LOS ANGELES, Sept 15 (Askume) – “Shogun”, a historical epic set in Japan, won the prestigious Emmy Award for best drama on Sunday, while “Hackers” beat out comedy champion “The Bear” to take television’s highest honor.
“Shogun”, based on a tale of political intrigue, also won acting awards for Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai, the first Japanese actors to win in this category. The drama won a total of 19 awards, setting a record for the most awards in a single season of a TV series.
Netflix’s (NFLX.O) “Baby Reindeer,” about a bartender chased by patrons, won best limited series.
With most of the dialogue written in Japanese with English subtitles, “Shogun” became an unexpected global hit. Executive producer Justin Marks thanked the FX cable network team for taking a chance on the show.
“You approved a very expensive, subtitled production of Japanese history whose main climax was a poetry contest,” Marx said on stage. “I don’t know why you did that.”
Sanada described “Shogun” as a dream project called “East meets West”.
“‘Shogun’ taught me that when people work together, we can do wonders,” he said. “Together we can create a better future.”
Sawai became emotional while accepting the Best Actress award. “Before my name was announced, I cried. I was so sad today,” she said while holding the Emmy statuette.
The “Shogun” win helped FX owner Walt Disney (DIS.N) win 60 Emmys this year, the most in the company’s history.
The biggest surprise of the night came after the Shogun ceremony. HBO ‘s (WBD.O) “Hackers,” about a 70-year-old comedian and millennial writer, won best comedy, beating previous winner “Bare.”
“Comedy is very important to us, but we really feel like it can bridge the divide,” said executive producer Lucia Aniello. “To Power.”
Earlier, Smart received a standing ovation when she won her third Emmy for her performance as aspiring stand-up comedian Deborah Vance in “Hackers.”
“I’m grateful because I don’t get enough attention,” Smart joked on stage.
Bears, which airs on FX, broke its own record for most comedy Emmys by winning 11.
Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachlak won their second consecutive Emmy Awards for Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. White stars as chef Carmine “Cami” Barzato, who is trying to turn her family’s Chicago sandwich shop into a fine restaurant.
Moss-Bacharak won the trophy for his role as restaurant manager and Father’s cousin Richie.
Both actors won the same award at the last Emmy Awards, which took place in January when normal schedules were disrupted by a strike in Hollywood.
Surprisingly, Lisa Colon-Zayas won her third Emmy Award for Bears. She won Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for her role as chef Tina Marrero, alongside fellow veterans Meryl Streep and Carol Burnett.
“To all the Latinos looking at me, have faith and vote. Vote for your rights,” Colon-Zayas said that night, in one of the few references to the upcoming U.S. elections.
Host Candice Bergen recounts how her fictional “Murphy Brown” character, a single woman, was criticized by then-Vice President Dan Quayle for having a child in a 1992 attack on Quayle.
He said, “Oh, how far we’ve come. Today, the Republican vice presidential candidate would never attack a woman for having a child.” Without children.
Winners are selected by approximately 22,000 actors, directors, producers and other members of the Hollywood Television Academy.
“Baby Reindeer” star and screenwriter Richard Gadd based the show on his own true story, for which he also earned acting and writing credits.
“Ten years ago, I was very depressed. I never thought I’d be able to take control of my life,” Gad said while accepting the writing award on stage. “More than a decade later, here I am, winning one of the best writing awards in television.”
“Schitt’s Creek” stars Eugene and Dan Levy hosted the red carpet event in Los Angeles.
“If things go bad, my name will be announced as Martin Short,” Eugene Levy said, pointing to the “Only Murders in the Building” star in the audience.
Dan Levy joked that the Emmy Awards, airing live on Disney’s ABC, should be called “television’s biggest night honoring movie stars on a streaming service.”
