NETFLIX, HBO TIE WITH 23 HONOURS EACH
HBO’s record-breaking fantasy epic Game of Thrones stormed back onto the Emmys stage on Monday, winning the coveted best drama series prize on a night full of surprises, including an on-air marriage proposal that stunned the audience.
The other big story of the Hollywood gala, television’s answer to the Oscars, was the huge success of The Marvelous
Mrs Maise, Amazon’s story of a 1950s housewife-turned-stand up comic, which took home eight Emmys, including the best comedy award. In the battle of traditional networks versus new platforms, streaming giant Netflix and HBO ended in a dead heat at the top at 23 Emmys each.
The result underscored the rise of Netflix in Hollywood, which matched HBO’s total just five years after starting a big push into original programming.
The Handmaid’s Tale, last year’s best drama and an early favourite for more hardware, went home emptyhanded.
The ceremony, hosted by Saturday
Night Live regulars Colin Jost and Michael Che, took on a decidedly political hue at the start, with a barrage of edgy jokes on hot-button issues from diversity in Hollywood to #MeToo and President Donald Trump.
The gala saw several sentimental favourites take home their first Emmys.
Matthew Rhys won for best drama actor for spy thriller The Americans,
Claire Foy was named best drama actress for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth in The Crown and Henry Winkler triumphed for supporting comedy acting on Barry.
But the coveted drama prize went to
Game of Thrones, which was ineligible for last year’s Emmys, and series star Peter Dinklage took home the best supporting actor prize for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister.
“Writing for these actors behind us is the honour of a lifetime,” said the show’s co-creator, David Benioff.
“But we didn’t invent these characters. That was George R.R. Martin. The show could not be without the mad genius of George.”
GoT won nine Emmys this year, meaning the series, which returns next year for an abbreviated eighth and final season, has 47 awards overall.
That breaks the programme’s own record as the most decorated fictional show since the Television Academy first handed out prizes in 1949.
In the comedy categories, Mrs Maisel bested all comers in its first year of eligibility, sweeping the female acting prizes (star Rachel Brosnahan and costar Alex Borstein) and best series honours.
A surprise marriage proposal from Emmy-winning director Glenn Weiss won over the audience and the Internet.
As Weiss accepted his award for directing The Oscars, he asked Jan Svendsen, who was sitting in the audience, to marry him.
“You wonder why I don’t like to call you my girlfriend? Because I want to call you my wife,” he added to cheers, applause and a few teary-eyed actors in the audience.
Svendsen then joined Weiss on stage as the director got on one knee and formally proposed.
The moment was especially poignant as Weiss revealed his mother had recently died and offered Svendsen the ring his father had given his mum.
Saturday Night Live won the award for best variety sketch series.