On Monday, your favorite teachers are facing off with scrappy soccer stars.
ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” and Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso” are top contenders for best comedy series – one of the most hotly contested races in this year’s Emmy Awards (NBC, 8 EDT/5 PDT, and streaming on Peacock), which will be hosted by “Saturday Night Live” staple Kenan Thompson.
The ceremony, held at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theater, will also see Hollywood names including Andrew Garfield (FX’s “Under the Banner of Heaven”), Elle Fanning (Hulu’s “The Great”) and Oscar Isaac (HBO’s “Scenes From a Marriage”) gunning for their first prizes. Here’s the play by play for TV’s biggest night:
Selma Blair presents best drama to ‘Succession’
After “White Lotus” and “Ted Lasso” won best limited series and comedy series, respectively, triumphantly took the stage to present the last award of the night: outstanding drama series for “Succession.” “I’m so honored to be here this evening,” said the actress, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2018 and earned a standing ovation.
‘Squid Game’ star Lee Jung-jae makes Emmy history
The South Korean actor became the first Asian actor to win lead actor in a drama series at the Emmys. He thanked the show’s creator for “making realistic problems we all face come to life” with “amazing visuals,” before he switched from English to Korean to acknowledge “everyone watching in Korea.”
The TV icon won her fifth career Emmy for the second season of HBO Max’s “Hacks.” During her speech, Smart jokingly shaded “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” star Brosnahan, who was also nominated for best lead actress in a comedy series. “She sent (me) this box of these unbelievable designer cookies,” Smart recalled. “I thought it was classy until I realized she doesn’t want me to fit into a single dress in Hollywood.”
The “Euphoria” star won her second Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series for the HBO hit, in which she plays teenager struggling with addiction named Rue. “My greatest wish for ‘Euphoria’ is that it could help heal people,” Zendaya said during her acceptance speech, dedicating the award to everyone who’s “loved a Rue” or been one themselves. “I’m so grateful for your stories. I carry them with me and I carry them with her.”
Quinta Brunson wins Emmy alongside ‘dead’ Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel played dead on stage as Will Arnett presented the award for outstanding writing for a comedy series to Quinta Brunson for “Abbott Elementary.” “Jimmy, wake up! I won!” Brunson said to Kimmel, stepping over his “lifeless” body as she walked to the microphone. The “Abbott” creator went on to thank her family and friends “in case I am not back up here again,” along with “the most incredible man I’ve ever known,” her husband.
Emmys 2022 winners list:‘Succession,’ ‘Ted Lasso,’ ‘The White Lotus’ lead nominations
Jason Sudeikis wings it with ‘Ted Lasso’ speech
“Ted Lasso” himself, Jason Sudeikis, took home his second Emmy for best lead actor in a comedy series for the hit Apple TV+ series. The actor/comedian said that he always rolls his eyes at people at awards shows who say they didn’t expect to win. “But I really didn’t,” Sudeikis said. “It was an amazing, amazing group that I was nominated with, so I’m not overly prepared. But I did take classes at (improv comedy theater) Second City, so I’ll go for it.”
Jerrod Carmichael says he’s ‘gonna go home’ during Emmy speech
Shirtless and wearing a white fur coat, Jerrod Carmichael accepted the award for outstanding writing for a variety special for his deeply personal “Rothaniel,” in which he came out as gay. The comedian kept his speech short, telling the crowd, “I’m gonna go home because I can’t top this right now.”
Mike White references ‘Survivor’ with back-to-back wins
“White Lotus” creator Mike White picked up two consecutive trophies for writing and directing a limited series. White playfully referenced popular competition show “Survivor” as he accepted the latter award, saying, “The way to stay in the game is to lower your threat level.” And with these wins, “I feel like I’ve raised my threat level. I just want to stay in the game! Don’t vote me off the island, please!”
