Dragons and white Broncos reigned supreme at the 68th annual Emmy Awards. “Game of Thrones,” HBO’s medieval fantasy series, toppled the previous record for most Emmy wins ever for a scripted series, and “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” all but swept the limited series category.
On Sunday, Sept. 18, “Game of Thrones” picked up the best drama victory for the second year running, in addition to wins for David Benioff and D.B. Weiss in the best writing category, and director Miguel Sapochnik for the epic Season 6 episode, “The Battle of the Bastards.” The show won nine awards at the Creative Arts Emmys, bringing the series’ 2016 total to 12. The wins pushed it over the edge to dethrone “Frasier,” the previous record holder for the most Emmys ever for a scripted program, with 38.
“The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” dominated its category, winning outstanding limited series with recognition for writer D.V. Devincentis, and its stars Courtney B. Vance, Sterling K. Brown, and Sarah Paulson. Paulson, a six-time nominee and first-time winner, brought her character’s real-life counterpart and inspiration Marcia Clark as her plus-one to the ceremony, and spoke about the pressure of portraying someone who’s still alive. “Playing a real person while they are still living is a big responsibility,” she said. “She is the mother to two children who were very young when the trial was going on, and were not really privy to a lot of what she was put through. I just kept thinking, I hope this doesn’t hurt Marcia any further. I hope the things that we are doing don’t inflict any more pain.”
READ: “Sterling K. Brown Rewrites History on ‘The People v. O.J.’ ”
The best actor winners in the drama categories were both long overdue and refreshingly ahead of the curve; Tatiana Maslany finally scooped a best actress win for her multi-faceted performances as nearly a dozen clones on Season 4 of BBC’s “Orphan Black,” while newcomer Rami Malek took home a statue for his delivery of a mentally disturbed hacker on USA’s hit “Mr. Robot.”
READ: “How Rami Malek Saved Sam Esmail and ‘Mr. Robot’ ”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus broke records, winning an award for the fifth straight year for “Veep.” In her speech she noted the disturbing parallels between the HBO show, which also went on to take best comedy series for the second year running, and this year’s presidential election.
“I think that ‘Veep’ has torn down the wall between comedy and politics. Our show started out as a political satire but it now feels more like a sobering documentary,” she said before dryly promising to “rebuild that wall and make Mexico pay for it.”
“Transparent” star Jeffrey Tambor also used his oustanding lead actor in a comedy series win and subsequent time on the podium to address the social climate, specifically the marginalization of trans performers in Hollywood, and urged decision-makers to give them roles. “I would not be unhappy were I the last cisgender male to play a transgender character on television,” he said. Show creator and director Jill Soloway took home the win for outstanding directing for a comedy series, and shouted, “Topple the patriarchy!” during her speech.
For supporters, Louie Anderson won in the comedy category for his portrayal of Mrs. Baskets on “Baskets,” while Ben Mendelsohn won the dramatic for Netflix’s “Bloodline”; the latter’s win came on the heels of the show’s previously announced cancellation after three seasons. Kate McKinnon won best supporting actress in a comedy for her “Saturday Night Live” performances, and Maggie Smith won yet again for “Downton Abbey.” Late night’s Jimmy Kimmel joked at the start of the evening that the actor’s continuous absence from the ceremony had inspired the “Maggie Smith Rule” where winners needed to be present to accept the award or it would go to the next person on the list.
Throughout the ceremony Kimmel dropped timely jokes about the sky-high cost of EpiPens, had the kid cast members of “Stranger Things” hand out peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to hungry guests, and introduced Dr. Bill Cosby before admitting he wasn’t serious. “I just wanted to see what you would do,” he said, laughing.
For the full list of winners, see below!
Outstanding Drama Series
Game Of Thrones • HBO
Television and Startling Television
Outstanding Comedy Series
Veep • HBO
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Orphan Black • BBC America
Tatiana Maslany as Sarah, Alison, Cosima, Helena, Rachel, M.K., Krystal
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Mr. Robot • USA
Rami Malek as Elliot
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Bloodline • Netflix
Ben Mendelsohn as Danny Rayburn
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Game Of Thrones • Battle Of The Bastards • HBO
Miguel Sapochnik
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Downton Abbey • PBS
Maggie Smith as Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
Game Of Thrones • Battle Of The Bastards • HBO
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
Key & Peele • Comedy Central
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
Grease: Live • FOX • Paramount Television
Thomas Kail and Alex Rudzinski
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver • HBO
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
Patton Oswalt: Talking For Clapping • Netflix • Generate
Patton Oswalt
Outstanding Limited Series
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story • FX Networks
Outstanding Television Movie
Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (Masterpiece) • PBS
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series Or Movie
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story • FX Networks
Courtney B. Vance as Johnnie Cochran
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series Or Movie
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story • FX Networks
Sarah Paulson as Marcia Clark
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series Or Movie
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story • FX Networks
Sterling K. Brown as Christopher Darden
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special
The Night Manager • AMC • Ink Factory
Susanne Bier
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series Or Movie
American Crime • ABC • ABC Studios
Regina King as Terri Lacroix
Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story • Marcia, Marcia, Marcia • FX Networks
D.V. DeVincentis
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Voice • NBC
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Transparent • Amazon • Amazon Studios
Jeffrey Tambor as Maura Pfefferman
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Veep • HBO
Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Selina Meyer
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
Transparent • Man On The Land • Amazon • Amazon Studios
Jill Soloway
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Saturday Night Live • NBC
Kate McKinnon as Various characters
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
Master Of None • Parents • Netflix
Productions, Fremulon Productions, 3 Arts Entertainment
Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Baskets • FX Networks • FX Productions
Louie Anderson as Christine Baskets
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