LOS ANGELES -- 鈥淪uccession鈥 and 鈥淭ed Lasso鈥 topped the Emmy Awards on Monday, in a ceremony that touted the power of TV and extended honours to 鈥淪quid Game鈥 and winners who delivered messages of empowerment.
The evening's uplifting tone, as voiced especially by Zendaya, Lizzo and Sheryl Lee Ralph, was in contrast to the darkness that pervaded the storytelling of best drama series winner 鈥淪uccession鈥 and even comedy series winner 鈥淭ed Lasso.鈥
鈥淭hanks for making such a safe space to make this very difficult show,鈥 said best drama actress winner Zendaya, claiming her second award for 鈥淓uphoria,鈥 which chronicles teens and their tough coming-of-age.
鈥淢y greatest wish for 鈥淓uphoria' was that it could help heal people. Thank you for everyone who has shared your story with me. I carry them with me, and I carry them with鈥 her character, Rue, as well, Zendaya said.
鈥淪uccession,鈥 about a media empire run by a grasping and cutthroat family, split drama series honors with 鈥淪quid Game,鈥 the series about the idle rich turning the poor into entertainment fodder.
Lee Jung-jae of 鈥淪quid Game,鈥 who played the show's moral center, became the first Asian actor to win the best drama series actor Emmy.
Jason Sudeikis and Jean Smart collected back-to-back acting trophies, while Zendaya picked up her second drama actress prize for 鈥淓uphoria.鈥
Several new Emmy winners were minted, with Lizzo and Quinta Brunson and Sheryl Lee Ralph of 鈥淎bbott Elementary鈥 collecting trophies.
Sudeikis won his second consecutive trophy for the soccer comedy 鈥淭ed Lasso,鈥 with Smart matching that haul for the standup-centered comedy 鈥淗acks.鈥 Sudeikis gave a rare awards show shoutout to TV consumers.
鈥淭hanks to the people who watch this show and dig it as much as we dig making it,鈥 he said.
Ralph stopped the Emmy Awards show by accepting the best supporting actress comedy award for 鈥淎bbott Elementary鈥 with a brief but rousing song of affirmation.
鈥淚 am an endangered species, but I sing no victim song. I am a woman, I am an artist and I know where my voice belongs,鈥 she belted out. She then encouraged anyone doubting their dream 鈥淚 am here to tell you this is what believing looks like.鈥
The audience, including Lizzo and many of television's biggest stars, leapt to their feet to cheer on Ralph.
When Lizzo herself accepted the award for best-competition series trophy for 鈥淟izzo's Watch Out for the Big Grrrls,鈥 she offered another emotional pep talk.
鈥淲hen I was a little girl, all I wanted to see was me in the media. Someone fat like me, Black like me, beautiful like me,鈥 the music artist said.
鈥淭ed Lasso鈥 co-star Brett Goldstein, won comedy supporting actors, while Matthew Macfadyen of 鈥淪uccession鈥 and Julia Garner of 鈥淥zark鈥 earned drama seires supporting actor honors.
鈥淚t's such a a pleasure and privilege for me to play this bonkers gift of a role in this wonderful show,鈥 Macfadyen said in accepting the trophy for his role as a scheming member of a media empire family.
Garner was among the winners who took advantage of covering all bases by thanking her husband and others in an on-screen message.
鈥淭he White Lotus鈥 collected several honors, including best limited or anthology series.
Host Kenan Thompson kicked off the Emmys with a tribute to TV, dismissing Tik-Tok as 鈥渢iny vertical television,鈥 and a musical number saluting series' theme songs from 鈥淔riends鈥 to 鈥淭he Brady Bunch鈥 to 鈥淕ame of Thrones.鈥
Once the music stopped, Thompson provided a mic drop moment - announcing Oprah Winfrey as the first presenter. Winfrey strutted onto the stage holding an Emmy statuette, declaring the night 鈥渁 party!鈥 The night's first award went to Michael Keaton for his role in 鈥淒opesick.鈥 Winfrey and Keaton hugged before she handed him his trophy.
鈥淚t means something,鈥 Keaton said of the award for playing a caring doctor ensnared with his patients by addiction. He went on to recall the 鈥渕agic鈥 of being introduced to TV when his dad won a set at a raffle and thanked his parents for not mocking his youthful attempts at acting.
Amanda Seyfried earned the limited-series lead actress trophy for 鈥淭he Dropout,鈥 in which she played ill-fated Silicon Valley whiz kid Elizabeth Holmes. She thanked a list of family and colleagues and even her dog, Finn.
Murray Bartlett won the best supporting actor award for limited series of 鈥淭he White Lotus,鈥 a tragicomedy set in a Hawaii resort. Jennifer Coolidge, who won best supporting actress honors for the show, delighted the audience by shimmying to the music intended to cut off her acceptance speech.
The award for best variety talk show went to 鈥淟ast Week Tonight with John Oliver,鈥 with stand-up special 鈥淛errod Carmichael: Rothaniel鈥 winning for best writing for a comedy special.
鈥淕ood night, everybody. I'ma go home. I'm not like a sore winner, but I'm going to go home because I can't top this right now,鈥 an overcome Carmichael told the audience.
Glamour was back with some metallic sparkle and lots of bright colour as an otherworldly Britt Lower, Old Hollywood Elle Fanning and their fellow stars posed for photographers.
AP Writer Beth Harris contributed to this report.
