Hit British series Baby Reindeer was among the big winners at this year’s Emmy Awards – as Shogun made history and there were also big wins for The Bear and Hacks.
Richard Gadd, who created and starred in the popular but controversial drama Baby Reindeer, collected awards for writing and starring in the limited series category, while co-star Jessica Gunning was named best supporting actress.
Japanese historical drama Shogun became the first non-English language show to be named best drama, and also set a record for the most single-season Emmywins – taking home four prizes on the night to make it 18 in total, following previous gongs at the creative arts event handed out earlier this month.
The Bear picked up four awards in the comedy categories, including wins for stars Jeremy Allen White, Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Liza Colon-Zayas, while Hacks took the overall win for best comedy series.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth Debicki also won her first Emmy for her portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales, in fictionalised royal drama The Crown. Adding to her Oscars, Jodie Foster was also a first-time Emmy winner – best lead actress in a limited or anthology series for her role in True Detective: Night Country.
On stage, Gadd, 35, said it was the “stuff of dreams” as he accepted awards for outstanding limited or anthology series, best writing, and lead actor for Baby Reindeer, which is said to be inspired by his real-life experiences.
The show sees his character Donny Dunn stalked by a woman called Martha. After becoming a viral hit earlier this year, the programme made international headlines after a woman claiming to be the inspiration behind Martha filed a lawsuit against Netflix, alleging the story is inaccurate.
In his acceptance speech for the writing award, Gadd said: “Ten years ago, I was down and out. I never ever thought I’d get my life together… then here I am, just over a decade later, picking up one of the biggest writing awards in television.
“I don’t mean that to sound arrogant. I mean it as encouragement for anyone who’s going through a difficult time right now to persevere… if you’re struggling, keep going – keep going and I promise you things will be okay.”
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Accepting her supporting actress prize, Gunning said she was “incredibly proud” to be part of the show. “Thank you for trusting me to be your Martha,” she said to Gadd. “I will never, ever forget her or you or this.”
‘I’m a mess today’
This year’s Emmys ceremony, held at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, was also a huge success for Shogun. The show launched in February and is based on James Clavell’s best-selling novel, set during the 1600s.
Stars Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai became the first Japanese actors to win Emmys in the dramatic acting categories.
Sanada, who received a standing ovation, told the audience he was “beyond honoured”, and added: “Shogun taught me that when people work together, we can make miracles. We can create a better future together.”
A tearful Sawai, a first-time nominee, said: “I was crying before my name was announced. I’m a mess today. This to all the women who expect nothing and continue to be an example for everyone.”
‘This show has changed my life’
And Baby Reindeer and Shogun were not the only shows to receive multiple prizes, with hit series The Bear also a big winner.
In their opening monologue, father-son hosting duo Eugene and Dan Levy joked that the show, which depicts the stresses of life working in a professional kitchen and stars Jeremy Allen White as a chef running the family business after the death of his brother – would be better off categorised as a drama.
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The Bear star Liza Colon-Zayas gets political
Allen White described himself as “so, so, so lucky” after picking up the Emmy for lead actor in a comedy series for his role as Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto.
“This show has changed my life, it has instilled a faith that change is possible, that change is possible if you are able to reach out, you are really truly not actually alone,” he said in his acceptance speech.
His co-stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Liza Colon-Zayas also picked up the awards for best supporting actor and actress in a comedy.
Despite The Bear’s success, the ceremony ended with a surprise triumph for Hacks – which fended off the reigning champion to be named best comedy series.
This was the second Emmys ceremony held this year, after the September 2023 event was postponed to January 2024 due to the US writers’ and actors’ strikes.
Donald Trump says a meeting is being set up between himself and Vladimir Putin – and that he and Barack Obama “probably” like each other.
Republican US president-elect Mr Trump spoke to reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Thursday, saying Russian president Mr Putin “wants to meet, and we are setting it up”.
“He has said that even publicly and we have to get that war over with. That’s a bloody mess,” Mr Trump said.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday there was a “mutual desire” to set up a meeting – but added no details had been confirmed yet and that there may be progress once Mr Trump is inaugurated on 20 January.
“Moscow has repeatedly declared its openness to contacts with international leaders, including the US president, including Donald Trump,” Mr Peskov added.
“What is required is a mutual desire and political will to conduct dialogue and resolve existing problems through dialogue. We see that Mr Trump also declares his readiness to resolve problems through dialogue. We welcome this. There are still no specifics, we proceed from the mutual readiness for the meeting.”
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Trump on Obama: ‘We just got along’
Mr Trump also made some lighter remarks regarding a viral exchange between himself and former Democrat President Barack Obamaat Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Thursday.
The pairsat together for the late president’s service in Washington DC on Thursday, and could be seen speaking for several minutes as the remaining mourners filed in before it began.
Mr Obama was seen nodding as his successor spoke before breaking into a grin.
Asked about the exchange, Mr Trump said: “I didn’t realise how friendly it looked.
“I said, ‘boy, they look like two people that like each other’. And we probably do.
“We have a little different philosophies, right? But we probably do. I don’t know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everybody.”
The amicable exchange comes after years of criticising each other in the public eye; it was Mr Trump who spread the so-called “birther” conspiracy theory about Mr Obama in 2011, falsely asserting that he was not born in the United States.
Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked the Obamas, saying the former president was “ineffective” and “terrible” and calling former first lady Michelle Obama “nasty” as recently as October last year.
On Kamala Harris’s campaign trail last year, Mr Obama said Mr Trump was a “78-year-old billionaire who has not stopped whining about his problems since he rode down his golden escalator nine years ago”, while the former first lady said that “the consequences of him ever being president again are brutally serious.”
The US Supreme Court has rejected a last-ditch attempt by Donald Trump to delay sentencing in the Stormy Daniels hush money case.
The president-elect was convicted on 34 counts last May in New York of falsifying business records relating to payments made to Ms Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
Prosecutors claimed he had paid her $130,000 (£105,300) in hush money to not reveal details of what Ms Daniels said was a sexual relationship in 2006.
Mr Trump has denied any liaison with Ms Daniels or any wrongdoing.
By a majority, the Supreme Court found his sentencing would not be an insurmountable burden during the presidential transition since the presiding judge, Juan M Merchan, has indicated he will not give Mr Trump jail time, fines or probation.
Mr Trump’s attorneys argued that evidence used in the Manhattan trial violated last summer’s Supreme Court ruling giving Mr Trump broad immunity from prosecution over acts he took as president.
At the least, they said, the sentencing should be delayed while their appeals play out to avoid distracting Mr Trump during the presidential transition.
Mr Trump’s attorneys went to the justices after New York courts refused to postpone sentencing.
Judges in New York found that the convictions related to personal matters rather than Mr Trump’s official acts as president.
Mr Trump’s attorneys called the case politically motivated, and they said sentencing him now would be a “grave injustice” that threatens to disrupt the presidential transition as the Republican prepares to return to the White House.
Mr Trump has said he will appeal again: “I respect the court’s opinion – I think it was actually a very good opinion for us because you saw what they said, but they invited the appeal and the appeal is on the bigger issue. So, we’ll see how it works out,” he said at a dinner with Republican governors at his private club in Florida.
Because the New York case was a state, rather than federal crime, Mr Trump will not be able to pardon himself when he takes office on 20 January.