LOS ANGELES (AP) — Seth Rogen and “The Studio” turned the Emmys into a wrap party, winning best comedy series Sunday and breaking a comedy record for victories in a season with 13, while Noah Wyle and “The Pitt” took the top drama prize.
The evening also brought meaningful wins for Jean Smart, Stephen Colbert and 15-year-old Owen Cooper, whose Netflix series “Adolescence” dominated the limited series categories.
“I’m legitimately embarrassed by how happy this makes me,” “The Studio” co-creator Rogen said with his signature giggle, surrounded by cast and crew from the Apple TV+ movie-business romp after it won best comedy at the Peacock Theater in a show hosted by Nate Bargatze that aired on CBS. Rogen personally won four, including best actor.
“The Pitt” from HBO Max completed a sentimental journey with its win for best drama series. The character-driven medical drama won over viewers and gained emotional momentum during a season whose biggest drama prizes once seemed destined to be swept by “Severance.”
Wyle won best actor in a drama for playing a grizzled, warm-but-worn-down supervising doctor, getting his first Emmy after five nominations with no victories in the 1990s for playing a scrubbed young cub doctor on “ER.”
“What a dream this has been,” Wyle said. “Oh my goodness.”
Katherine LaNasa, whose nurse is perhaps the show’s most beloved character, was a surprise winner of best supporting actress in a drama over three women of “The White Lotus” on a night when every acting Emmy but one went to a first-time victor.
The first-timers included Britt Lower, who won best actress in a drama, and Tramell Tillman, who won best supporting actor, in the night’s two biggest moments for “Severance.”
Along with its creative arts wins, the Orwellian workplace satire ended up with eight for its acclaimed second season. Star Adam Scott lost out to Wyle for best actor.
The show’s losses kept the evening from being a total triumph for Apple TV+, which has still never won a best drama prize, though it has now won best comedy three times between “The Studio” and “Ted Lasso.”
Lower’s win was a surprise in a category where Kathy Bates was considered a heavy favorite, for “Matlock.”
Cristin Milioti won best actress in a limited series for “The Penguin.”
Jean Smart bucked the rookie trend, winning her fourth Emmy for best actress in a comedy for “Hacks” and her seventh Emmy overall. At 73, she extended her record for oldest winner in the category.
‘Adolescence’ triumphs
Netflix’s widely acclaimed “Adolescence,” the story of a 13-year-old in Britain accused of a killing, won six times, including the Emmy for best limited series. Co-creator Stephen Graham won for lead acting and writing while Cooper won best supporting actor and became the youngest Emmy winner in over 40 years.
Cooper said in his acceptance that he was “nothing three years ago.”
“It’s just so surreal,” Cooper said. “Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple years back, I didn’t expect to be even in the United States, never mind here.”
