By Sky Pinkett
Staff Writer
On Sept. 14, the 77th annual Primetime Emmy Awards took place in the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The ceremony was packed with several surprise wins, contention over losses and a few historic firsts.
The main event was preceded by the red carpet, which spotlighted the works of big designer names like Louis Vuitton, Oscar de la Renta, Chanel and Lever Couture.
The Emmys themselves, hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze, featured nominations for some of the biggest television shows of the year, including “Severance,” “The Bear,” “The Pitt,” “The White Lotus” and more.
Taking home the most wins of the night was Netflix’s smash hit “Adolescence.” The limited series earned eight awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Erin Doherty and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Owen Cooper. Cooper made history as the youngest male winner to ever win an Emmy award at 15 years old.
“When I started these drama classes a couple of years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here,” the young English actor, who had never acted professionally before “Adolescence,” said during his acceptance speech. “I think tonight proves that if you listen, and you focus and you step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life.”
Joining Cooper in making Emmys history was Tramell Tillman, who won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a drama series for his role in Apple TV’s critically acclaimed “Severance.” He became the first black man to ever win the award.
“My first acting coach was tough, y’all. But all great mothers are,” Tillman told the audience with the Emmy award in hand. “Mama, you were there for me when no one else was and no one else would show up. Your loving kindness stays with me. And this is for you.”
Tillman’s win was just one of several awards “Severance” took home that night. Of the 27 nominations the series racked up, it won eight, which included Britt Lower’s Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series win, Merritt Wever’s Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series, Outstanding Cinematography, Sound Mixing, Musical Composition, and, of course, Tillman’s historic win.
Despite all the show’s wins, Adam Scott’s loss in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, as well as the show’s loss in Outstanding Drama Series overall, came as a disappointment to some. HBO Max’s medical drama “The Pitt” triumphed in the end, winning Outstanding Drama Series as well as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for longtime actor Noah Wyle.
“To anyone who’s going on shift tonight or coming off shift tonight, thank you for being in that job,” Wyle said as he dedicated his win to the healthcare community. “This is for you.”
“The Pitt,” which was nominated for a total of 13 awards, won five of them, solidifying it as a modern critical and commercial medical drama success in a genre that had long been oversaturated.
Other shows nominated and winning during the night were Star Wars’ “Andor,” Seth Rogan’s comedy hit “The Studio,” “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (a bittersweet win for the show’s last year on air), reality competition series “The Traitors” and HBO Max’s “Hacks.”
Despite much conflict in recent years over the streaming wars, the dying state of cable and social media becoming the dominant form of entertainment, this 77th Emmys ceremony highlighted the great talent and gripping storytelling to be found in the realm of television.
