Netflix’s Rebel Ridge has officially cemented its place in the television history books. The action-packed thriller from filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier won the Emmy for Best TV Movie at the 2025 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, held this weekend at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
The win marks a triumphant moment for both Saulnier and breakout star Aaron Pierre, who plays a former Marine taking on a corrupt police force in a small Louisiana town. The gritty thriller beat out fellow nominees The Gorge, Mountainhead, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, and Nonnas in one of the most competitive categories of the night.
The road to Rebel Ridge’s Emmy win was anything but smooth. The project endured a five-year journey that included the pandemic, labor strikes, and even the exit of its original lead before cameras rolled. But for Saulnier, the turbulence only made the final product more meaningful.
“Because we faced headwinds, [Rebel Ridge] did end up being a version of the movie that far exceeded my expectations,” Saulnier told The Hollywood Reporter ahead of its 2024 release. “I’m fully at peace with it, and I love it in its current form before it’s even released. This is a first for me to have this much joy upon sharing my latest work.”
He added, “I do believe that this feels like the only version of the film that was destined to happen, and I’m so grateful that the fates connected me and Aaron Pierre, and that the crew and the cast had the fortitude to stick with us. And the support from Netflix all the way through to the end was just singular.”
Rebel Ridge also represents another milestone for Netflix, which has increasingly leaned into prestige-level action thrillers alongside its acclaimed drama slate.
For the streamer, the Emmy serves as recognition not only of Saulnier’s vision but also of the resilience and payoff of a project that nearly didn’t happen.
