Succession cleans up at the 2023 Emmys – along with The Bear and Beef
Succession has done it again, taking home the night’s biggest prizes at the Emmys just a week after big wins at the Golden Globes.
The fourth and final season of the critically acclaimed series, following the saga of a media mogul and his empire, was named best drama – while Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook, who play squabbling siblings Roman and Shiv Roy, took the prizes for best actor and actress respectively.
In the comedy categories, it was claustrophobic chef’s kitchen series The Bear that dominated, while road-rage comedy-drama Beef was the big winner in the limited series group.
The Bear co-stars Jeremy Allen White (left) and Ebon Moss-Bachrach celebrated big wins for the comedy, as did Ali Wong (below) for Beef
Elsewhere, Sir Elton John was also among the winners for a televised live-stream of one of the shows from his farewell tour, putting him in the exclusive EGOT club of stars who have won all four major entertainment awards in the US – an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and a Tony. However, he was unable to attend the ceremony after having a knee operation.
Succession star Brian Cox, who plays fearsome patriarch Logan Roy and was also nominated in the best actor category, got a kiss on the lips from Culkin as his Emmys win was announced.
Culkin then announced on stage in his speech that he would like more children with his wife, Jazz Charton, while Snook, who was pregnant while filming, thanked her young daughter as she accepted her award.
Kieran Culkin’s best actor in a drama series trophy was one of six awards for Succession
Jesse Armstrong, creator of the HBO/Sky Atlantic series, told the audience: “It was a great sadness to end the show, but it was a great pleasure to do it.”
The series also picked up the trophies for dramatic writing and directing, and best supporting actor for British star Matthew Macfadyen, taking home six in total.
Celebrating the best in television at a ceremony in LA on Monday night, the 2023 ceremony had been pushed back from September due to the US actors’ and writers’ strikes.
Matthew Macfadyen, who plays Tom Wambsgans in Succession, and The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri (below) on stage with their prizes. Pic: Phil McCarten/Invision/AP
The Bear was named best comedy series for its first season, with stars Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ayo Edebiri winning the awards for lead actor, supporting actor and supporting actress respectively.
The show follows White’s fine-dining chef Carmy as he tries to turn around his family’s Chicago sandwich shop.
“Thank you for believing in me when I had trouble believing in myself,” said White as he accepted his prize, while Edebiri said: “This is a show about family and found family and real family, and my parents are here tonight – I’m making them sit kind of far away from me because I’m a bad kid.”
Read more:
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The winners (and shows that missed out)
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Moss-Bachrach shared a comical on-stage kiss with co-star Matty Matheson as they collected the main comedy series prize.
Like Succession The Bear also won six awards, including prizes for writing and directing.
Abbott Elementary star and creator Quinta Brunson was named best actress in a comedy, becoming teary as she was presented the award by industry legend Carol Burnett.
“I don’t know why I’m so emotional – I think it’s the Carol Burnett of it all,” Brunson said. “I’m so happy to be able to live my dream.”
Jennifer Coolidge took home her second supporting actress gong for her performance in The White Lotus, taking the opportunity to thank “all of the evil gays” – in reference to a line one the show about those involved in a murder plot against her character.
Jennifer Coolidge picked up her second prize for her performance in The White Lotus. Pic: AP/Chris Pizzello
‘I am not Elton John’
Road rage comedy-drama Beef was also a big winner, taking home the award for best limited series and scoring wins for stars Ali Wong and Steven Yeun in the acting categories and also for directing and writing.
Creator and director Lee Sung Jin made three speeches, also picking up best writing and directing of a limited series, and told the audience: “I’m really grateful and humbled by anyone who watched the show and reached out about their own personal struggles, it’s very life-affirming.”
Sir Elton’s award was accepted by a spokesperson, who told the audience: “I am not Elton John, sadly he had a knee op. He’s absolutely fine but wanted to send his love and thanks…
“We knew this show would be historic, because it was going to be Elton’s last ever show in North America on tour. We knew it would be historic because it was Disney’s first live global stream.
“We didn’t know it would be historic because it was going to win a man – who has navigated the soundtrack to our lives he’s done so much great for society who is all of our hero’s – we didn’t know it would win him an EGOT.”
‘Being together brings back some great memories’
Where everybody knows your name: Cheers and Grey’s Anatomy were some of the series celebrated to mark 75 years of the Emmys
Organisers used the milestone event – the 75th Emmy Awards – to honour classic television shows with cast reunions.
Host Anthony Anderson opened the ceremony with a choir singing theme songs, with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker joining to play the drum solo from Phil Collins’s In the Air Tonight, a song that aired during a pivotal moment in 1980s hit Miami Vice.
Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Perlman and other stars of Cheers gathered around a recreation of the iconic bar set before presenting the outstanding directing in a comedy series award.
With Danson standing behind the bar in a nod to his character Sam Malone, John Ratzenberger, who played Cliff Clavin, said: “Ted, don’t you just think about it as a long overdue class reunion, huh? Being together brings back some great memories from a show we’re all very proud of.”
Grey’s Anatomy actresses Katherine Heigl and Ellen Pompeo spoke from a hospital room set, while other series including The Sopranos, Game Of Thrones and Dynasty – with an appearance from Dame Joan Collins – were also celebrated.
Entertainment
BAFTA Games Awards: Astro Bot tops leaderboard – with psychological horror close behind
Astro Bot was the big winner at this year’s BAFTA Games Awards, taking home five prizes, including the coveted best game.
