Hosted in celebratory fashion by Stephen Colbert, the 69th annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony Sept. 17 recognized the best of television’s best, crowning several new as well as repeating winners among the Television Academy’s 92 categories.
Leading with the most wins of the evening was HBO, with 29 Emmys, including best limited series for Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman’s “Big Little Lies,” which claimed eight wins including leading actress for Kidman, supporting actor recognition for Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgård, and directing victories. Netflix and NBC followed with 20 and 15 total wins, respectively.
After eight acting nominations, Elisabeth Moss finally claimed an Emmy for dystopian drama “The Handmaid’s Tale,” which she also produced; Hulu’s first big awards success took home the big outstanding drama series prize. In a year without “Game of Thrones,” the hit series scooped up eight wins, including supporting actress Ann Dowd, director Reed Morano, and writer Bruce Miller.
“I know it’s an actor’s dream and I’m deeply grateful to you,” said a visibly shocked Dowd. “I have been acting for a long time and that this should happen now, I don’t have the words. So I thank you.”
The Book of Ann Dowd: ‘You Will Find Your Way’
John Lithgow of Netflix’s “The Crown” won his sixth Emmy in the supporting actor category, while Riz Ahmed won his first for leading actor in “The Night Of.” “This Is Us” lead Sterling K. Brown took home his second Emmy following last year’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” thanking the cast and crew of Dan Fogelman’s smash NBC drama. Brown is the first broadcast star to triumph in the category since 2011, as well as the first African American to win since Andre Braugher in 1998, a fact he mentioned in a moving speech cut short by ceremony producers.
“When I think about it, Walter White held this joint, Dick Whitman held this joint,” said Brown of his leading actor statue. “And 19 years ago, Detective Frank Pembleton held this joint, as impeccably played by Andre Braugher. I just want to say, Mr. Braugher, whether it’s at Stanford University or on this Emmys stage, it is my supreme honor to follow in your footsteps.”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, in winning her sixth consecutive trophy for leading actress in HBO’s “Veep”—the Best Comedy Series winner for the third year running—tied the record for most Emmy acting wins ever, with eight; including her work as a producer, she now has 11 statues to her name. Donald Glover of FX’s “Atlanta” earned both directing and leading comedy actor awards.
Totaling the most 2017 Emmys with nine was the 42nd season of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” including supporting actor winners Kate McKinnon and Alec Baldwin.
“You remember a song, you remember a line from a movie, you remember a play, you remember a book, a painting, a poem,” said Baldwin, accepting his third Emmy. “What we do is important, and for all of you out there in motion pictures and television, don’t stop doing what you’re doing. The audience is counting on you.”
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