The biggest names in television once again graced the red carpet Monday night for this year’s Emmy Awards, and it was a night to remember, even by its own standards, as there were well-deserved wins – including some first-time winners that were a long time coming – while history was made by multiple actors, and Canada even received some notable love in the form of recognition and kind words.
To begin with, the biggest winners of the night were The Pitt and Widow’s Bay, which earned Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Comedy Series, the former of which is shared by The Pitt’s Canadian creator and showrunner, R. Scott Gemmill. The Pitt also earned Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Noah Wyle, which makes him the first performer to win the category consecutively since the great Bryan Cranston for his role as Walter White in Breaking Bad. Given how consistently competitive this category can be year-to-year, it is no small feat to achieve such an honour, not to mention Wyle also shares the Outstanding Drama Series trophy with Gemmill.
However, Widow’s Bay was the true winner of the night, coming away with 6 awards, at least three times more than any other, as The Pitt and Pluribus each had 2 wins. The winners of Widow’s Bay have a little bit of everything, and right off the bat it saw bona fide television royalty, Stephen Root, finally winning an Emmy Award, the same of which can be said for the show’s primary director, Hiro Murai, who just won his first Emmy Award specifically for directing after years of acclaimed work on Atlanta, Barry, Station Eleven, and Mr. & Mrs. Smith.
While he also has a number of Emmys to his name, Breaking Bad creator only just won his first Emmy for writing, accounting for one of Pluribus’ aforementioned wins, the other being an immensely deserving Rhea Seahorn for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
However, the biggest winner from Widow’s Bay is the infinitely talented Matthew Rhys, who made history by becoming the first male performer to win two acting awards in one night, because in addition to winning Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, he also came away with Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his performance in The Beast in Me. If all this was not enough, he is also the first male performer ever to record a win in every major acting category, as he had previously won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2018 for playing a Russian sleeper agent in The Americans.
While on the topic of history, Hacks’ Jean Smart became the first actress to win an Emmy for every season of her show, while also equalling the record number of acting Emmy wins previously set by TV greats Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late Cloris Leachman. Incredibly, the record was also matched this year by the inimitable Alison Janney, who earned her eighth acting trophy, this time for Outstanding Supporting Drama Actress in The Diplomat.
On the topic of Canadian talent, then, Michael J. Fox was honoured with Bob Hope Humanitarian Award for his contributions to Parkinson’s research, who received not one, but two standing ovations while accepting the award, delivering a touching speech to boot, all the while brandishing his Order of Canada pin. This is only the sixth time that the award has been handed out since 2002, so this is a true honour for Fox.
There was also an incredibly touching tribute for the late and great Catherine O’Hara, who was memorialized during the ceremony and lovingly remembered by her past co-stars Macaulay Culkin (Home Alone and Home Alone: Lost in New York), Dan Levy and Annie Murphy (both from their time on Schitt’s Creek), with Murphy even reminiscing about a time she heard a passerby in an LCBO imitating O’Hara’s iconic Moira Rose.
Lastly, if the recognition of these Canadian legends wasn’t enough love for the Great White North, Sally Field, who won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her performance in Remarkably Bright Creatures. In her speech she remarked, “Blessed Canada, our neighbours, our friends,” in what was a clear rebuke of the antagonistic agenda of one Donald J. Trump, who has waged economic and verbal wars with Canada in his second term as U.S. president. The rapturous applause at Fields’ words spoke volumes.