LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Netflix's "The Crown" and Apple TV+'s "Ted Lasso" dominated the 73rd Emmy Awards Sunday evening, winning as best drama and comedy series while sweeping or nearly sweeping top performance honors in their respective genres.
In addition to its top drama award, "The Crown" collected lead acting honors for Olivia Colman and Josh O'Connor and supporting prizes for Gillian Anderson and Tobias Menzies.
"Ted Lasso" earned a lead-actor Emmy for co-creator Jason Sudeikis and supporting honors for Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein.
Netflix's "The Queen's Gambit" scored the Emmy for outstanding limited/anthology series or movie, while also winning a prize for director Scott Frank.
HBO's "Mare of Easttown," however, also had a big night at the Emmys, winning a best-actress prize for star Kate Winslet and supporting-performer honors for Evan Peters and Julianne Nicholson.
"'Mare of Easttown' was this cultural moment, and it brought people together and gave them something to talk about other than a global pandemic," Winslet said.
Ewan McGregor won the Emmy for best actor in a limited/anthology series or movie for Netflix's "Halston" — the only performance award in the genre not won by "Mare of Easttown."
Michaela Coel won the Emmy for outstanding writing for a limited/anthology series or movie for HBO's "I May Destroy You."
Colman, accepting her drama-actress Emmy for "The Crown," called the win "a lovely end to the most extraordinary journey with this lovely family."
"I loved every second of it, and I can't wait to see what happens next," Colman said.
Best actor winner O'Connor said appearing in the series about the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II "has been the most rewarding two years of my life. The cast and crew ... you made the show such a pleasure to be a part of, thank you."
He also thanked his family, especially "my grandmother who passed a few months ago and my grandfather," saying, "your kindness and loyalty has been the greatest gift. Thank you so much."
Among comedy performers, the Emmy not won by somebody on "Ted Lasso" went instead to Jean Smart, who was named outstanding lead actress in a comedy. Smart won for her role as Las Vegas comedian Deborah Vance in HBO's "Hacks." While accepting the award, she first honored her late husband, actor Richard Gilliland, who died six months ago.
"I would not be here without him," she said, "without him putting his career on the back-burner so that I could take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities that I've had."
She called working on "Hacks" a "thrill," saying, "I read this and said I have to do this. It checked off every box I was looking for."
She gave special praise to her series co-star, Hannah Einbinder.
"I could not have asked for a person to bounce everything off of every day," she said. "I mean, she's a natural. She's a precious human being. She's incredible, and every day we work is a joy."
"Hacks" also won prizes for best comedy series directing for Lucia Aniello, and for comedy series writing for Aniello, Jen Statsky and Paul W. Downs.
Jason Sudeikis won the Emmy for outstanding actor in a comedy for his role as ever-upbeat football-turned-soccer coach Ted Lasso in the series of the same name.
"Heck of a year," Sudeikis said. "I would say that this show is about family. This show is about mentors and teachers. This show is about teammates. And I wouldn't be here without those three things in my life."
After thanking his family and influences in his life, and the crew of the show, he turned to his fellow cast mates.
"I'm only as good as you guys make me look," he said. "So really it means the world to me just to be up here and just be a mirror of what you guys give to me."
"Ted Lasso" also earned both supporting-performer Emmys for comedy series, with Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein claiming the prizes. Both gave thanks to series star and co-creator Sudeikis.
"Jason, you've changed my life with this, and most importantly my baby girls," Waddingham said. "... I'm honestly so privileged to work with you, I really am."
A veteran of London's theater scene, Waddingham punctuated her acceptance speech saying, "West End musical theater performers need to be on screen more. Please give them a chance because we won't let you down."
Goldstein hailed the show's entire company, saying, "This cast makes me sick they're so good." He called working on the show "one of the greatest honors and privileges" of his life.
VH1's "RuPaul's Drag Race" won its fourth consecutive Emmy for outstanding competition series. It won over Bravo's "Top Chef," which was nominated for the 15th consecutive year, and NBC's "The Voice," which had its 10th consecutive nod. Ten-time winner "The Amazing Race," which was nominated in each of the first 17 years of the category but was not eligible last year because CBS did not air a new season during the eligibility period, was also among the nominees.
RuPaul Charles gave thanks for the win "to all of our lovely children on our show from around the world."
"They are so gracious to tell their stories of courage and how to navigate this difficult life," Charles said. " ... This is for you. And for you kids out there watching, you have a tribe that is waiting for you. We are waiting for you, baby."
With the win, Charles became the winningest Black artist in Emmy history, with 11.
HBO's "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver" won Emmys for best variety talk series and best writing for a variety series.
Meanwhile, NBC's "Saturday Night Live" won its fifth consecutive Emmy for outstanding variety sketch series.
Actress, dancer and choreographer Debbie Allen received the 2021 Governors Award from the Television Academy to honor her career contributions to the television world and philanthropic work.
"Debbie's commitment to mentoring underserved communities has been nothing short of extraordinary," said Debra Curtis, a co-chair of the Governors Award selection committee. "She has shared her gift and love of dance and choreography with countless aspiring performers across the globe."
A three-time Emmy winner for choreography on "Fame" and "The Motown 25th," Allen is also a Kennedy Center honoree and a winner of multiple NAACP Image Awards.
She has done choreography for such entertainers as Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Dolly Parton and Sammy Davis Jr.
Allen's television directing and producing credits include "Fame," "Scandal," "How To Get Away With Murder," "Empire," "That's So Raven," "A Different World" and "Grey's Anatomy."
Rule changes for 2021 included any films that have been nominated for an Oscar are no longer eligible to enter the Primetime Emmy Awards competition, and any non-documentary film placed on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences platform for Oscar consideration was deemed a theatrical motion picture, and thus ineligible for the Emmy competition.
In another change for 2021, nominees and winners in any performer category titled "actor" or "actress" may request that their nomination certificate and Emmy statuette carry the term "performer" in place of actor or actress.
No performer category titled "actor" or "actress" has had a gender requirement for submissions.
Cedric the Entertainer hosted the Emmy ceremony, which was televised live by CBS.
The ceremony was held in an outdoor — yet enclosed — tent at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles. Producers insisted the show was held in adherence with all health requirements, although the limited crowd sat at full round tables without masks.
The bulk of the 119 awards were presented at three Creative Arts Emmy ceremonies last weekend. Those awards are mainly in technical categories, such as picture editing, costuming, hairstyling, makeup and sound, but also include awards for guest acting.