WINS BY ‘THE CROWN,’ ‘TED LASSO’ AND ‘QUEEN’S GAMBIT’
In its fourth season, the series about Britain’s royals finally broke the logjam in the category.
NETFLIX, THE streamer that has collected more than 400 Emmy nominations in the last three years, finally took the Emmy throne with its first drama series win, as “The Crown” reigned supreme.
“Thank you to one or two people not here because we start shooting in a couple of hours,” said series creator Peter Morgan from the ceremony in London, where the category’s winner was announced at nearly 4 a.m. local time. “We’re gonna have a party now! I’m very, very grateful.”
The chronicle of Queen Elizabeth II’s years holding the scepter enjoyed its most rapturous reception in this, its fourth season, winning major awards nearly everywhere — though ironically not the BAFTAs, where it was shut out.
As expected, the series’ tale of the brief romance, fairy-tale wedding and fractured marriage of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer completed its coronation on Sunday, with wins for outstanding drama series, lead actress (Olivia Colman as Elizabeth II), lead actor (Josh O’Connor as Prince Charles), supporting actress (Gillian Anderson as Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher), supporting actor (Tobias Menzies as Prince Philip), writing (Morgan) and directing (Jessica Hobbs).
“Not a lot of women have won this award, so I feel like I’m standing on the shoulders of some really extraordinary people,” said Hobbs of the directing honor, also giving a special shout-out to her mother, fellow filmmaker Aileen O’Sullivan. “I’m very grateful for the path that they laid.”
O’Connor’s race against 2019 champ Billy Porter (“Pose”) was thought to be close, even though, like Anderson, he had already won Critics’ Choice and SAG awards for his performance as a loathsome Charles. And Colman adds the Emmy to her Oscar for playing another queen — Anne, in the 2018 film “The Favourite.”
The series’ Emmy-night haul added to the four it collected at the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony the previous week, for a total of 11 (out of 24 nominations). Among those Creative Arts wins was a guest actress prize for ex-Elizabeth Claire Foy ‘s 4-minute, 42-second scene, during which she was offscreen most of the time.
The triumph of “The Crown” in drama series marks Netflix’s first win in the category after being nominated every year since it launched its original programming slate with “House of Cards” in 2013 — 17 nominations in all.
None of “The Crown’s” 2021 acting winners or nominees will be regulars in Season 5, as the show moves forward in time and resets the cast entirely.
“I loved every second of it,” said Colman of working on the series in her acceptance speech. “And I can’t wait to see what happens next.”