Lizzo calls for representation in ‘very emotional’ speech
Lizzo appeared shocked and overwhelmed as she made her way to the podium to accept the best competition series award for Amazon’s “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls.” “I’m very emotional,” the singer said through tears, thanking the show’s contestants for “the stories that they shared. They’re not that unique, they just don’t get the platform. Let’s just tell more stories!”
She then went on to recall how when she was growing up, she never saw girls like herself represented on screen: “fat like me, Black like me, beautiful like me.” She wrapped her speech by paying tribute to her late father, saying, “Daddy, I love you.”
The “Mamma Mia!” star won her first Emmy award for best actress in a limited series for Hulu’s “The Dropout,” for her captivating portrayal of disgraced Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. “It was really hard but it was the best time of my life,” Seyfried said in her breathless speech, ending by thanking her family “and my dog, Finn.”
Jennifer Coolidge talks pre-show ‘lavender bath,’ dances through playoff music
Jennifer Coolidge was in hilarious form when she won best supporting actress in a limited series for “White Lotus.” “I took a lavender bath tonight right before the show, and it made me swell up in my dress and I’m having a hard time speaking,” Coolidge said, earning laughs. As the Emmys’ playoff music began, she initially tried to get it to stop. (“This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and I’m full! I’m full!” she insisted.) But she eventually gave up and just started dancing along.
Martin Short takes dig at Trump with ‘classified White House documents’ joke
Martin Short delightfully presented outstanding variety talk series to HBO’s “Last Week with John Oliver,” but not before doing a short comedy set with his “Only Murders in the Building” co-stars Steve Martin and Selena Gomez. “What a beautiful audience,” Short said. “I wish I could box you up and take you home like classified White House documents.”
“Thank you so much,” Oliver said when he got on stage. “It is a thrill to be here and to meet Steve Martin and Martin Short in the weirdest possible way.”
Kenan Thompson gets emotional during ‘SNL’ win
NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” once again won the award for best variety sketch series, which the show’s creator Lorne Michaels accepted alongside a tearful Thompson and Kate McKinnon, who recently left the series. Michaels acknowledged the challenges of putting on the show given the pandemic, but paid tribute to the cast and crew’s resilience. “There’s something in the DNA of the show,” Michaels said. “When it’s 11:30 at on Saturday night, we show up.”
‘Ted Lasso’ star Brett Goldstein gets bleeped (again)
Brett Goldstein took home his second Emmy for best supporting actor in a comedy for “Ted Lasso.” Accepting the award, the British actor recalled the “hardest part of being in ‘Ted Lasso'”: “trying not to ruin the take” because he’s too busy staring at his co-stars, “being like, ‘God, you’re good.’ ” He also got bleeped out by Emmy censors while thanking his family, after jokingly promising not to curse like he did last year.
‘Abbott Elementary’ star Sheryl Lee Ralph sings, inspires with tearful speech
It’ll be tough to compete with Sheryl Lee Ralph for best acceptance speech: The “Abbott Elementary” star was visibly stunned and tearful as she walked to the stage to accept best supporting actress in a comedy series. She immediately broke into song, belting Dianne Reeves’ “Endangered Species”: “I am a woman, I am an artist / And I know where my voice belongs.”
Ralph then launched into a rousing and inspiring speech, earning a standing ovation as she thanked “Abbot” creator/co-star Quinta Brunson, as well as her husband and kids. She also dedicated her speech to “anyone who has ever had a dream. … I am here to tell you that this is what believing looks like, this is what striving looks like. Don’t ever give up on you.”
‘This is what believing looks like’:Sheryl Lee Ralph schools Emmys with ‘Abbott Elementary’ win
Julia Garner wins third Emmy for ‘Ozark’
“Ozark” star Julia Garner picked up her third Emmy Award for Netflix’s “Ozark.” The young actress had her eye on the clock as she delivered a brief speech, thanking the show’s creators for writing her character of Ruth. “She’s changed my life,” Garner said. “I just feel really grateful.”
