Oriol Pla wins Best Actor at International Emmy Awards for 'Yo, adicto'

Oriol Pla won the Best Actor award at the 2025 International Emmy Awards on Monday night.

The Catalan star took home the prestigious prize for his role in Yo, adicto (I, Addict), a six-episode Disney+ series based on the true story told in a book by Javier Giner.

The series recounts Giner's journey of overcoming addiction. At 30, unable to cope with the anxiety and suffering caused by his drug dependency, he voluntarily entered a rehabilitation centre to rebuild his life.

Pla won the award, which honors TV programs made and first broadcast outside the United States, beating fellow nominees David Mitchell (Ludwig), Diego Vasquez (One Hundred Years of Solitude), and Diljit Dosanjh (Amar Singh Chamkila).

"I am about to have a heart attack," Pla said in his usual humorous style upon going up on stage at New York’s Hilton Midtown.

"I portray the life of Javier Giner and his story of rehab," he began, pointing to Giner, who was also present at the gala. "You were a man who lived loudly, proudly, and beautifully, and thank you for allowing yourself to find the way out of the maze."

"If you're struggling with addiction, and you find yourself in a very dark forest, just keep going," he concluded. "No feeling is final. On the other side, there is a gift, which is you."

In an interview with Catalunya Ràdio, Pla said he experienced the gala with a mix of nerves and emotion. "It was like being in a film," he said.

The actor admitted that he had spent Monday afternoon writing a speech in case he won. "I tried to put everything in, but it’s impossible because they only give you 30 seconds. I said many of the things I wanted to say, and I’m very happy because I thought I’d forget," he explained.

Pla reflected on the effort it took to make the series: "I put my whole life into this, with all my love, without thinking about prizes or anything," he said.

In an Instagram post, Javier Giner wrote: "This is insane. I’ve been shouting and crying for 15 minutes. Long live Oriol and long live Yo, adicto."

Another Catalan Emmy

Pla was not the only Catalan to win an International Emmy last night. Catalan director Joanna Pardos took home the award for Best Sports Documentary for '#SeAcabó: Diario de las campeonas.'

The documentary, released last year on Netflix, brings together Jenni Hermoso, Alexia Putellas, Irene Paredes, and Aitana Bonmatí for the first time to revisit the non-consensual kiss by Luis Rubiales, an incident that changed women’s football forever.