Game of Thrones picked up a record-breaking 12 awards, including best drama series at this year’s Primetime Emmys in Los Angeles.
For the first time since the series began in 2011, the HBO fantasy show won the best drama series award. Its other accolades included best writing, best direction and best supporting actor for Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister.
Viola Davis also made history by becoming the first black woman to win the best lead actress prize for her role in How To Get Away With Murder. Accepting the award, she said: “The only thing that separates women of colour from anyone else is opportunity.”
Jon Hamm finally won an award for his portrayal of Don Draper in Mad Men.
Jon Hamm finally won a best actor award for Mad Men in the show’s last year. He had been nominated seven times before. Hamm, who played Don Draper in the drama, which is set in an advertising agency primarily in the 1960s, said: “It’s incredible and impossible for me personally to be standing here.”
Political comedy Veep was the winner in the best comedy series category. And Inside Amy Schumer was named best variety sketch series. Julia Louis-Dreyfus won best comedy actress for the fourth time for playing Selina Meyer in Veep, while Tony Hale, who plays her bag man, was again named best supporting actor in a comedy.
Amazon’s comedy-drama Transparent won awards for best director in a comedy and for its lead actor, Jeffrey Tambor, who plays a transgender college professor. The show also picked up best guest actor in a comedy for former West Wing star Bradley Whitford.
Uzo Aduba, who plays Suzanne ‘Crazy Eyes’ Warren in Netflix prison series Orange is the New Black, was named best supporting actress in a drama.
The TV Academy awarded only four prizes to the main US broadcast networks. But while the pre-awards talk had revolved around streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon, it was cable channel HBO that swept the board, with shows like Veep, Game of Thrones and Olive Kitteridge performing well.
The latter picked up six awards, including best mini-series, best lead actor in a mini-series or movie (Richard Jenkins), lead actress (Frances McDormand) and supporting actor (Bill Murray).
Watch Uzo Aduba’s emotional acceptance speech below:
