“Succession”, “Ted Lasso” Top Emmys shine as the first winners

successor and Teddy Lasso won the Emmy Awards on Monday in a ceremony that touted the influence of television and honored global sensations Squid Game and winners who delivered messages of empowerment.

The uplifting tone of the evening, particularly voiced by Zendaya, Lizzo and Sheryl Lee Ralph, contrasted with the darkness permeating the storytelling of the Best Drama Series winner successor and even the comedy series Victor Teddy Lasso.

“Thank you for creating such a safe space to do this very difficult show,” Zendaya said, claiming her award for second best drama actress euphoriaabout the hard growing up of a group of teenagers.

“My biggest wish euphoria was that it could help heal people. Thank you for everyone who shared your story with me. I carry her with me, and I carry her with me,” said Zendaya, her character Rue.

successorabout a media empire run by a greedy and murderous family boasts a dichotomous drama series Squid Gamethe bold South Korean drama about idle rich who turn the poor into entertainment fodder.

Lee Jung-jae from Squid Gamewho played the moral center of the show, became the first Asian to win an Emmy for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

“Thank you for bringing realistic problems we all face to life so creatively on screen,” Lee said Squid Game Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk, who received the Emmy for Best Drama Series Director. In Korean, Lee thanked the audience in his home country for watching.

Backstage, Hwang said it was “a big moment for us,” and Lee said he expected the awards to open doors for other Asian actors.

Jason Sudeikis and Jean Smart collected back-to-back acting trophies, but several new Emmy winners were coined, including Lizzo and Quinta Brunson and Sheryl Lee Ralph Abbott Elementary School collect trophies.

Brunson, the creator and lead actor of the Freshman series, won an Emmy for Comedy Series Writing. ABC’s Abbott Elementary Schoolalso nominated for Best Comedy, is a rare bright spot for network broadcasts in the age of streaming and cable dominance.

Sudeikis won his second straight trophy for playing the unlikely US coach of a British soccer team in the comedy Teddy LassoSmart taking this train for her role as a veteran comedienne in Chop.

Sudeikis gave television consumers a rare awards ceremony: “Thank you to the people who watch this show and like it just as much as we make it.”

There was a surge of reaction in the theater when successor Creator Jesse Armstrong mentioned Britain’s newly crowned Prince Charles III as he accepted the show’s trophy, with the cast standing beside him.

“Big week for succession, new king in Britain, this for us. Obviously there are a little more votes involved in our victory than Prince Charles,” Armstrong said. “I’m not saying we’re more legitimate in our position than he is. We leave that to others.”

Ralph stopped the Emmy Awards show by accepting the Comedy award for Best Supporting Actress Abbott Elementary School with a short but rousing song of affirmation.

“I’m an endangered species, but I don’t sing a sacrifice song. I’m a woman, I’m an artist and I know where my voice belongs,” she blared. She then encouraged anyone who doubted their dream: “I’m here to tell you, this is what faith looks like.”

The audience, including Lizzo and many of TV’s biggest stars, jumped up to cheer for Ralph.

When Lizzo herself accepted the trophy for Best Competitive Series Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrlsshe offered another emotional pick-me-up.

“When I was a little girl, all I wanted to do was be in the media. Someone fat like me, black like me, beautiful like me,” the music artist said.

There was also cheering for presenter Selma Blair, who spoke publicly about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis and used a cane on stage.

Teddy Lasso Co-star Brett Goldstein won Comedy Supporting Actor, while Matthew Macfadyen from successor and Julia Garner from ozark received supporting actor awards for drama series.

“It is such a pleasure and privilege to play this insane gift of a role on this wonderful show,” said Macfadyen upon accepting the trophy for his role as a scheming member of a media empire family.

Garner was among the winners, who took the opportunity to cover all the bases by thanking her husband and others in an on-screen message.

The White Lotus garnered multiple awards including best limited or anthology series.

Host Kenan Thompson kicked off the Emmys with a tribute to television, dismissing Tik-Tok as “tiny vertical television,” and a musical number saluting the series’ theme songs friends to The Brady Bund to game of Thrones.

When the music stopped, Thompson provided a mic-drop moment — and announced Oprah Winfrey as the first presenter. Winfrey strutted on stage with an Emmy statuette and declared the night a “party!” First prize of the night went to Michael Keaton for his role in stunned. Winfrey and Keaton hugged before she presented him with his trophy.

“It means something,” Keaton said of the award for portraying a caring doctor enmeshed by addiction around his patients. He went on to recall the “magic” of being introduced to television when his father won a set in a raffle and thanked his parents for not making fun of his teenage attempts at acting.

Amanda Seyfried received the Limited Series Leading Actress trophy The Dropout, in which she played the hapless Silicon Valley whiz Elizabeth Holmes. She thanked a number of family members and colleagues and even her dog Finn.

Murray Bartlett won Best Supporting Actor for a Limited Series of The White Lotus, a tragic comedy set in a Hawaiian resort. Jennifer Coolidge, who won Best Supporting Actress for the show, wowed audiences by shimmering to the music intended to punctuate her acceptance speech.

The award for best variety talk show went to Last week tonight with John Oliverwith stand-up special Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel Win for Best Writing for a Comedy Special.

“Good night everyone. I’m going home. I’m not a bad winner but I’m going home because I can’t top that right now,” a stunned Carmichael told the crowd.

Glamor was back with some metallic sheen and lots of bright colors when an otherworldly Britt Lower, Old Hollywood Elle Fanning and her peers posed for photographers.

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