On Monday evening, the 75th Annual Emmy Awards took place and several new shows will be gracing our television screens, along with many veteran nominees returning from networks.
Quinta Brunson became the first Black woman ever to win best leading comedy actress for Abbott Elementary, with Jennifer Coolidge holding up her time card as she joked she wanted to thank all “evil gays”.
The Crown
Peter Morgan created and wrote The Crown as a period drama based on his film The Queen (2006) and stage play The Audience (2013), both award-winning works that tell the early years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, from her relationship with Prince Philip through to major political issues as she navigates new motherhood. Olivia Colman and Claire Foy both earned Emmys for their performances as Queen Elizabeth II; Colman became one of only twelve actors ever to win an Emmy, Oscar, Golden Globe, and Academy Award (EGOT) all within 24 hours!
HBO was the clear winner, taking home 14 awards in total and dominating several of the coveted drama categories. Succession, Hulu’s The Bear and Netflix’s limited/anthology series Beef each won six awards; several actors including Ayo Edebiri, Jennifer Coolidge Matthew Macfadyen Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook earned multiple nominations for their roles on those shows.
Though disrupted by Hollywood’s unprecedented writers and actor strike, this year’s 75th Annual Emmy Awards still provided memorable wins and powerful moments. Hosted by Anthony Anderson, it served as a powerful reminder of television’s continued impact and relevance on people around the globe.
Some notable celebrities made headlines at this year’s Emmys with their fashion choices on the red carpet, from daring pantsuit hues to dramatic mullets – showing their best looks on one of TV’s biggest nights!
Ali Wong of ABC’s hit comedy Abbott Elementary was the big winner of the evening. Ali became the first Asian woman ever to win an Outstanding Lead Actress award and she accepted it with incredible emotion and gratitude. Wong thanked her family, the cast of Abbott Elementary, and cast members for making her feel like a “real” comedian while later being joined onstage by her husband and children to celebrate – check out all the highlights from this year’s show below!
The Bear
On Monday evening, after four months of delay due to Hollywood writers and actors’ strikes, the 75th Emmy Awards finally made their triumphant return with an evening full of captivating TV programming; FX’s hit kitchen drama The Bear was named comedy series winner.
This dramedy follows the Berzatto family as they attempt to transform their grimy Chicago sandwich shop into a restaurant. Starring Jeremy Allen White (Carmy) and Ayo Edebiri (Sydney), both actors earned Emmy wins for their performances on this series. Other winners include Apple TV+ soccer drama Top of the World and Netflix limited series The Last of Us Part II which won for best limited or anthology series respectively.
Though The Bear faced stiff competition in the comedy category, its triumph is significant because it gives momentum heading into its third season. Notably, unlike most nominees this year, The Bear was nominated in its early two seasons rather than later runs, giving it a higher likelihood of strengthening its success with more wins down the road.
Ayo Edebiri, previously nominated for a Golden Globe, gave an emotional speech noting how this win speaks volumes for female creators in Hollywood and beyond. Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Kieran Culkin of Succession shared embraces on stage as Jason Sudeikis of Family Guy paid his final respects to his late co-worker who died two months prior.
Ayo Edebiri made an impression in her black bell-shaped Louis Vuitton dress covered with floral-themed collage designs from Louis Vuitton.
Jenna Ortega chose a classic look at the Wednesday premiere, wearing a timeless strapless Dior Couture gown with pastel blossom appliques.
The Bear TV show got nominated for 20+ awards, showing its rising status. Expect more nominations in the future.
The White Lotus
The White Lotus reveals a luxury vacation’s dark side with smart writing and superb performances. It explores how people are driven insane by their irrational impulses while showing that people may not always be as bad as they think they are. A real HBO classic in that respect – quirky yet comfortable characters presented openly without hiding behind veneers of pretentiousness; simply delightful to watch.
The 76th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards took place this evening at Los Angeles’s Peacock Theater, honoring artistic and technical achievements in television. At this year’s ceremony, Massachusetts natives made an impactful showing. Dorchester resident Ayo Edebiri earned multiple nominations; her nominations included lead actress in the comedy category as Nicole from the HBO series The White Lotus as well as supporting actress in limited series category nomination.
Coolidge earned multiple nods including a supporting actress in the limited series category award from the Netflix series The Crown as she received supporting actress nominations as well as nominations in both supporting actress and directing categories.
Pedro Pascal won three Emmy nominations and was honored as lead actor in a drama series for The Leftovers – making history by becoming the first Latino performer ever to do so! Furthermore, The Leftovers received a record-setting 10 technical awards as well.
In terms of acting nominations, The Crown led with 27 nods for Laverne Cox, Macon McCalman and Kelly Preston alone. Other major nominees this year were HBO’s post-apocalyptic thriller The Last of Us and dark comedy Ted Lasso.
As the Hollywood work stoppage that had delayed Emmy nominations came to an end this week, many nominees celebrated on the red carpet. Below, see some of their most stylish looks of the night.
Abbott Elementary
Abbott Elementary maybe this year’s unlikely stand-out winner among returning nominees. Created by Quinta Brunson, it follows Philadelphia elementary school teachers – both veteran and novice alike – as they deal with family, work, and their students’ antics. Millions of viewers, myself included, have fallen for its endearing characters and entertaining hijinks; Abbott Elementary is bound to become an instant classic!
Abbott Elementary earned critical acclaim during its debut season, winning praise from critics and audiences alike. Due to this success, it earned two seasons (both with ABC) before its third-season premiere last month on ABC. Alongside Brunson, Abbott Elementary stars Tyler James Williams as Gregory Eddie; Janelle James plays Ava Coleman; Lisa Ann Walter plays Melissa Schemmenti; Sheryl Lee Ralph plays Barbara Howard; Chris Perfetti plays Jacob Hill – not forgetting Sheryl Lee Ralph as Barbara Howard! Despite its comedic roots, this series has a heartfelt message about urban school education that resonates through each episode despite its comedy roots!
Brunson has stated that her series draws inspiration from both her own experiences as a teacher and those of her mother’s forty-year career as a schoolteacher. Additionally, Brunson is an advocate for public schools; encouraging politicians to address their issues and provide adequate funding. It has even been recognized by organizations such as the National Education Association for its positive portrayals of teaching.
This year’s Emmys were notable not only because of their historical and emotional importance but also because of the significance of diversity and representation on television. The 2024 Emmy Awards marked an important step forward in terms of diversity and representation on screen – Black people and women both saw historic wins – for instance, Trevor Noah became the first Black host of the show’s talk show category – giving rise to unprecedented equality for many categories on screen.
With many excellent nominees and reunions lined up, the 2019 Emmys could be unforgettable. Be sure to tune in whether from home or on-the-go for Laverne Cox and Heather McMahan hosting.
