Liza Colón-Zayas of ‘The Bear’ Achieves a Historic Milestone

Can the Emmys truly be dubbed “TV’s biggest night” when they happen twice within the same year? Perhaps it’s a stretch, but we’ll acknowledge the glamour. After all, the stars came out in their finest attire.

Just eight months have passed since the last Emmy ceremony aired on Fox, prompted by the writers’ and actors’ strikes. Yet, here we are, once more celebrating the finest in television, adorned with gowns and golden statues.

This year’s ceremony sparkled, filled with excitement over notable wins for FX’s restaurant-centered dramedy “The Bear,” Peacock’s reality sensation “The Traitors,” and Netflix’s hit “Baby Reindeer.” Hosts Eugene Levy and Dan Levy kept the atmosphere lively and entertaining, ensuring everyone had a good time.

The night is dedicated to celebrating the triumphs, lamenting the losses, and hopefully keeping the speeches brief—because nobody sings!

Candice Bergen, a five-time Emmy winner and star of beloved shows like “Murphy Brown,” presented the award for outstanding actress in a comedy series. The award went to Jean Smart, who clinched it for “Hacks” for the third time. In a humorous yet pointed moment, Bergen referenced past political criticisms, specifically recalling an instance where a Republican VP condemned “Murphy” for its storyline about an unmarried character choosing to raise a child. She quipped, “Today, a Republican candidate for vice president would never attack a woman for having kids. So as they say, my work here is done. Meow.”

The TV Academy was enthusiastic about “The Bear” once again. The ceremony only moments in saw FX’s hit comedy win three awards: outstanding supporting actor in a comedy for Ebon Moss-Bacharach, outstanding actor in a comedy for Jeremy Allen White, and a historic win for Liza Colón-Zayas as the first Latina woman to secure the supporting actress award in this category. Her genuine speech moved both her fellow competitors and the audience.

The father-son duo of Eugene and Dan Levy opened the night with an amusing monologue, acknowledging they are not stand-up comedians yet delivering sharp and humorous exchanges that had the crowd laughing. Their brief seven-minute act was well-received, and it set an amusing tone for the event.

They deftly struck a balance between light-hearted banter and pointed humor, poking fun at each other, the TV Academy, and the genre-bending nature of “The Bear” as a comedy. Eugene jokingly declared that in the spirit of “The Bear,” they would refrain from making comedy jokes about the series.

The night was already emotional before the official proceedings began. E! red carpet host Laverne Cox tearfully embraced Nava Mau, a star from “Baby Reindeer,” who also felt sentiments swell. Both actresses made history as trans women with Cox being the first to earn an acting nomination for “Orange is the New Black” in 2014, and Mau being the first to achieve a nomination for best supporting actress in a limited series for “Baby Reindeer.” Coaxed to tears, Cox expressed her pride, noting how the landscape has evolved over the past decade.

As the stars made their glamorous appearances on the red carpet leading to the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, they adorned the venue in stunning outfits, accompanied by dazzling smiles.

Prior to the ceremony, stars like Angela Bassett and Jamie Lee Curtis scooped up Emmy awards at the Creative Arts Emmys over the weekend for categories such as guest acting and narration. Bassett won her first Emmy for her work on the National Geographic documentary series “Queens,” while Curtis took home her honor as a guest actress for a Season 2 episode of “The Bear,” marking her own first Emmy win.

FX’s “Shogun” received significant recognition as well, securing a record 14 Emmys at the Creative Arts ceremonies. This impressive tally set the stage for potential further victories during the Primetime Emmys.

Anticipation swirled surrounding which shows would take home major awards. FX’s “Shōgun” was seen as a strong contender for outstanding drama series, with standout performances from Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai. Meanwhile, “The Bear” was favored across several categories, and Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer” was poised to make significant strides in limited series categories.

This year’s host, Eugene and Dan Levy of “Schitt’s Creek,” made history as the first father-son duo to head the event. They expressed their excitement for hosting in an actual theater instead of a quarantine tent, highlighting a celebratory mood for the culmination of an extraordinary season in television.

As the evening unfolded, television’s elite gathered to commemorate an impressive year of storytelling and talent.

Source: USA TODAY