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‘Thrones’ wins top drama Emmy as ‘Fleabag’ springs a surprise
LOS ANGELES, Sept 23, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – “Game of Thrones” took the top Emmy
for best drama Sunday but dark British comedy “Fleabag” was the surprise big
winner of television’s glitziest night, dominating the comedy prizes at a
star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles.
“Thrones,” the most decorated fictional show in the history of the Emmys —
television’s Oscars — finished with 12 awards overall for its final season.
“Thank you to the hardest working crews in show business — the dragons who
shot for 70 nights straight in freezing Belfast rain, the wolves who shot all
around the world — you are amazing, all of you,” said showrunner Dan Weiss.
“And it is amazing that all of you are still alive.”
Peter Dinklage won his fourth best supporting actor statuette for his
portrayal of sharp-tongued dwarf Tyrion Lannister.
But the blood-soaked fantasy epic’s hopes of going out with a new record
for a single season were dashed after it failed to convert nominations in
directing, writing, and the other acting categories.
The divisive final run of “Thrones” enraged many fans — more than a
million signed a petition for HBO to redo its conclusion.
But the 10 nominated cast members of the cast of “Thrones” received a
standing ovation as they gathered on stage.
“I think all of us agree how amazing the entire last season was for us,”
said Sophie Turner, who played Sansa Stark.
“Thrones” had already bagged 10 Emmys in lesser categories at last
weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys, including for the show’s special effects and
elaborate costumes.
It ends its eight-season run with 59 Emmys, a record for a drama or comedy.
Only variety sketch show “Saturday Night Live” has more.
In the night’s biggest shock, “Fleabag” star Phoebe Waller-Bridge bested
eight-time acting winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep”) before the show itself
won for best comedy series.
The BBC show — which has grown into a phenomenon on both sides of the
Atlantic after being acquired by Amazon — also scooped awards for best
comedy writing and directing.
“It’s just really wonderful to know and reassuring that a dirty, pervy,
angry, messed-up woman can make it to the Emmys,” said Waller-Bridge,
referring to her character.
“This is just getting ridiculous,” she said on adding the comedy series
prize. “The journey has been absolutely mental.”
“Fleabag” was totally shunned by Emmy voters last year, failing to bag a
single nomination. But the Television Academy’s 24,000-plus voters changed
their tune for its second season.
Waller-Bridge has ruled out a third season, saying the irreverent series
about a self-absorbed young Londoner has come “to a natural end.”
– ‘We all have the right’ –
Billy Porter made history as the first openly gay black man to win the best
drama actor prize for FX show “Pose,” which explores New York’s underground
ballroom culture in the 1980s.
“I am so overwhelmed and so overjoyed to have lived long enough to see this
day,” said Porter, who turned 50 on Saturday, in his acceptance speech.
“I have the right. You have the right. We all have the right,” he added.
Jason Bateman was the surprise winner for directing Netflix’s dark crime
thriller “Ozark.” Co-star Julia Garner won best supporting actress.
Sandra Oh failed in her bid to become the first Asian-American actress to
win the leading actress in a drama category, beaten by her co-star Jodie
Comer in BBC spy thriller “Killing Eve.”
The pair embraced before British star Comer, who plays an assassin,
collected her prize and told the audiences she hadn’t invited her parents to
the ceremony “because I didn’t think this was going to be my time.”
“Chernobyl” — HBO’s drama about the 1986 nuclear catastrophe — won the
Emmy for best limited series.
It faced off against “When They See Us,” the searing true story of five New
York teenagers wrongly accused of raping a Central Park jogger.
One of the Netflix show’s young stars, Jharrel Jerome, won the prize for
best actor in a limited series.
Bill Hader won for best actor for HBO’s hitman comedy “Barry.” The network
pulled off another victory for “Succession,” with Jesse Armstrong a surprise
winner for drama writing.
– ‘Damn good’ –
The glitzy 71st Emmys began at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los
Angeles with a comedy skit: a cartoon Homer Simpson was introduced as “host”
— and quickly crushed by a falling piano.
“Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston then appeared on stage to “rescue” the
Emmys, delivering a tribute to television’s so-called golden era.
“Television has never been bigger. Television has never mattered more. And
television has never been this damn good,” said Cranston.
Both “Game of Thrones” and “Veep” were among the shows bowing out Sunday,
having helped HBO raise the game for the small screen.
But Louis-Dreyfus missed out on a ninth acting statuette — which would
have been her seventh, and a clean sweep for every season, as foul-mouthed
vice-president-turned-president Selina Meyer in “Veep.”
“I’m sorry, I was told I would be up here alone,” she joked as she later
appeared on stage with her co-stars — to a standing ovation — to present an
award.
BSS/AFP/GMR/1004 hrs