The 3D platformer, which was launched to critical acclaim in September to mark PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, was nominated for eight gongs, while Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, led with 11 nods.
But in the end, the critics – some of whom had dubbed Astro Bot a “perfect game” – were right as it dominated the awards at London’s Queen Elizabeth Hall, hosted by comedian Phil Wang for the second year running.
Astro Bot. Pic: Team Asobi
Nicolas Doucet with his five awards for Astro Bot. Pic: PA
BAFTAs for audio achievement, game design, animation, and best family game completed the set for developers Team Asobi, who designed multiple galaxies and dozens of levels for the titular Astro to journey through, retrieving spaceship parts and rescuing lost robots.
“We’re a team based in Japan, but we have over 12 nationalities. We really mix it up and get ideas from everyone,” Nicolas Doucet, president of Team Asobi, told Sky News.
“We do a lot of jokes in the game, but the joke has a different meaning depending on where you are in the world. So it’s really, really nice to go around and ask everyone ‘is that joke fine in your country?’ And then together we come to a kind of universal playfulness.”
Among the gongs for Astro Bot was the best game award. Pic: BAFTA
It’s a very different atmosphere than that generated by British psychological horror Still Wakes The Deep, which won three awards for best new intellectual property and best supporting and leading roles.
Compared to John Carpenter’s 1980 sci-fi horror The Thing but on a Scottish oil rig, the game sees players take on the role of an electrician trapped on a damaged facility while being pursued by monsters.
Still Wakes The Deep. Pic: Sumo Digital Limited
Developer The Chinese Room has been praised for using home-grown talent to voice the characters, including comedian and actress Karen Dunbar, who picked up best performer in a supporting role for voicing Finlay.
“I’ve been nominated for quite a few BAFTAs in my time in Scotland, and I’ve never won one,” said Dunbar.
“It was such a great category, so many great performances. When they shouted my name, I think I started clapping for someone else!”
Read more: See full list of winners
Still Wakes The Deep star Karen Dunbar won best performer in a supporting role. Pic: BAFTA
Meanwhile, best multiplayer game went to Helldivers II – a satirical, sci-fi shooter that sees players fight bugs, aliens and robots with the gumption and gullibility of the characters in Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers.
It has gained a cult following since launching in February 2024 with so much initial interest it created server problems.
“Games for me are about connecting people and forging those bonds of friendship and the multiplayer award is exactly what it stands for,” said Johan Pilestedt, chief executive of Arrowhead Game Studios.
Helldivers II. Pic: Arrowhead/Sony
From outer space to a fictional Yorkshire town called Barnsworth. Thank Goodness You’re Here! – a cartoonish, comedy platformer – won Best British Game. Like Still Wakes The Deep, it has won praise for the authenticity of its actors and setting.
“I think it’s been a real privilege to be able to represent Barnsley on the silver screen,” said Will Todd, who is from the town and one of two game designers behind the project.
Thank Goodness You’re Here! Pic: Coal Supper/Panic Inc
Co-creator James Carbutt added: “Me and Will wrote everything in our tone of voice, quite literally. The further along development we got, the more we lent into it. I think the voices from different parts of the UK and different voices in gaming are super important, and hopefully we’re one of them.”
By the time the BAFTAs wrapped up, Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II was only handed one of the 11 BAFTAs it was nominated for, technical achievement.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II. Pic: Ninja Theory
But developers Ninja Theory are already adding this year’s win to a tally of five BAFTAs they were awarded for the first game in the series, which created a protagonist with psychosis by drawing on clinical neuroscience and the experiences of people living with the condition.
Blondie drummer Clem Burke has died at the age of 70
The band said Blurke had been diagnosed with cancer, and described his death as a “profound loss”.
He featured on all the Debbie Harry-fronted group’s studio albums since joining a year after their formation in 1975.
Blurke was with the band from their self-titled debut, through their 1978 classic Parallel Lines, to 2017’s Pollinator.
Drummer Burke.
Pic: Reuters
In a statement on Blondie’s Instagram, Harry and the band’s guitarist, Chris Stein, said: “It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.
“Clem was not just a drummer, he was the heartbeat of Blondie.
“His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable.
“Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
“Clem’s influence extended far beyond Blondie, a self-proclaimed ‘rock and roll survivalist’, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists.”
Burke in his performance at Festival Estereo Picnic 2023.
Pic: AP
Burke featured on Iggy Pop’s 1982 album Zombie Birdhouse and also performed with Bob Dylan, The Ramones, The Who guitarist Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.
The statement went on to say Burke had left an “indelible mark on every project he was part of”.
It added: “We extend our deepest condolences to Clem’s family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched.”
Burke, who performed on classic tracks such as Call Me, Heart Of Glass and One Way Or Another, made his final live appearance with Blondie last year.
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Blondie performing during Glastonbury Festival in 2023.
Pic: Invision/AP
Among those paying tribute to him was Kinks guitarist Dave Davies, who said: “I feel saddened that Clem Burke was taken from us so soon.
“May he rest in peace, spectacular drumming, we were friends.”
Nancy Sinatra said: “My heart is shattered. Clem became an icon as a member of Blondie, but he was also an important part of my band, the K.A.B. I was blessed to call him my friend.
“If I ever needed him, he was there. Always. Sending healing prayers and comfort to his widow, Ellen, his family, and all who loved him.”
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