Emergency room saga 'The Pitt' was toasted as the year's best television drama, and show-business satire 'The Studio' was crowned best comedy, as Hollywood stars handed out trophies at the annual Emmy Awards on Sunday.
HBO series 'The Pitt' was the upset winner over 'Severance', a surreal commentary on corporate power that went into the red-carpet ceremony in Los Angeles with the most nominations.
'The Pitt' star Noah Wyle earned his first Emmy, taking the prize for best drama actor. He had previously been nominated five times for his role in the medical drama 'ER,' but never won.
"Wow. What a dream this has been," Wyle said on stage, before thanking healthcare workers. "To anyone going on shift or coming off shift tonight, thank you for being in that job."
Seth Rogen, star and co-creator of 'The Studio', also claimed his first Emmy for best comedy actor, along with others for directing and writing the Apple TV+ show with his producing partner, Evan Goldberg.
"I'm legitimately embarrassed by how happy this makes me," Rogen said as he held the comedy series trophy. 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' was celebrated as best talk series for the first time in its decade-long run.
CBS, the network that broadcast the Emmys, announced in July it was cancelling the show for financial reasons, a decision that sparked an outcry. A smiling Colbert offered gratitude to his employer on Sunday.
"I want to thank CBS for giving us the privilege of being part of the late-night tradition, which I hope continues for a long time," Colbert said.
Earlier, when presenting an award, Colbert joked about needing a job. "While I have your attention, is anyone hiring?" he asked the audience.
'Adolescence', a dark Netflix story about a teen accused of murder, received the best limited series honour. Its 15-year-old star, Owen Cooper, was named best supporting actor in a limited series, becoming the youngest winner in that category.
The English actor said he started taking drama classes a couple of years back. "If you listen and you focus and step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything," Cooper said. "I was nothing three years ago."
In other awards, Jeff Hiller was the surprise winner of best supporting comedy actor for the HBO show 'Somebody Somewhere'. Hiller thanked HBO executives for "putting sweaty, middle-aged people on the same network as the sexy teens of 'Euphoria'."
'Hacks' stars Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder claimed actress and supporting actress awards in the comedy field. Their show tells the story of a comedian who clashes with the network that airs her late-night talk show.
The award was Smart's fourth Emmy for the 'Hacks' role and the first for Einbinder, despite three previous nominations. Einbinder said she had convinced herself that "it was cooler to lose."
"This is cool, too," she said with a smile, before ending her speech with "Free Palestine," one of the few political moments of the night.
HBO and Netflix led all networks with 30 Emmy Awards each this year. Apple TV+ received 22. Winners were chosen by the roughly 26,000 performers, directors, producers, and other members of the Television Academy.
First-time host Nate Bargatze offered an incentive for honourees during the live ceremony on CBS to keep their speeches short. The comedian promised a $100,000 donation to charity but warned he would reduce the amount each time a speaker exceeded their allotted 45 seconds.
At the end of the show, Bargatze announced that long-winded remarks had left his charitable fund in deficit. He said he and CBS would, however, donate $350,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.
Earlier on the red carpet, the ceremony delivered one of its most surprising moments when drag performers from 'RuPaul's Drag Race' brought unconventional fashion to the venue.
Kori King, a standout contestant from season 17 of 'RuPaul's Drag Race', arrived dressed in homage to Michael Jackson. Wearing an outfit styled after the King of Pop, King instantly became a trending topic online across social media.
Joining King on the carpet was fellow 'Drag Race' star Joella, who turned heads by appearing dressed as a Labubu, the popular collectible character. Together, their unconventional looks were declared among the most daring of the night.
The stunts continue a tradition of 'Drag Race' contestants shaking up Emmy night fashion. Last year, competitor Princess Poppy drew attention with a green goblin look.
Fashion commentators noted that most stars on this year's carpet stuck to more traditional gowns and suits, with few daring risks. While comedian Megan Stalter added a political note with a casual T-shirt and a taped "Cease Fire" message on her bag, Kori King and Joella stood out as the evening's most creative attendees.
(REUTERS WITH INPUT FROM NEWS DESK)
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