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‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Fleabag’ rule the Emmys 2019

Latter earned writing and top acting honours for its creator, Phoebe Waller-Bridge



LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: (L-R) Alfie Allen, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Emilia Clarke, Gwendoline Christie, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, and Carice van Houten speak onstage during the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Kevin Winter/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==
Image Credit: AFP

‘Game of Thrones’ resurrected the Iron Throne at Sunday’s Emmy ceremony, ruling as top drama on a night of surprises in which ‘Pose’ star Billy Porter made history and the comedy series ‘Fleabag’ led a British invasion that overturned expectations.

“This all started in the demented mind of George RR Martin,” said ‘Game of Thrones’ producer David Benioff, thanking the author whose novels were the basis of HBO’s fantasy saga.

Porter, who stars in the FX drama set in the LGBTQ ball scene of the late 20th century, became the first openly gay man to win a best drama series acting Emmy.

“God bless you all. The category is love, you all, love. I’m so overjoyed and so overwhelmed to have lived to see this day,” said an exuberant Porter, resplendent in a sparkling suit and swooping hat.

Amazon’s ‘Fleabag’, a dark comedy about a dysfunctional woman, was honoured as best comedy and earned writing and top acting honours for its British creator and star, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, as well as a best director trophy.

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71st Primetime Emmy Awards - Photo Room – Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 22, 2019 - Phoebe Waller-Bridge poses backstage with her Outstanding Leading Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series awards for “Fleabag”. REUTERS/Monica Almeida
Image Credit: REUTERS

“This is getting ridiculous,” Waller-Bridge said in her third trip to the stage to collect the top trophy.

Her acting win blocked ‘Veep’ star Julia Louis-Dreyfus from setting a record as the most-honoured performer in Emmy history. ‘Fleabag’s’ showing denied a fond farewell for its final season.

“Nooooo!” a shocked-looking Waller-Bridge said as Louis-Dreyfus smiled for the cameras. “Oh, my God, no. Thank you. I find acting really hard and really painful. But it’s all about this,” she said, her acting trophy firmly in hand.

In accepting the writing award earlier, she called the Emmy recognition proof that “a dirty, pervy, messed-up woman can make it to the Emmys.”

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(L-R) Actors Andrew Scott, British actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford and Brett Gelman pose with the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series award for "Fleabag" during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on September 22, 2019. / AFP / Robyn Beck
Image Credit: AFP

Porter, a Tony and Grammy Award winning performer, relished his groundbreaking moment. Quoting the late writer James Baldwin, he said it took him many years to believe he has the right to exist.

“I have the right, you have the right, we all have the right,” he said.

English actress Jodie Comer was honoured as best drama actress for ‘Killing Eve’. She competed with co-star Sandra Oh, who received a Golden Globe for her role and would have been the first actress of Asian descent to win an Emmy in the category.

“My mum and dad are in Liverpool [England] and I didn’t invite them because I didn’t think this was going to be my time. One, I’m sorry, two I love you,” Comer said after saluting Oh.

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Bill Hader won his second consecutive best comedy actor award for the hit man comedy ‘Barry’.

Peter Dinklage, named best supporting actor for ‘Game of Thrones’, set a record for most wins for the same role, four, breaking a tie with Aaron Paul of ‘Breaking Bad’.

US actor Peter Dinklage poses with the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for "Game of Thrones" during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on September 22, 2019. / AFP / Robyn Beck
Image Credit: AFP

“I count myself so fortunate to be a member of a community that is about nothing but tolerance and diversity, because in no other place I could be standing on a stage like this,” said Dinklage, who is a dwarf.

‘Ozark’ star Julia Garner won the best supporting drama actress trophy against a field including four actresses from ‘Game of Thrones’.

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The auditorium erupted in cheers when Jharrel Jerome of ‘When They See Us’, about the Central Park Five case, won the best actor award for a limited series movie.

TOPSHOT - US actor Jharrel Jerome poses with the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie award for "When They See Us" during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on September 22, 2019. / AFP / Robyn Beck
Image Credit: AFP

“Most important, this is for the men that we know as the Exonerated Five,” said Jerome, naming the five wrongly convicted men who were in the audience. They stood and saluted the actor as the crowd applauded them.

It was the only honour for the acclaimed Netflix series of the evening” ‘Chernobyl’ won the best limited series honour.

The ceremony was brisk but, without a host, was overly reliant on the hit-and-miss jokes of presenters. It was ultimately the surprising wins such as Comer’s and the meaningful selections of Porter and Jerome that made the show.

