Children’s/Youth, Entertainment, and Interactive & Immersive categories were announced on Thursday (April 17). Nominees in Documentary, News, Public Service, and Radio/Podcast categories were announced on April 15.
Winners of the 85th Annual Peabody Awards will be announced on May 1, and celebrated on Sunday, June 1, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. The ceremony will be hosted by Roy Wood Jr. Longtime NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell will receive the Career Achievement Award and landmark NBC sketch-comedy series Saturday Night Live will be honored with the Institutional Award.
Here are 2025 Peabody Award nominees that have a connection to music, comedy or entertainment. The capsule descriptions of each show are provided by the Peabody organization.
DOCUMENTARY
Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story (Crave; Bangers Films and the National Film Board of Canada)
“This film brings to life the powerful voice and legacy of Jackie Shane, a Black trans soul singer who vanished at the height of fame and now tells her story in her own works. Blending rare audio recordings, animated visuals, and family revelations, the film honors Shane’s trailblazing journey, celebrating her impact as an icon who lived authentically long before the world was ready.”
Queendom (A Galdanova Film Production in association with Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program, International Documentary Association, InMaat Productions, Doc Society and Sopka Films)
“Jenna, a 21-year-old queer artist from a remote Russian town, uses haunting, otherworldly performances in the streets of Moscow to protest LGBTQ+ oppression and challenge societal norms around beauty and identity. Documenting Jenna’s bold art and activism, this film offers a powerful, intimate look at resilience under repression.”
Stax: Soulsville U.S.A. (HBO | Max; HBO Documentary Films presents in association with Concord Originals, Polygram Entertainment, Warner Music Entertainment; A Laylow Pictures production; A White Horse Pictures production)
“This four-part documentary series traces the rise and fall of Stax Records, the groundbreaking Memphis-based, interracial, soul label that launched the careers of icons such as Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes. Through rare archival footage, intimate interviews, and an immersive sonic experience, the series offers an unflinching, deeply human portrait of artistic innovation, community resilience, and the enduring struggle for Black empowerment in America.”
Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (HBO | Max; DC Studios / HBO Documentary Films / CNN Films)
“After a devastating accident left him paralyzed, Christopher Reeve became a powerful symbol of resilience, using his platform to inspire hope and advocate for disability rights. Throughout it all, he remained a passionate actor, filmmaker, and devoted family man, with his wife Dana as his unwavering support.”
Will & Harper (Netflix; A Netflix Documentary / A Wayfarer Studios Film / A Delirio Films Production / A Gloria Sanchez Production)
“Actor Will Ferrell and his longtime collaborator and friend Harper Steele take a road trip across America together, getting reacquainted after Harper’s midlife gender transition. They experience mixed reactions at different stops along the way as Will asks occasionally awkward questions and realizes the limits of his fame to combat prejudice, painting a realistically complex portrait of allyship.”
RADIO/PODCAST
The Good Whale (Serial Productions and The New York Times)
“Serial Productions and The New York Times tell the story of efforts to free the orca who played the title role in the film Free Willy from an amusement park in Mexico City. The epic experiment takes a number of unexpected turns, calling into question the practice of keeping animals in captivity—even, and maybe especially, celebrity animals.”
Pulse: The Untold Story (Trevor Aaronson, Western Sound, and Audible)
“In this Audible production, host Trevor Aaronson challenges the established narrative surrounding the Pulse nightclub shooting, revealing that it was not a premeditated anti-LGBTQIA+ hate crime, but rather an opportunistic act by shooter Omar Mateen—a shocking revelation that has received little coverage.”
