‘Shogun’ Named Best Drama Series, First for a Non-English-Language Series; ‘Hacks,’ ‘The Bear,’ and ‘My Little Reindeer’ Win

The Emmy Awards named, on Sunday, September 15, Shogun best drama series, a first for a non-English-language soap opera. With twenty-five nominations, this fresco on feudal Japan, broadcast in France on Disney+, was the big favorite in the top category, facing competitors such as The Crown, Slow Horses or The 3-body problem.

“We didn’t even give out a single award tonight, and yet, Shogun has already made Emmy history »said actor Daniel Levy as he opened the 76th ceremony in Los Angeles alongside his father Eugene. Produced by the Disney group’s FX channel, the series had already won fourteen awards in secondary categories before Sunday’s ceremony, which already made Shogun the most awarded drama series for a single season. It received four more on Sunday, including the award for best direction, for a total of eighteen trophies – a record number of awards.

The adaptation of James Clavell’s 1970s best-selling novel exploring feudal power struggles in the Land of the Rising Sun has been a hit in the United States despite its many subtitled dialogues.

Shogun was the second non-English soap opera nominated in the Best Drama Series category, after the South Korean series Squid Game two years ago. The film ParasiteOscar winner for best picture in 2020, had also paved the way. Its screenwriter Justin Marks highlighted the creative gamble made by the FX channel and its owner Disney with this project. “You have validated a very expensive, subtitled Japanese period series, the climax of which takes place around a poetry competition.”he greeted.

Soap opera star Hiroyuki Sanada won the Emmy for best actor. “It was a dream project where East meets West”praised the Japanese actor, who lends his features to a lord and a fine strategist. The other heroine of the series, Anna Sawai, remarkable as the daughter of a fallen samurai converted to Catholicism, was elected best actress. It was “the role of a lifetime”she thanked, very moved.

The coronation of Shogun confirms that American audiences can now praise a foreign-language series, with a different cultural prism. About 70% of the dialogue is in Japanese and the hero of the novel, an English sailor stranded in the Japanese archipelago, quickly fades into the background in the series, in favor of the court intrigues and murderous rivalries of feudal Japan.

“The Bear”, best director award

In other drama categories, the ceremony notably crowned Elizabeth Debicki, best supporting actress, thanks to her portrayal of Princess Diana in the last season of The Crownthe saga about the British royal family.

The HBO series Hacks a, she, created a surprise by winning the Emmy for best comedy, against the big favorite The Bear: eat in or take away. The comic springs of Hacks are based on an unlikely duo between an aging American stand-up star, played by Jean Smart, and a young comedian tasked with renewing his jokes, played by Hannah Einbinder.

The series was awarded for its third season’s script and Jean Smart was voted best actress. “It’s a huge humbling experience, really. I appreciate it because I don’t get enough attention, seriously.”thanked the 73-year-old actress.

Deprived of the major prize, The Bear nevertheless collected eleven Emmys, including a shower of trophies for its casting, thanks to its grueling dive into the back kitchen of a Chicago restaurant in search of a star.

Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who play childhood friends turned chef and maître d’, won best actor and best supporting actor respectively for the second year in a row. Liza Colon-Zayas, who plays a gruff cook, won best supporting actress.

“My Little Reindeer”, best mini-series

In the best mini-series or anthology category, reserved for series of a single season, it is the Netflix series My little reindeer who won. The story of a London bartender harassed by a woman with mental illness, this series presented as a “true story” is based on the misadventures of its author, Scottish comedian Richard Gadd. He was voted best actor in the category, facing heavyweights like Andrew Scott (Ripley) and Jon Hamm (Fargo). “No matter how bad the situation is, it always gets better”Mr. Gadd said, recalling his years of doubt on stage, dressed in a kilt. “So if you’re struggling, keep moving forward.”

Jessica Gunn, who plays his on-screen stalker, won the award for best supporting actress. In real life, the British actress who is said to have inspired the character was trolled on social media and filed a defamation suit against Netflix. She is seeking $170 million (€153 million) in damages.

Mini-series also include anthologies – serials that keep the same theme but change characters and setting each season. In this respect, the fourth version of True Detective won Jodie Foster the award for best actress. The actress plays a dogged investigator in the polar night of Alaska. At 61, she had two Oscars, but had never won an Emmy.

The ceremony was hosted by Eugene Levy and his son Daniel. The former, a Canadian actor, director and screenwriter, has notably appeared in films American Pie, A Mighty Wind, Magic Baskets or even A love in New York. He won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2020, for his role as Johnny Rose in Schitt’s CreekDan Levy won an Emmy Award for his role as David Rose in Schitt’s Creek also, still in 2020.

A Will Smith who “came in peace”

This 76^e edition was marked by several highlights. With less than two months to go until the American presidential election on November 5, political statements were of course part of the story. Candice Bergen, who played the role of a journalist in the series Murphy Brownrecalled while presenting an award that her character, who chooses to raise a child alone, had been attacked at the time by Republican Vice President Dan Quayle.

“Look where we are today: a Republican vice presidential candidate could no longer attack a woman.” about her choices regarding motherhood, she said ironically, referring to controversial comments by Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, about “cat women without children”. “As they say: my task is done. Meow.”she added, like many women, such as singer Taylor Swift, who have appropriated the nickname.

Two years after slapping comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars, Will Smith was on stage Sunday to accept the award for best writing for a drama series for Slow Horses. “First of all: relax. Despite my name, I come in peace.”he joked, in the middle of a rather polite ceremony.

The Emmy Awards also recognize a number of television programs, reality TV series or famous « late shows » Americans who humorously analyze current events. The British presenter, naturalized American, John Oliver, whose program Last Week Tonight with John Oliver won an award, surprised the audience with his acceptance speech.

He began by thanking his son Hudson, with a slip of the tongue calling him « husband » (husband in English) before recovering with a laugh: “It will come back to haunt me.” He then lay down on… his dog. “I want to thank our dog. We had a fantastic dog, she was at our wedding, she supported us during the pandemic, she witnessed two pregnancies.”he listed, before a little music signaled the end of the time allotted for his speech. « Super choix musical »he commented about the music, which he said was mournful and reminded him of the animal’s death. He then dedicated his award to “all dogs” Who “all deserve a treat”.