Trophies, tributes fill Emmy stage

'Modern Family,' 'Breaking Bad' names best series winners

9/22/2013
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • 65th-Primetime-Emmy-Awards-9-22

    Tony Hale watches as Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her role on “Veep” at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre on Sunday in Los Angeles.

    INVISION

  • Host Neil Patrick Harris speaks on stage at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre  in Los Angeles.
    Host Neil Patrick Harris speaks on stage at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

    LOS ANGELES — Breaking Bad, the brutal saga of an everyman’s ambition turned evil, captured its first best drama Emmy Award on Sunday, while Modern Family won its fourth consecutive trophy for top comedy series.

    EMMY WINNERS

    List of winners at Sunday’s 65th annual Primetime Emmy Awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:

    Drama Series: Breaking Bad, AMC.

    Actor, Drama Series: Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom, HBO.

    Actress, Drama Series: Claire Danes, Homeland, Showtime.

    Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire, HBO.

    Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad, AMC.

    Directing, Drama Series: David Fincher, House of Cards, Netflix.

    Writing, Drama Series: Henry Bromell, Homeland, Showtime.

    Comedy Series: Modern Family, ABC.

    Actor, Comedy Series: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory, CBS.

    Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep, HBO.

    Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Tony Hale, Veep, HBO.

    Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie, Showtime.

    Directing, Comedy Series: Gail Mancuso, Modern Family, ABC.

    Writing, Comedy Series: Tina Fey, Tracey Wigfield, 30 Rock, NBC.

    Miniseries or Movie: Behind the Candelabra, HBO.

    Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra, HBO.

    Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Laura Linney, The Big C: Hereafter, Showtime.

    Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: James Cromwell, American Horror Story: Asylum, FX Networks.

    Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Ellen Burstyn, Political Animals, USA.

    Directing, Miniseries or Movie: Steven Soderbergh, Behind the Candelabra, HBO.

    Writing, Miniseries or Movie: Abi Morgan, The Hour, BBC America.

    Reality-Competition Program: The Voice, NBC.

    Variety Series: The Colbert Report, Comedy Central.

    Writing, Variety Series: The Colbert Report, Comedy Central.

    Directing, Variety Series: Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live, NBC.

    Choreography: Derek Hough, Dancing With the Stars, ABC.

    “I did not see this coming,” said Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, tipping his hat to competitor House of Cards, the first online contender for top Emmy honors.

    Jeff Daniels won the Emmy for best drama series actor for his portrayal of an idealistic TV anchorman in The Newsroom, with Claire Danes capturing top actress honors for her troubled CIA agent in Homeland.

    Daniels noted that he’d also received an age 50-plus acting honor from AARP, which represents the interests of older Americans.

    “With all due respect to the AARP, this is even better,” Daniels said.

    Danes, who captured her second trophy for the terrorism drama, paid tribute to one of the series’ writers, Henry Bromell, who died last March and who received a writing Emmy posthumously Sunday.

    The ceremony often struck a melancholy note with extended tributes to stars and other industry members who died in the past year.

    “Well, this may be the saddest Emmys of all time but we could not be happier,” said Modern Family executive producer Steve Levitan.

    It also included upsets, defying the conventional wisdom in several categories, including acting categories.

    “This just in. Nobody in America is winning their Emmy office pool. Surprises galore,” host Neil Patrick Harris said.

    Danes’ win ended the hopes that Scandal best actress nominee Kerry Washington would become the first African-American to win in the category since Cicely Tyson in 1995 for Sweet Justice.

    Julia Louis-Dreyfus claimed her second consecutive best comedy actress award for her role as an ambitious political second banana in Veep, with Jim Parsons again claiming the top comedy acting trophy for The Big Bang Theory.

    “This is so much good fortune it’s almost too much to bear,” said Louis-Dreyfus. “I’m very grateful to have the opportunity to make people laugh. It’s a joyful way to make a living.”