CHILDREN/YOUTH
Out of My Mind (Disney+)
“This coming-of-age film, based on a 2010 novel by Sharon M. Draper, stars Phoebe-Ray Taylor as a sixth-grader with cerebral palsy facing the challenges of being in a mainstream class for the first time. Her thoughts are voiced by Jennifer Aniston, the non-verbal character’s favorite actress from Friends, and her family is played by Rosemarie DeWitt, Luke Kirby, and Judith Light.” (Big Beach, Participant, EveryWhere Studios LLC, and Disney Branded Television)
ENTERTAINMENT
Alex Edelman: Just For Us (HBO | Max)
“Comedian Alex Edelman presents his deeply personal solo show about identity, assimilation, and empathy, centered around his real-life experience attending a meeting of White Nationalists as a Jewish man. Over seven years, the show evolved through conversation, revision, and audience engagement, ultimately becoming a celebrated HBO special that resonated profoundly in a time of rising antisemitism and ideological division.” (HBO in association with Enfield Tennis Academy, Above Average, and Seaview Productions)
Baby Reindeer (Netflix)
“Baby Reindeer follows Donny, a troubled comedian entangled in a toxic relationship with a stalker, as he gradually unravels how his past has shaped his self-destructive behavior and relationships. At its core, the series explores how unaddressed trauma perpetuates cycles of harm, ultimately becoming a powerful and resonant meditation on healing, empathy, and the enduring impact of abuse.” (A Netflix Series / A Clerkenwell Films Production)
Clipped (FX/Hulu)
“This sports docudrama, created by Gina Welch, based on the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast The Sterling Affairs, tells the story of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s downfall after his recorded racist remarks were publicized.” (FX Productions)
Fantasmas (HBO | Max)
“Created by and starring Julio Torres, Fantasmas is a surreal, genre-defying HBO comedy series that blends narrative and sketch to explore themes of alienation, queerness, and identity through a whimsical quest for a lost oyster earring in a dreamlike version of New York City. With its bold visual style, diverse cast, and deeply personal storytelling, the show stands as a singular testament to the value of unconventional, imaginative voices.” (HBO in association with Irony Point, Fruit Tree, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Space Prince Inc.)
Hacks (HBO | Max)
“Season 3 of Hacks explores the renewed dynamic between comedy legend Deborah Vance and young writer Ava Daniels as they reunite after a year apart, reigniting their creative spark just in time for Deborah’s shot at hosting Late Night. As Deborah fights to claim a long-denied dream and Ava learns to advocate for herself, the season becomes a powerful reflection on ambition, legacy, and the courage it takes—especially for women—to boldly ask for what they want.” (Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Paulilu, First Thought Productions, Fremulon Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment)
Mr Bates vs The Post Office (PBS/MASTERPIECE)
“This four-part drama is based on the true story of U.K. sub-postmasters who were falsely accused of theft due to a faulty computer system, revealing one of the worst miscarriages of justice in British history. The series sparked nationwide outrage, led to real-world legal reform, and highlighted the extraordinary courage of ordinary people fighting back against institutional abuse.” (A Co-Production of ITV Studios, Little Gem, and MASTERPIECE for ITV)
One Hundred Years of Solitude (Netflix)
“One Hundred Years of Solitude follows José Arcadio Buendía and Úrsula Iguarán as they flee their village and found the mythical town of Macondo, where generations of their family grapple with love, madness, war, and a haunting curse in this stunning adaptation of Gabriel García Márquez’s 1967 masterpiece.” (Netflix / Dynamo)
Ramy Youssef: More Feelings (HBO | Max)
“In Ramy Youssef: More Feelings, the comedian reflects on the complexities of being a Muslim public figure in America, confronting issues of representation, Islamophobia, and the emotional toll of being expected to respond to global crises.” (HBO presents a Cairo Cowboy and A24 production)
Ripley (Netflix)
“Ripley follows a cunning grifter in 1960s New York who is hired to retrieve a wealthy man’s son from Italy, setting off a dark journey into deception, fraud, and murder. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s acclaimed novels, the limited series explores the chilling transformation of Tom Ripley as he manipulates his way through a life built on lies.” (Showtime and Endemol Shine North America in association with Entertainment 360 and Filmrights for Netflix)
Say Nothing (FX/Hulu)
“This FX limited series, adapted from Patrick Radden Keefe’s nonfiction book, traces the unsolved murder of Jean McConville and the brutal complexities of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. Through deeply human storytelling, the series transcends its historical setting to explore universal themes of violence, trauma, idealism, and the moral ambiguities of political conflict.” (FX Productions)
Shōgun (FX/Hulu)
“Creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks reimagine James Clavell’s classic tale through a modern lens, exploring what it means for two cultures to collide and transform one another with empathy and authenticity. By involving Japanese collaborators in every facet of production, they move beyond the “stranger in a strange land” trope to create a more inclusive, respectful, and culturally rich storytelling process that could serve as a new standard for global filmmaking.” (FX Productions)
We Are Lady Parts (Peacock)
“We Are Lady Parts is a bold, joyful comedy about an all-female Muslim punk band navigating identity, ambition, and sisterhood, blending sharp humor with themes of inclusivity and representation. In its second season, the series elevates its complexity, challenging cultural stereotypes with heart, humor, and killer music as the band experiences the pressures of success and navigates how to remain true to themselves while monetizing their art.” (Working Title Television, a part of Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group)
