Emmy Awards 2015: Game of Thrones, Veep named top shows

Long-standing barriers fell at Sunday's Emmy Awards as Viola Davis became the first non-white actress to claim top drama acting honours, Jon Hamm finally won for Mad Men, and Game of Thrones overcame anti-fantasy resistance to claim the top drama award, its 12th Emmy overall.

Emmys honour Game of Thrones, Veep, Viola Davis

9 years ago

Duration 4:11

Awards pay tribute to departed TV favourites, current hits and hot newcomers

Thefull list ofwinners announced during the telecast, in order of presentation, is:

• Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Allison Janney,Mom.
• Writing, Comedy Series: Simon Blackwell, Amando Iannucci, Tony Roche,Veep.
• Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Tony Hale,Veep.
• Directing, Comedy Series: JillSoloway,Transparent.
• Actor, Comedy Series: JeffreyTambor,Transparent.
• Actress, Comedy Series: Julia Louis-Dreyfus,Veep.
• Reality-Competition Program:The Voice.
• Writing, Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special: Jane Anderson,Olive Kitteridge.
• Supporting Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Regina King,American Crime.
• Directing, Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special: Lisa Cholodenko,Olive Kitteridge.
• Supporting Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Bill Murray,Olive Kitteridge.
• Actress, Limited Series or Movie: Frances McDormand,Olive Kitteridge.
• Actor, Limited Series or Movie: Richard Jenkins,Olive Kitteridge.
• Limited Series:Olive Kitteridge.
• Writing, Variety Series:The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.
• Variety Sketch Series:Inside Amy Schumer.
• Directing, Variety Series: Chuck O'Neil,The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.
• Variety Talk Series:The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.
• Writing, Drama Series: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss,Game of Thrones.
• Supporting Actress, Drama Series: UzoAduba,Orange is the New Black.
• Directing, Drama Series: David Nutter,Game of Thrones.
• Supporting Actor, Drama Series: PeterDinklage,Game of Thrones.
• Actor, Drama Series: JonHamm,Mad Men.
• Actress, Drama Series: Viola Davis,How to Get Away With Murder.
• Comedy Series:Veep.
• Drama Series:Game of Thrones.

An emotional Davis, who won for her portrayal of a ruthless lawyer in How to Get Away With Murder, invoked the words and spirit of 19th-century American abolitionist Harriet Tubman.

"I can't seem to get over that line," she quoted Tubman as saying.

"The only thing that separates women of colour from anyone else is opportunity," Davis added. "You cannot win Emmys with roles that are simply not there."

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Empire star Tariji P. Henson, another black nominee in the category, stood and applauded Davis's win. Other African-American actresses who prevailed Sunday were Uzo Aduba and Regina King, who won for supporting performances.

Mad Men star Hamm claimed the best drama actor Emmy that eluded him seven times before. He bypassed the steps to the Emmy stage, scrambling onto it on his stomach.

"There has been a terrible mistake, clearly," said Hamm, who played troubled ad man Don Draper in the series that ended its run without adding another best-drama trophy to its haul of four previous wins.

It lost to Game of Thrones, which became only the second so-called genre series, after sci-fi drama Lost, to win.

Peter Dinklage nabbed the best supporting drama actor award for Game of Thrones, which also won writing and directing trophies. Tracy Morgan, the actor-comedian seriously injured last year in a car accident, made a triumphant return to reveal Game of Thrones the best drama series.

In addition to technical awards the show hauled in at the Creative Arts Emmys, it won 12 Emmys overall, a new record. The West Wing, with nine in 2000, was the previous benchmark.

With a total of 26 Emmys since it became eligible to compete in 2011, Game of Thrones is tied with both that show and Hill Street Blues as the most-honoured drama series ever.

Host Andy Samberg noted that the 67th Emmys coincided with the 67th birthday for George R.R. Martin, whose novels are the basis for Game of Thrones. A smiling Martin was in the theatre audience to accept the congratulations, and was onstage for the big win.

On the comedy side, political satire Veep claimed the top series award that had gone to Modern Family for five consecutive years.

"To everybody on television, I just want to tell you, cling to it as long as you can," joked Stewart, who's turning over The Daily Show to Trevor Noah.

Besides Colbert, who left his Comedy Central show to become host of CBS's Late Show, the tough competition included another channel alum, John Oliver.

Tambor dedicates award to transgender community

Earlier,Transparent brought home several Emmys, capturing a best comedy actor trophy for Jeffrey Tambor and a directing award for its creator, Jill Solway, and giving both winners a chance to pay tribute to the show's transgender themes.

"I'd like to dedicate my performance and this award to the transgender community. Thanks for letting us be part of the change," said Tambor, who plays a man journeying toward womanhood.

Soloway, who based the series on her own father's story, used her directing trophy acceptance speed to ask for equal rights for transgender individuals. It is legal in the majority of U.S. states to refuse to rent to trans people, she said, saying the country has a civil rights problem that must be addressed.

Aduba won the supporting actress in a drama trophy for Orange is the New Black, which was switched under academy rules this year from comedy competition. Aduba won a guest actress award last year for her portrayal of "Crazy Eyes" in the series.

Emmys voters didn't give up their fondness for choosing the familiar over the groundbreaking in other categories as well.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was honoured as best lead comedy actress for Veep for the fourth time. Allison Janney of Mom and Tony Hale of Veep were repeat winners for supporting comedy acting honours.

Janney, who plays a dysfunctional parent, thanked series producer Chuck Lorre for creating a deeply flawed character and "thinking of me to play her."

"This is nuts," said Tony Hale, thanking his show's writers and lauding his fellow nominees: "You make me laugh hard."

Olive Kitteridge, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Elizabeth Strout, nearly swept the limited series categories, with six trophies including the top award and lead acting honours for Frances McDormand and Richard Jenkins and a supporting award for Bill Murray.

King of American Crime won supporting actress honours for a limited series. Inside Amy Schumer won for best variety sketch series.

The Voice won a best reality series trophy, breaking the hold that The Amazing Race long had on the category and snaring an award that always eluded American Idol.

Samberg kicked off the ceremony with a video in which he made elaborate fun of the overload of TV programs available.

"So many shows, so little," he sang, before entering a "TV viewing bunker" to binge-view on all the nominated shows. A bearded, shaggy-haired Samberg emerged to boast to contenders Hamm and Kerry Washington that he had them and everyone else covered.