Monday evening’s Emmy Awards brought big wins for Succession, The Bear and Beef, an EGOT for Elton John, and paid tribute to beloved shows of the past after a months-long delay from the Hollywood strikes pushed the ceremony honouring series that aired in 2022-2023 into the new year.
Host Anthony Anderson, who starred in black-ish, opened the show with a piano-accompanied monologue where he reflected on his childhood TV crush and performed a medley of TV themes.
He was swiftly interrupted by his mom, Doris Bowman, who sat in the audience and yelled at him to hurry up — a bit that continued throughout the night as she was enlisted to badger stars who went over time with their acceptance speeches.
Media empire satire Succession and restaurant dramedy The Bear, which won outstanding drama series and outstanding comedy series respectively, both topped the night with six wins each.
Succession, The Bear win big
Succession stars Sarah Snook, Matthew Macfadyen and Kieran Culkin all won acting awards.
It was the first time that Culkin — who played Roman Roy in the acclaimed series — submitted for the lead actor category, competing against his co-stars Jeremy Strong and Brian Cox. He celebrated the moment by thanking his mom and telling his wife that he wants more kids. “You said maybe if I win,” he told her with a smile.
The Bear star Jeremy Allen White won in the lead actor category for comedy series, while co-star Ayo Edebiri took home the trophy for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy.
During the show’s win for outstanding comedy series, Toronto-born chef, star and executive producer Matty Matheson accepted the award on behalf of the cast and crew — before being cut off by a long kiss from co-star Ebon Moss-Bachrach.
While there weren’t that many surprises, Moss-Bachrach had the night’s first and only upset, winning best supporting actor in a comedy series for his role as restaurateur Richie over performers from Ted Lasso and Barry.
The Canadian-shot dystopian video game adaptation The Last of Us was shut out of the awards, despite receiving 24 nominations, the second highest number after Succession, which had 27.
Memorable moments of acceptance
Netflix’s critically acclaimed Beef, which starred Ali Wong and Steven Yeun as a wealthy businesswoman and a down-and-out handyman whose lives become irrevocably intertwined after a road rage incident, won best limited series. Wong and Yeun each won acting Emmys for their lead roles.
Yeun’s acceptance speech for playing Danny, an angry and despairing contractor struggling to make ends meet, was among the best of the night. “Judgment and shame is a lonely place, but compassion and grace is where we can all meet,” Yeun said while accepting the prize.
One of the evening’s best moments came early as Dead To Me actor Christina Applegate, who has been open about her struggles with multiple sclerosis and how the condition has impacted her work, received a standing ovation from the crowd and cried as she presented the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series.
Earlier, Dahmer star Niecy Nash-Betts thanked family, friends and colleagues for her Emmy win — and herself, saying, “I wanna thank me for believing in me, and doing what they said I could not do.”
Drag pioneer RuPaul, who accepted a win for RuPaul’s Drag Race in the outstanding reality competition program, referenced bans on drag queen story hours at libraries and elementary schools across the U.S.
“Knowledge is power, and if someone tries to restrict your access to power, they are trying to scare you,” the reality host said.
Elton John EGOTs amid cast reunions
Former Saturday Night Live stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reunited onstage to deliver the nominees for outstanding variety special (live) in the style of SNL’s Weekend Update segment, which they once co-anchored together.
The win in that category was historic, as singer Elton John achieved EGOT status (having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony) upon winning the Emmy Award for outstanding live variety special for Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium, though he wasn’t at the ceremony to accept the award.
The show was punctuated by nostalgic tributes to beloved shows of Emmys past, with their iconic sets recreated on stage.
Notable reunions included the cast of Grey’s Anatomy, with former star Katherine Heigl in tow; the cast of nineties sitcom Martin, who riffed on the lack of Emmy nominations they received during their five season run; and The Sopranos stars Lorraine Bracco and Michael Imperioli, who together marked the 25th anniversary since the acclaimed crime drama made its 1999 debut on HBO.