‘Succession,’ ‘Ted Lasso’ win big at Emmys, first time winners shine
“Succession” and “Ted Lasso” topped the Emmy Awards on Monday, in a ceremony that touted the power of TV and extended honours to “Squid Game” and winners who delivered messages of empowerment. The evening’s upliting tone, as voiced especially by Zendaya, Lizzo and Sheryl Lee Ralph, was in contrast to the darkness that pervaded the storytelling of best drama series winner “Succession” and even comedy series winner “Ted Lasso.” “Succession,” about a media empire run by a grasping and cuthroat family, split drama series honours with “Squid Game,” the series about the idle rich turning the poor into entertainment fodder.
Lee Jung-jae of “Squid Game,” who played the show’s moral center, became the first Asian actor to win the best drama series actor Emmy. Jason Sudeikis and Jean Smart collected back-to-back acting trophies, while Zendaya picked up her second drama actress prize for “Euphoria.”
Several new Emmy winners were minted, with Lizzo and Quinta Brunson and Sheryl Lee Ralph of “Abbot Elementary” collecting trophies. Sudeikis won his second consecutive trophy for the soccer comedy “Ted Lasso,” with Smart matching that haul for the standup-centered comedy “Hacks.” Sudeikis gave a rare awards show shoutout to TV consumers. “Thanks to the people who watch this show and dig it as much as we dig making it,” he said.
Ralph stopped the Emmy Awards show by accepting the best supporting actress comedy award for “Abbot Elementary” with a brief but rousing song of affirmation. “I am an endangered species, but I sing no victim song. I am a woman, I am an artist and I know where my voice belongs,” she belted out. She then encouraged anyone doubting their dream “I am here to tell you this is what believing looks like.”
The audience, including Lizzo and many of television’s biggest stars, leapt to their feet to cheer on Ralph. When Lizzo herself accepted the award for best-competition series trophy for “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls,” she offered another emotional pep talk.
“Ted Lasso” co-star Bret Goldstein, won comedy supporting actors, while Mathew Macfadyen of “Succession” and Julia Garner of “Ozark” earned drama seires supporting actor honors.
“It’s such a a pleasure and privilege for me to play this bonkers git of a role in this wonderful show,” Macfadyen said in accepting the trophy for his role as a scheming member of a media empire family.
Garner was among the winners who took advantage of covering all bases by thanking her husband and others in an on-screen message.
“The White Lotus” collected several honours, including best limited or anthology series. Host Kenan Thompson kicked off the Emmys with a tribute to TV, dismissing Tik-tok as “tiny vertical television,” and a musical number saluting series’ theme songs from “Friends” to “The Brady Bunch” to “Game of Thrones.”
Once the music stopped, Thompson provided a mic drop moment - announcing Oprah Winfrey as the first presenter. Winfrey struted onto the stage holding an Emmy statuete, declaring the night “a party!” The night’s first award went to Michael Keaton for his role in “Dopesick.” Winfrey and Keaton hugged before she handed him his trophy.
Amanda Seyfried earned the limited-series lead actress trophy for “The Dropout,” in which she played ill-fated Silicon Valley whiz kid Elizabeth Holmes. She thanked a list of family and colleagues and even her dog, Finn.
Murray Bartlet won the best supporting actor award for limited series of “The White Lotus,” a tragicomedy set in a Hawaii resort. Jennifer Coolidge, who won best supporting actress honours for the show, delighted the audience by shimmying to the music intended to cut off her acceptance speech.
The award for best variety talk show went to “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” with standup special “Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel” winning for best writing for a comedy special. Glamour was back with some metallic sparkle and lots of bright color as an otherworldly Brit Lower, Old Hollywood Elle Fanning and their fellow stars posed for photographers.