Hobbs defeated a heavyweight field that included Jon Favreau (The Mandalorian),Liz Garbus (The Handmaid’s Tale),Julie Anne Robinson (Bridgerton) and Steven Canals (Pose) to secure the win.
One of the night’s expected wins was also one of its most deserved:Jean Smart,who knocked out formidable opposition including Allison Janney (Mom) and Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish) to win outstanding lead actress in a comedy series.
“To have your peers respect you is huge,and it meant a lot because it’s been such a difficult last six months,” Smart said backstage,referring to the death earlier this year of her husband,actor Richard Gilliland. “So this has been something that has been a strange counterpoint.
“[But] it’s nice to make people smile and laugh,” Smart added,acknowledging how difficult 2020 was for everyone. “When you do something that is meant to entertain like that,that’s the whole thing,people’s reaction,” she said. “This is more than we could ever have expected.”
As you would expect,there were odd and awkward moments. Onstage,when Scott Frank,who won forThe Queen’s Gambit,stretched his speech to four minutes,despite the persistent attempts of the orchestra to play him off. Outstanding actor or actress,maybe,but directing for a limited or anthology series or movie? That’s pushing your luck.
Or backstage,when an American TV reporter asked Gillian Anderson if she’d had a chance to discuss her performance as Margaret Thatcher inThe Crown with Thatcher herself. There was a moment of silence as Anderson,who clearly knew that Thatcher had died in 2013,composed her thoughts. “I have not spoken to Margaret,” Anderson finally said.
And even at last week’s Creative Arts Emmys,when actress Claire Foy,who won the lead actress in a drama Emmy forThe Crown in 2018,won the outstanding guest actress in a drama Emmy for a two-minute flashback in the show’s fourth season. No,really,she did.
On a more sensible track,a double win - variety talk series and writing for a variety series - cemented British talk show host John Oliver into the bedrock of American popular culture. But speaking to media after walking offstage,Oliver deflected praise about his win and instead offered kind words for legendary American talk show host (and fellow nominee) Conan O’Brien.
“It’s hard to overstate the influence he’s had on comedy writers,” Oliver said. “There’s a whole generation of comedy writers who looked at Conan to see their sense of humour on television or the first time.”
The Emmys were held at the Event Deck at L.A. Live in Los Angeles,an outdoor site adjacent to the traditional home of the awards,the Microsoft Theatre. In previous years,the Event Deck has been used as the location of the night’s official after-party,the Governors Ball.
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The event was moved outdoors as a precaution due to COVID-19;the guest list was restricted and the after-party cancelled as well. “The health and safety of our nominees is of paramount importance,” a statement from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences said.
List of winners at the 73rd annual Emmy Awards:
Drama series:The Crown (Netflix)
Lead actor in a drama series:Josh O’Connor,The Crown
Lead actress in a drama series:Olivia Colman,The Crown
Supporting actor in a drama series:Tobias Menzies,The Crown
Supporting actress in a drama series:Gillian Anderson,The Crown
Directing for a drama series:Jessica Hobbs,The Crown
Writing for a drama series:Peter Morgan,The Crown
Comedy series:Ted Lasso (Apple TV Plus)
Lead actor in a comedy series:Jason Sudeikis,Ted Lasso
Lead actress in a comedy series:Jean Smart,Hacks
Supporting actor in a comedy series:Brett Goldstein,Ted Lasso
Supporting actress in a comedy series:Hannah Waddingham,Ted Lasso
Directing for a comedy series:Lucia Aniello,Hacks (HBO Max)
Writing for a comedy series:Lucia Aniello,Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky,Hacks (HBO Max)
Limited or anthology series:The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Lead actor in a limited series,movie or anthology:Ewan McGregor,Halston
Lead actress in a limited series,movie or anthology:Kate Winslet,Mare of Easttown
Supporting actor in a limited series,movie or anthology:Evan Peters,Mare of Easttown
Supporting actress in a limited series,movie or anthology:Julianne Nicholson,Mare of Easttown
Directing for a limited or anthology series or movie:Scott Frank,The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)
Writing for a limited or anthology series or movie:Michaela Coel,I May Destroy You (HBO)
Competition program:RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
Variety talk series:Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
Outstanding variety sketch series:Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Outstanding variety special (live):Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020:Democracy’s Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020 (Showtime)
Outstanding variety special (pre-recorded):Hamilton (Disney+)
Outstanding writing for a variety series:Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
The Governors Award:choreographer/actress Debbie Allen
The 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards will be replayed on Fox Arena at 7.30pm AEST and will be available to stream via Foxtel until November 19.
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