Apple TV comedy Ted Lasso and Netflix royal drama The Crown won big at the Emmy Awards on Sunday, as they sweep the major categories.
Most of the nominees attended the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards in person in Los Angeles on Sunday. However, a lot of British nominees chose to appear from a separate location in London.
The Crown won best drama series, as well as scooping four acting awards for Olivia Colman, Gillian Anderson, Tobias Menzies and Josh O’Connor. Colman played Queen Elizabeth II, Anderson portrayed Margaret Thatcher, while Menzies won for his role as Duke of Edinburgh, and O’Connor as Prince Charles.
This is not the first time a streaming service has claimed the top prize at the Emmys in the best drama series category. But it is Netflix’s first victory.
On accepting her award, Colman commented how it is “a lovely end to the most extraordinary journey with this lovely family”. “I loved every second of it and I can’t wait to see what happens next,” she added. As with many of the nominated actors from the most recent run of The Crown, this is Colman’s last season. Imelda Staunton will replace her in the role of the Queen in the upcoming fifth series.
She became emotional as she wished her dad, who she lost during the Covid pandemic, could have seen it, as “he would’ve loved all of this”.
A lack of diversity
British winners included Michaela Coel, who claimed the trophy for outstanding writing for a limited series for her drama I May Destroy You. The show is about the issues of consent. As she collected her award she said: “I dedicate this story to every single survivor of sexual assault”. She also used her speech to encourage aspiring writers to “write the tale that scares you”. Coel recommends they “disappear” from social media to help create their best work.
Despite Coel’s win, the event garnered criticism online for its lack of diversity. The Brit is one of the few non-white stars to win an award. Many black actors received nominations, but all 12 of the acting awards in the drama, comedy and limited series categories went to white stars.
In comparison, three of the four guest actor winners at last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys are black performers. This ceremony is a prelude to the main event. Winners included Lovecraft Country’s Courtney B Vance, and Saturday Night Live hosts Dave Chappelle and Maya Rudolph.
If MJ Rodriguez would have beaten Colman to the best actress award, for her part in drag ball drama Pose, she would have become the first transgender to win in a lead acting category.
Giving thanks and support
The awards for best limited series actress and actor went to Kate Winslet for Mare of Easttown and Ewan McGregor for Halston.
In her speech, Winslet acknowledged her fellow nominees in “this decade that has to be about women having each other’s backs”. “I support you, I salute you, I am proud of all of you,” she added.
In the HBO crime drama Winslet plays a police detective investigating a girl’s murder in a working-class community. She thanked everyone for watching, saying the show “brought people together”, giving them “something to talk about other than a pandemic”. She also paid tribute to writer Brad Ingelsby for creating “a middle-aged, imperfect, flawed mother”, which “made us all feel validated”.
Winslet’s co-stars on the show, Evan Peters and Julianne Nicholson, won the supporting actor and actress awards.
A great honour
Jason Sudeikis clinched the trophy for best lead comedy actor for his part in Ted Lasso. Meanwhile, his co-stars Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham won best supporting actor and actress. The Apple TV series follows the story of an American football coach moving to the UK to train a Premiership team.
Sudeikis says: “This show is about family, it’s about mentors and teachers, it’s about team-mates. And I wouldn’t be here without those three things in my life”.
Meanwhile, Waddingham, a successful theatre actress, calls for more TV roles to go to stage stars. She asked the audience to “please give us a chance because we won’t let you down”. She also paid tribute to fellow co-star and nominee Juno Temple, wishing they could share the prize.
41 year old Goldstein says starring in the show is “one of the greatest honours” of his life.
Thank you for reading Emmy Awards 2021: The Crown and Ted Lasso win big
Looking for additional living space or somewhere quiet to work from home? Look no further – Log cabins at affordable prices.