Succession star Brian Cox urged the show’s creator, Jesse Armstrong, to “keep it royalist” during a ceremony that was short on references to the Queen’s passing.
Succession won the most Emmys in 2022, with creator Jesse Armstrong utilizing the stage to criticize the hereditary monarchy and make a joke at the expense of the next King.
Armstrong acknowledged the death of the Queen and the new era under King Charles III while accepting the prized award for outstanding drama at the end of the night.
Armstrong stated, “It’s a big week for successions, with a new monarch in the United Kingdom and this for us. There was more voting engaged in our victory than Prince Charles’.”
The show’s star, Scottish actor Brian Cox, instantly interjected, “Keep it, royalist, keep it royalist,” to which Armstrong said, “I’m not claiming that our position is more valid than his; we’ll leave that to others.”
Aside from Armstrong’s jab, the Los Angeles-based awards presentation made few references to the Queen’s passing, despite canceling many pre-show festivities. In deference to the Queen, the Canadian consulate had also postponed their Emmy celebrations before the event.
“Absurdly gifted with a role”
British actor Matthew Macfadyen, who attended the awards with his wife, actress Keeley Hawes, won the award for best supporting actor in a drama series for his portrayal of Tom Wambsgans in Succession. As he accepted the award, he stated, “It’s such a pleasure and honor to play this crazy gift of a role in this wonderful show.”
Ted Lasso and The White Lotus were the night’s other major Emmy winners, outside of discussions about families and succession.
Ted Lasso, a football comedy set in Richmond, won the best comedy for the second consecutive year, with Brett Goldstein, who co-stars and co-writes the show, winning best supporting actor in a comedy series.
Backstage, Goldstein remarked of the show, “I know that all of us would happily do this for 20 years. And then maybe say we need to wrap it up. These footballers are all on crutches and, you know, we’re dragging this out, but it’s up to Jason [Sudeikis].”
When winning his award for the best comedic actor, Sudeikis delivered a rare awards ceremony shout-out to TV viewers, stating, “Thank you to everyone who watches our show and enjoys it as much as we enjoy making it.”
“As if a granny were dying”
On the red carpet, one of the show’s other stars, Hannah Waddingham, who was nominated for best-supporting actress in a comedy series with Juno Temple and Sarah Niles, but lost to American actress Sheryl Lee Ralph, commented about the Queen’s passing.
She told the US magazine Variety: “I stayed on the couch with my father and watched it all night till I couldn’t keep my eyes open because I couldn’t believe it. The memory makes me emotional.
“It is like a granny passing away. It struck me harder than I anticipated, as did the immense strain that now rests on our king’s shoulders. He will rise to the challenge enormously, yet I feel for the burden he carries.”
The White Lotus, a comedy about a hotel, also performed well on the night, winning numerous awards, including the best limited series, best screenplay, and best directing.
Murray Bartlett and Jennifer Coolidge, two of the film’s major actors, won best supporting actor and actress, respectively.
Former Roseanne star Laurie Metcalf won the prize for best guest actress in a comedy series. Jean Smart, who won best comedy actress for Hacks last year, duplicated her achievement and won the title again.
Squid Game creates a precedent
And it was also a night when history was made, as Squid Game became the first non-English language Emmy winner, and Lee Jung-Jae became the first Asian to win an Emmy for best actor in a drama series.
The South Korean smash about a violent survival competition was the most-watched show on Netflix in 2017 due to its global popularity.
Lee, who plays the lead character Seong Gi-hun, praised the show’s creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, who also won an Emmy for best drama directing, by stating, “Thank you for bringing so creatively to life the true challenges we all face.”
Backstage, Lee stated that he anticipated the prizes to open opportunities for future Asian actors, while Hwang referred to it as “a momentous occasion for us.” Hwang also made history as the first Asian to win his category.
In addition, Zendaya won outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her work as recovering addict Rue in Euphoria, making history as the youngest two-time Emmy winner and the first black woman to win the award twice in the category.
“My greatest hope with Euphoria was that it would help people recover, and I’d like to thank everyone who has shared their experience with me,” the Spider-Man actress said as she walked the stage to accept her Emmy.
“I want you to know – everyone who has loved a Rue or feels they are a Rue – that I am so appreciative of your experiences, and I carry them with me and with her.”
A disappointing year at the Emmys.
It was the first Emmys on a grand scale since the pandemic.
Royal drama The Crown, which dominated the 2021 awards, was not shown during the eligibility period and was therefore ineligible for consideration this year. Netflix halted production of the newest season for one day “out of respect” for the Queen.
Brian Cox, Colin Firth, Lily James, Jodie Comer, and Nicholas Hoult were all nominated for their roles in Succession, The Staircase, Pam and Tommy, Killing Eve, and The Great, however, none of them won in their respective categories.
Honoring diversity
Sheryl Lee Ralph, a first-time winner who won best supporting actress in a comedy series for her role in Abbott Elementary, praised the diversity of the night’s winners backstage, stating: “The fact that we have a Korean television show with subtitles, and it’s one of the best, even though paper people hate reading subtitles. That is simply incredible.
“Change the fact that this is the first time since the 1980s that everyone in a major league black cast has been nominated. It’s been 40 years. The fact that this is my first nomination, my first invitation to the awards, and guess what? Nothing before its time. Everything is right on time. And I’m happy to be here because I’m sailin’ baby. I’m loving it.”
Other winners were Lizzo, whose Amazon series Watch Out For The Big Grrrls won the Emmy for best competition series. She stated, upon receiving her prize, that she had always wished to see “someone who was obese like me, dark like me, and beautiful like me.”
The show allows plus-size dancers to compete for a spot on the singer’s tour.
Remember Ukraine
Ben Stiller, who was sanctioned by Russia last week for his support of Ukraine, shifted his attention to refugees, telling reporters, “I’m a goodwill ambassador for the UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and there are over 100 million displaced people all over the world. So, all of those people deserve a right to a home and to be able to go back home and be welcomed. So that’s the message I like to spread.”
More than 25,000 members of the US Television Academy, which represents people in front of and behind the camera, vote for the Emmys.
The awards for this year recognize the greatest television programs that premiered or were streamed between 1 June 2021 and 31 May 2022.
