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September 24, 2019

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It鈥檚 no game for Emmys champion

鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥 resurrected the Iron Throne at Sunday鈥檚 Emmy ceremony, ruling as top drama on a night of surprises in which 鈥淧ose鈥 star Billy Porter made history and the comedy series 鈥淔leabag鈥 led a British invasion that overturned expectations.

鈥淭his all started in the demented mind of George RR Martin,鈥 said 鈥淕ame of Thrones鈥 producer David Benioff, thanking the author whose novels were the basis of HBO鈥檚 fantasy saga.

Porter, who stars in the FX drama set in the LGBTQ ball scene of the late 20th century, became the first openly gay man to win a best drama series acting Emmy.

鈥淕od bless you all. The category is love, you all, love. I鈥檓 so overjoyed and so overwhelmed to have lived to see this day,鈥 said an exuberant Porter, resplendent in a sparkling suit and swooping hat.

Amazon鈥檚 鈥淔leabag,鈥 a dark comedy about a dysfunctional woman, was honored as best comedy and earned writing and top acting honors for its British creator and star, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, as well as a best director trophy.

鈥淭his is getting ridiculous,鈥 Waller-Bridge said in her third trip to the stage to collect the top trophy.

Her acting win blocked 鈥淰eep鈥 star Julia Louis-Dreyfus from setting a record as the most-honored performer in Emmy history. 鈥淔leabag鈥檚鈥 showing denied a fond farewell for its final season.

鈥淣ooooo!鈥 a shocked-looking Waller-Bridge said as Louis-Dreyfus smiled for the cameras. 鈥淥h, my God, no. Thank you. I find acting really hard and really painful. But it鈥檚 all about this,鈥 she said, her acting trophy firmly in hand.

In accepting the writing award earlier, she called the Emmy recognition proof that 鈥渁 dirty, pervy, messed-up woman can make it to the Emmys.鈥

Porter, a Tony and Grammy Award winning performer, relished his groundbreaking moment. Quoting the late writer James Baldwin, he said it took him many years to believe he has the right to exist.

鈥淚 have the right. You have the right. We all have the right,鈥 he said.

English actress Jodie Comer was honored as best drama actress for 鈥淜illing Eve.鈥 She competed with co-star Sandra Oh, who received a Golden Globe for her role and would have been the first actress of Asian descent to win an Emmy in the category.

鈥淢y mum and dad are in Liverpool and I didn鈥檛 invite them because I didn鈥檛 think this was going to be my time. One, I鈥檓 sorry, two I love you,鈥 Comer said saluting Oh.

Bill Hader won his second straight best comedy actor award for the hit man comedy 鈥淏arry.鈥 Peter Dinklage, named best supporting actor for 鈥淕ame of Thrones,鈥 set a record for most wins for the same role, four, breaking a tie with Aaron Paul of 鈥淏reaking Bad.鈥

鈥淚 count myself so fortunate to be a member of a community that is about nothing but tolerance and diversity, because in no other place I could be standing on a stage like this,鈥 said Dinklage, who is a dwarf.

鈥淥zark鈥 star Julia Garner won the best supporting drama actress trophy against a field including four actresses from 鈥淕ame of Thrones.鈥

The auditorium erupted when Jharrel Jerome of 鈥淲hen They See Us,鈥 about the Central Park Five case, won the best actor for a limited series movie.


 

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