    Parsons added to the awards he won in 2011 and 2010 for the role of a science nerd.

    “My heart, oh my heart. I want you to know I’m very aware of how exceedingly fortunate I am,” he said.

    Merritt Wever of Nurse Jackie won the night’s first award, for best supporting actress in a comedy series, kicking off the ceremony on a surprising note and with a remarkably brief acceptance speech.

    “Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Um, I got to go, bye,” Wever told the audience after besting a field that included two-time winner Julie Bowen of Modern Family.

    “Merritt Wever, best speech ever,” host Harris said.

    Backstage, she offered an explanation: “I’m sorry I didn’t thank anyone. I was going to cry.”

    Tony Hale watches as Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her role on “Veep” at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre on Sunday  in Los Angeles.
    Tony Hale watches as Julia Louis-Dreyfus accepts the award for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series for her role on “Veep” at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre on Sunday in Los Angeles.

    Tony Hale of Veep claimed the trophy for best supporting actor in a comedy, a category that has been the property in recent years of the men of Modern Family.

    “Oh, man. ... This is mindblowing, mindblowing,” Hale said.

    Laura Linney was named best actress in a miniseries or movie for The Big C: Hereafter. The Voice won best reality-competition program, and Tina Fey won for writing 30 Rock.

    Michael Douglas was honored as best actor for his portrayal of the late musical star Liberace in Behind the Candelabra, besting his co-star Matt Damon. The film also captured a top trophy as best movie or miniseries.

    Bobby Cannavale, from Boardwalk Empire, won as best supporting actor in a drama, and Anna Gunn from Breaking Bad won the best actress award in the same category.

    Jim Parsons accepts the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for his role as nerd-genius Sheldon on ‘The Big Bang Theory.’
    Jim Parsons accepts the award for outstanding lead actor in a comedy series for his role as nerd-genius Sheldon on ‘The Big Bang Theory.’

    Derek Hough of Dancing with the Stars won the trophy for best choreography, which offered an opportunity to include an upbeat dance number late in the show.

    In the variety show category, The Colbert Report broke a 10-year winning streak held by The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. It also won for best writing for a variety show.

    The ceremony’s first hour was relatively somber, with memorial tributes and a doleful song by Elton John in honor of Liberace.

    “Liberace left us 25 years ago and what a difference those years have made to people like me,” said John, who is openly gay in contrast to the closeted Liberace portrayed in the TV movie.

    Robin Williams offered another tribute.

    “Jonathan Winters was my mentor,” Williams said of the actor-comedian. “I told him that and he said, ‘Please, I prefer ‘idol.’”

    Claire Danes took home the best actress in a drama Emmy for her role as CIA agent Carrie Mathison in ‘Homeland.’
    Claire Danes took home the best actress in a drama Emmy for her role as CIA agent Carrie Mathison in ‘Homeland.’

    Also honored was Cory Monteith, the Glee star who died at age 31 in July of a drug and alcohol overdose. “His death is a tragic reminder of the rapacious, senseless destruction that is brought on by addiction,” said his co-star Jane Lynch.

    The inclusion of Monteith as one of five extended good-byes despite his abbreviated career and the exclusion of such enduring stars as Jack Klugman and Larry Hagman drew criticism from some. Adam Klugman, son of The Odd Couple actor, called his father’s omission “criminal.”

    Edie Falco recalled her late The Sopranos co-star James Gandolfini, saluting him for his “fierce loyalty” to his friends and family and his work with military veterans.

    “You all knew Jim the actor. I was lucky enough to know Jim the man,” she said.

    Diahann Carroll, the first African-American Emmy nominee in 1963 for Naked City, created one of the night’s most heartfelt moments when she took the stage with Washington and noted the importance of diversity in the industry and Emmys.

    “Tonight, she better get this award,” Carroll said of Washington, who covered her eyes in embarrassment.

    Danes’ victory denied Washington a chance to end a 45-year drought for black women winning the best drama award.