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HBO retained its durable front-runner status with the help of ‘Game of Thrones’ record-tying 12 wins. The channel had a total of 34 awards from Sunday and last weekend’s creative arts ceremony.

But streaming hit new Emmy heights, powered by Amazon Prime winners ‘Fleabag’, ‘The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’ and ‘A Very English Scandal’, and Netflix’s ‘Bandersnatch (Black Mirror)’, honoured as best movie. Netflix collected 27 awards and Amazon nabbed 15.

Michelle Williams, honoured as best actress for her portrayal of dancer Gwen Verdon in FX’s limited series ‘Fosse/Verdon’, issued a call to arms for gender and ethnic equality.

71st Primetime Emmy Awards - Show - Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 22, 2019. Michelle Williams accepts the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for "Fosse/Verdon." REUTERS/Mike Blake
Image Credit: REUTERS

She thanked the network and studio behind the project for “paying me equally because they understood ... when you put value into a person, it empowers that person to get in touch with their own inherent value. And where do they put that value, they put it into their work.

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“And so the next time a woman and, especially a woman of colour, because she stands to make 52 cents on the dollar compared to her white male counterpart, tells you what she needs in order to do her job, listen to her,” Williams said.

Patricia Arquette won the trophy best supporting limited-series or movie actress for “The Act.” She paid emotional tribute to her late trans sister, Alexis Arquette, and called for an end to prejudice against trans people, including in the workplace.

TOPSHOT - Patricia Arquette accepts the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie award for "The Act" onstage during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on September 22, 2019. / AFP / Frederic J. BROWN
Image Credit: AFP

Ben Whishaw took the category’s supporting actor trophy for ‘A Very English Scandal’, admitting in charming British fashion to a hangover.

Alex Borstein and Tony Shalhoub of ‘The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’ won best comedy supporting acting awards.

“I want to dedicate this to the strength of a woman, to (series creator) Amy Sherman-Palladino, to every woman on the ‘Maisel’ cast and crew,” Borstein said, and to her mother and grandmother. Her grandmother survived because she was courageous enough to step out of a line that, Borstein intimated, would have led to her death at the hands of Nazi Germany.

“She stepped out of line. And for that, I am here and my children are here, so step out of line, ladies. Step out of line,” said Borstein, who also won the award last year.

Shalhoub added to his three Emmys which he earned for his signature role in ‘Monk’.

TOPSHOT - Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series Tony Shalhoub poses with his award during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on September 22, 2019. / AFP / Robyn Beck
Image Credit: AFP

The awards opened without a host as promised, with an early exchange pitting Ben Stiller against Bob Newhart.

“I’m still alive,” Newhart told Stiller, who introduced him as part of a wax museum comedy hall of fame that included Lucille Ball and George Burns.

Kim Kardashian West and Kendall Jenner drew some mocking laughter in the audience when they presented the reality competition award after Kardashian West said their family “knows first-hand how truly compelling television comes from real people just being themselves.”

Kim Kardashian West, left, and Kendall Jenner present the award for outstanding competition program at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Image Credit: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

An animated Homer Simpson made a brief appearance on stage until he was abruptly crushed, with Anderson of ‘black-ish’ rushing in to, as he vowed, rescue the evening. He called “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston on stage to tout the power of television from its beginning to the current golden age.

“Television has never been bigger. Television has never mattered more. And television has never been this damn good,” Cranston said.


The cast and crew of "Game Of Thrones" accepts the award for outstanding drama series at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: (L-R) Stellan Skarsgård, Craig Mazin, Johan Renck, Jared Harris, Jane Featherstone, Sanne Wohlenberg and Carolyn Strauss the Outstanding Limited Series award for 'Chernobyl' onstage during the 71st Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 22, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Kevin Winter/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Julia Garner accepts the award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for "Ozark" at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Halsey performs onstage during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on September 22, 2019. / AFP / Frederic J. BROWN

Bill Hader on stage at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Ben Stiller on stage at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Ryan Murphy, left, congratulates Billy Porter, winner of the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for "Pose," at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

US actress Marisa Tomei and US writer Norman Lear present the award for Outstanding Comedy Series onstage during the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on September 22, 2019. / AFP / FREDERIC J. BROWN

Presenters Maya Rudolph and Ike Barinholtz on stage at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/TNS)

Viola Davis presents the award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Terrence Howard, left and Taraji P. Henson speak at the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2019, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

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