The 73rd Primetime Emmys started off strong with a step towards inclusion with a record-breaking number of nominations for actors of colors, notably Billy Porter for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series, and Mj Rodriguez for Leading Actress in a Drama, but quickly fell off last night when none of them walked away with a statuette. This is a huge step back compared to four wins for actors of color last year.
Leaving no one surprised, the trending #EmmysSoWhite demonstrated the show’s history of snubbing POC. But despite this, the show went to great lengths to include actors of color in the ceremony itself. The host, Cedric the Entertainer, led the three-hour main ceremony, where it took two hours for a person of color to be spotlighted in RuPaul Charles and his RuPaul’s Drag Race team for Outstanding Competition Program. With this win, RuPaul broke the record for most Emmys won by a person of color.
Michelle Visage, RuPaul, Gottmik, and Symone, winners of the Outstanding Competition Program award for ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ pose in the press room during the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards at L.A. LIVE on September 19, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images)
Other moments of recognition came in Michaela Coel, with four nominations, who took home a statuette for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series for HBO’s I May Destroy You. Despite the disappointment for actors of color, the night saw huge wins for women. Debbie Allen was the recipient of the 2021 Governors Award, Jessica Hobbs was the fourth woman to win drama director, and Lucia Aniello took home two awards for comedy writing and comedy director for her direction in Ted Lasso. This is the first time that women have won in both the comedy and drama director categories in the show’s history.
View the full list of winners below, and let us know what you think.
73rd Primetime Emmys Winners
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Cecily Strong, Saturday Night Live
Aidy Bryant, Saturday Night Live
Rosie Perez, The Flight Attendant
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
WINNER: Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso
Juno Temple, Ted Lasso
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Bowen Yang, Saturday Night Live
Kenan Thompson, Saturday Night Live
WINNER: Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso
Brendan Hunt, Ted Lasso
Nick Mohammed, Ted Lasso
Jeremy Swift, Ted Lasso
Paul Reiser, The Kominsky Method
Carl Clemons-Hopkins, Hacks
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Jean Smart, Mare of Easttown
WINNER: Julianne Nicholson, Mare of Easttown
Kathryn Hahn, WandaVision
Phillipa Soo, Hamilton
Renee Elise Goldsberry, Hamilton
Moses Ingram, The Queen’s Gambit
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Daveed Diggs, Hamilton
Jonathan Groff, Hamilton
Anthony Ramos, Hamilton
Thomas Brodie-Sangster, The Queen’s Gambit
WINNER: Evan Peters, Mare of Easttown
Paapa Essiedu, I May Destroy You
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series
The Boys (Rebecca Sonnenshine, Episode: “What I Know”)
WINNER: The Crown (Peter Morgan, Episode: “War”)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Yahlin Chang, Episode: “Home”)
Lovecraft Country (Misha Green, Episode: “Sundown”)
The Mandalorian (Dave Filoni, Episode: “Chapter 13: The Jedi”)
The Mandalorian (Jon Favreau, Episode: “Chapter 16: The Rescue”)
Pose (Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Steven Canals, Janet Mock, Our Lady J, Episode: “Series Finale”)
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series
Bridgerton (Julie Anne Robinson, Episode: “Diamond of the First Water”)
The Crown (Benjamin Caron, Episode: “Fairytale”)
WINNER: The Crown (Jessica Hobbs, Episode: “War”)
The Handmaid’s Tale (Liz Garbus, Episode: “The Wilderness”)
The Mandalorian (Jon Favreau, Episode: “Chapter 9: The Marshal”)
Pose (Steven Canals, Episode: “Series Finale”)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
WINNER: Gillian Anderson, The Crown
Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown
Emerald Fennell, The Crown
Ann Dowd, The Handmaid’s Tale
Yvonne Strahovski, The Handmaid’s Tale
Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale
Madeline Brewer, The Handmaid’s Tale
Aunjanue Ellis, Lovecraft Country
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Michael K. Williams, Lovecraft Country
Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid’s Tale
Max Minghella, The Handmaid’s Tale
O-T Fagbenle, The Handmaid’s Tale
John Lithgow, Perry Mason
WINNER: Tobias Menzies, The Crown
Giancarlo Esposito, The Mandalorian
Chris Sullivan, This Is Us
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series
The Amber Ruffin Show
A Black Lady Sketch Show
WINNER: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
Conan
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Jimmy Kimmel Live
WINNER: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
A Black Lady Sketch Show
WINNER: Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series
The Flight Attendant (Steve Yockey, Episode: “In Case of Emergency”)
Girls5eva (Meredith Scardino, Episode: “Pilot”)
WINNER: Hacks (Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky, Episode: “There Is No Line”)
PEN15 (Maya, Erskine, Episode: “Play”)
Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Episode: “Make Rebecca Great Again”)
Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Episode: “Pilot”)
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series
B Positive (James Burrows, Episode: “Pilot”)
The Flight Attendant (Susanna Fogel, Episode: “In Case of Emergency”)
WINNER: Hacks (Lucia Aniello, Episode: “There Is No Line”)
Mom (James Widdoes, Episode: “Scooby-Doo Checks and Salisbury Steak”)
Ted Lasso (Zach Braff, Episode: “Biscuits”)
Ted Lasso (MJ Delaney, Episode: “The Hope that Kills You”)
Ted Lasso (Declan Lowney, Episode: “Make Rebecca Great Again”)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Aidy Bryant, Shrill
WINNER: Jean Smart, Hacks
Allison Janney, Mom
Kaley Cuoco, The Flight Attendant
Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
WINNER: Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
William H. Macy, Shameless
Kenan Thompson, Kenan
Outstanding Competition Program
The Amazing Race
Nailed It!
WINNER: RuPaul’s Drag Race
Top Chef
The Voice
Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Hamilton (Thomas Kail)
I May Destroy You (Sam Miller, Michaela Coel, Episode: “Ego Death”)
I May Destroy You (Sam Miller, Episode: “Eyes Eyes Eyes Eyes”)
Mare of Easttown (Craig Zobel)
WINNER: The Queen’s Gambit (Scott Frank)
The Underground Railroad (Barry Jenkins)
WandaVision (Matt Shakman)
Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
WINNER: I May Destroy You (Michaela Coel)
Mare of Easttown (Brad Ingelsby)
The Queen’s Gambit (Scott Frank)
WandaVision (Chuck Hayward, Peter Cameron, Episode: “All-New Halloween Spooktacular!”)
WandaVision (Jac Schaeffer, Episode: “Filmed Before a Live Studio Audience”)
WandaVision (Laura Donney, Episode: “Previously On”)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
WINNER: Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown
Michaela Coel, I May Destroy You
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen’s Gambit
Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision
Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Paul Bettany, WandaVision
Hugh Grant, The Undoing
WINNER: Ewan McGregor, Halston
Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Emma Corrin, The Crown
WINNER: Olivia Colman, The Crown
Uzo Aduba, In Treatment
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Jurnee Smollett, Lovecraft Country
Mj Rodriguez, Pose
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Regé-Jean Page, Bridgerton
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Billy Porter, Pose
Jonathan Majors, Lovecraft Country
Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason
WINNER: Josh O’Connor, The Crown
Outstanding Variety Special (Live)
Celebrating America – An Inauguration Night Special
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards
The Oscars
The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show Starring The Weeknd
WINNER: Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)
Bo Burnham: Inside
David Byrne’s American Utopia
8:46 – Dave Chappelle
Friends: The Reunion
WINNER: Hamilton
A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote
Outstanding Comedy Series
Black-ish
Cobra Kai
Pen15
Emily in Paris
Hacks
WINNER: Ted Lasso
The Flight Attendant
The Kominsky Method
Outstanding Drama Series
The Boys
Bridgerton
WINNER: The Crown
The Mandalorian
Lovecraft Country
Pose
The Handmaid’s Tale
This Is Us
Outstanding Limited Series
Mare of Easttown
I May Destroy You
WandaVision
WINNER: The Queen’s Gambit
The Underground Railroad