Emmys 2021: The Crown dominates, streamers get ahead, and three more talking points
Television’s biggest night took place in Los Angeles
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The 2021 Emmys took place on Sunday, with attendees joining from Los Angeles and London as the ceremony returned to an in-person format.
Only a limited amount of nominees were invited to attend, and all had to present proof that they were vaccinated against Covid – as well as negative tests – in order to gain access to the event.
Actor and comedian Cedric the Entertainer was on hosting duties. Heading into the evening, The Crown and The Mandalorian were leading this year’s nominations.
During the ceremony, The Crown, The Queen’s Gambit and Ted Lasso won the evening’s top awards. Mare of Easttown also scored several high-profile wins, including Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie for Kate Winslet.
Here are the main talking points from the 2021 Emmy Awards:
Powerful women
Wonderful women stole the show at this year’s ceremony, from Kate Winslet’s speech about her detective in Mare of Easttown being a “middle-aged, imperfect, flawed mother who made us all feel validated”, to Michaela Coel dedicating her win to “every single survivor of sexual assault”. A big shout-out to Olivia Colman too, who we’re pretty sure got bleeped out for shouting “Michaela Coel, f*** yeah!” (or similar) in her own acceptance speech. (EH)
Covid concerns
The coronavirus pandemic, as it has become known to do, wormed its way into many speeches over the course of the night. Seth Rogen criticised the event’s perceived lack of Covid measures, calling it “insane”, while host Cedric the Entertainer joked that the vaccine did not lead to his testicles becoming swollen, in a reference to Nicki Minaj’s comments this week. Ewan McGregor and Kate Winslet, meanwhile, were among the winners to thank their shows’ crews for keeping them safe during filming. (EH)
All-white winners in major categories
Despite calls and efforts to get major awards shows to reward the work of actors of colour, white actors won all 12 major acting awards during Sunday’s ceremony. This applies to the lead and supporting actor and actress trophies in the Drama, Comedy, and Limited or Anthology Series or Movie categories. This despite the fact that – as reported by The Hollywood Reporter – performers of colour made up 44 per cent of this year’s nominees. (CM)
The Crown wins big
Netflix’s British royal saga was crowned Outstanding Drama Series in one of its many wins of the evening. With seven trophies, it emerged as the top programme of the 2021 Emmys. Many of its stars won acting awards, including a tearful Olivia Colman, a giggling Josh O’Connor, Tobias Menzies and Gillian Anderson. Its director Jessica Hobbs also triumphed, as well as creator Peter Morgan. (CM)
A great night for streamers
The Crown, a Netflix series, won Outstanding Drama Series, one of the evening’s top three awards. Outstanding Comedy Series went to Ted Lasso, an Apple TV+ programme, while The Queen’s Gambit, another Netflix show, won Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series. In other words: streamers ruled television’s biggest night, and the streaming wars aren’t going to ease off any time soon. (CM)
Follow the ceremony as it happened with out live blog:
Another win for Hacks which just took Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series! Director Lucia Aniello thanks cast members Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder for their work on the show.
Also nominated were directors James Burrows (B Positive), Susanna Fogel (The Flight Attendant), James Widdoes (Mom), Zach Braff (Ted Lasso), MJ Delaney (Ted Lasso), and Declan Lowney (Ted Lasso).
Jason Alexander, Zooey Deschanel, Cedric the Entertainer, and Alyson Hannigan are all co-starring in a skit about the Emmys they have and have not won:
Jean Smart wins Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series for her role in Hacks!
She was nominated alongside Tracee Ellis Ross, Kaley Cuoco, Allison Janney, and Aidy Bryant.
Smart pays tribute to her late husband, thanking him for putting his career on the back burner so that she could pursue opportunities in her own professional life.
And look at Kate Winslet (Smart’s co-star from Mare of Easttown whistling in the background)!
Jennifer Coolidge is a presenter tonight and she is getting ALL the cheers. She also congratulates the male nominees for overcoming the obstacle of being men in the industry, telling them in jest: “Bravo, gentlemen.”
And the winner of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series is... Jason Sudeikis for Ted Lasso! He was nominated alongside Anthony Anderson, Kenan Thompson, Michael Douglas, and William H Macy.
RuPaul’s Drag Race wins Outstanding Competition Program!
The other nominees were The Amazing Race, Nailed It!, Top Chef, and The Voice.
Did you catch Cedric the Entertainer’s segment about the British royal family earlier?
Cedric the Entertainer makes fun of the royal family at the 2021 Emmys
‘As great as “The Crown” is, it pales in comparison to the real monarchy,’ host says
Debbie Allen is being honoured with the 2021 Governors Award in recognition of her entire career.
The Board of Governors of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences give the award every year “to an individual, company, organisation or project for outstanding achievement in the arts and sciences or management of television which is either of a cumulative nature or so extraordinary and universal in nature as to go beyond the scope of the Emmy Awards presented in the categories and areas of the competition.”
Allen tells younger generations in her speech that “it’s your turn” as she encourages them to tell their stories.
Are you wondering who’s the wonderful DJ on duty at tonight’s ceremony?
It’s none other than Reggie Watts, a comedian, actor, and musician who currently leads the house band on The Late Late Show with James Corden.
Read all about him here:
The Queen’s Gambit just won its first Emmy of the evening! Scott Frank takes home the award for Outstanding Directing For A Limited Or Anthology Series Or Movie.
His fellow nominees were Thomas Kail (Hamilton), Michaela Coel (I May Destroy You), Sam Miller (I May Destroy You), Craig Zobel (Mare of Easttown), Barry Jenkins (The Underground Railroad), and Matt Shakman (WandaVision).
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