Matthew Macfadyen is grateful for ‘bonkers’ role in ‘Succession’
“Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara presented the award for best supporting actor in a drama series to Matthew Macfadyen, who plays Tom Wambsgans in HBO’s “Succession.” “This is such a bonkers gift of a role,” he said, before thanking “the most supremely talented crew and cast I can imagine,” as well as his “darling” wife, actress Keely Hawes.
Murray Bartlett scores early win for ‘White Lotus’
HBO’s “The White Lotus” picked up its first award of the night with Murray Bartlett, who won best supporting actor in a limited series. “I’m truly honored. Thank you for giving me one of the best experiences in my life,” Bartlett said on stage as he acknowledged the show’s cast and crew, before thanking his partner, Matt, and his mom for her “unconditional love.”
Michael Keaton thanks the ‘doubters’ in night’s first speech
The first award of the night was presented by Oprah Winfrey to “Dopesick” star Michael Keaton, who took home the trophy for best actor in a limited series. “My face hurts from all the fake smiling I have to do,” Keaton joked on stage, before thanking his family “for never making me feel foolish.” He also nodded to the people who didn’t believe in him throughout his career: “I’ve had some doubters. But you know what? We’re cool.”
Kenan Thompson opens the Emmys with a TV-inspired dance
Thompson started the ceremony by walking through the crowd in a top hat, as he waxed poetic about what television means to all of us. “If it weren’t for TV, what would we do with our free time? Read a book?” he joked. “No one in this room has read a book in 50 years.”
The “SNL” vet then joined a slew of backup dancers for a vigorous dance medley set to famous TV theme songs: spinning an umbrella on a couch in a “Friends” homage, and donning a long, blond wig as the “Game of Thrones” theme played.
Selena Gomez, ‘Squid Game’ make history with Emmy nods
A handful of nominees set milestones with their nominations: Netflix’s Korean-language sensation “Squid Game” is the first non-English language show nominated for best drama series. And according to Variety, Selena Gomez is only the second Latina ever to be nominated for producing a comedy series (Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building”), after Salma Hayek for ABC’s “Ugly Betty” in 2007.
On Saturday, Emmy nominees including Tony Shalhoub (Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”) and Christina Ricci (Showtime’s “Yellowjackets”) gathered for a party in West Hollywood hosted by The Hollywood Reporter and SAG-AFTRA. Sheryl Lee Ralph, who plays God-fearing teacher Barbara Howard on “Abbott,” talked to USA TODAY at the event about earning her first-ever Emmy nod for the show.
“I had no idea how quickly my life would change with this nomination,” Ralph said. “The kind of phone calls you get. The way business changes. Everything has been so different.”
‘White Lotus,’ ‘Succession’ predicted to win big
In major categories, USA TODAY’s TV critic Kelly Lawler believes that HBO’s class satire “The White Lotus” should and will win best limited series, and the third season of HBO’s “Succession” will narrowly inch out Apple TV+ newcomer “Severance” for best drama series. Meanwhile, lead actresses Zendaya (HBO’s “Euphoria”) and Jean Smart (HBO Max’s “Hacks”) are predicted to win again for their respective drama and comedy performances.
Emmys move to Monday to avoid NFL conflict
Although the Emmys are typically held on Sundays, the ceremony moves to Monday every four years when the show airs on NBC. This is to avoid a conflict with the network’s “Sunday Night Football.” (Sunday’s game featured a faceoff between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys in the Lone Star State, with the Bucs reining victorious 19-3.)
Barack Obama, Adele pick up early prizes
A number of this year’s winners were already revealed earlier this month at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Late “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman earned a posthumous prize for outstanding character voiceover performance (Disney+’s “What If …?”), while former President Barack Obama picked up outstanding narrator (Netflix’s “Our Great National Parks”). British superstar Adele also got one step closer to EGOT status (signifying an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award winner) with an Emmy win for outstanding variety special (pre-recorded) for her CBS concert special “Adele: One Night Only.”
Contributing: Ralphie Aversa, Erin Jensen and Kelly Lawler
