Los Angeles – September 21, 2105 (UPI) — Game of Thrones won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, while Jon Hamm and Viola Davis took home the statuettes for Lead Actor and Actress in a Drama Series in Los Angeles Sunday night.
“A few hours from now, the greatest crew on the planet’s going to get to work in Belfast, Northern Ireland and in Spain,” Thrones co-showrunner David Benioff told the audience at the end of the FOX telecast of the Emmys.
“We wouldn’t be standing up here if it wasn’t for them, so thank you all so much. Look forward to seeing you in a couple of days,” he added. “Thank you to HBO [which] in their wisdom paired a couple of novice producers with people of great experience. We want to thank them … Thanks to HBO for believing in dragons.”
“Thank you all for watching,” concluded co-showrunner D.B. Weiss.
Game of Thrones also earned the honors for Outstanding Writing and Directing for a Drama Series, while show standout Peter Dinklage won the Emmy for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
Hamm appeared visibly moved by his first Emmy win for his final season of AMC’s Mad Men.
“There has been a mistake, clearly,” he said, as the audience gave him a standing ovation. “Thank you for that. This is impossible. It’s impossible to be named with all of those extraordinary gentlemen. It’s impossible to be standing up here. It’s impossible to have done this show with this incredible cast and these incredible people. These incredible writers. Our incredible crew. … It’s incredible and impossible for me, personally, to be standing here.”
Hamm also gave a shout out to the show’s viewers, as well as the people who helped him throughout his life and career.
“Families who have chosen for some reason to take me in and be nice to me along this strange, strange road,” he said.
Davis was honored with an Emmy for her work in the freshman series How to Get Away with Murder.
“In my mind, I see a line and, over that line, I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful, white women with their arms stretched to me over that line, but I can’t seem to get there now. I can’t seem to get over that line. That was Harriet Tubman in the 1800s and let me tell you something: the only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity,” Davis said, as the camera panned to the audience and found an awestruck Kerry Washington with tears in her eyes.
“You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there. So, here’s to all the writers, the awesome people… people who have redefined what it means to be beautiful, to be sexy, to be a leading woman, to be black. To the Taraji. P. Hensons, the Kerry Washingtons, the Halle Berrys, the Nicole Beharies, the Meagan Goods, to Gabrielle Union, thank you for taking us over that line. Thank you to the Television Academy.”
Olive Kitteridge garnered the prize for Outstanding Limited Series, while its starsRichard Jenkins, Frances McDormand and Bill Murray earned the honors for Lead Actor, Lead Actress and Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. The program also won the Emmys for Outstanding Writing and Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special.
American Crime star Regina King picked up the trophy for Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie, and Uzo Aduba won the Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for Orange is the New Black. Bessie was declared the winner of the Outstanding TV Movie title.
