LOS ANGELES (AP) — Julie Andrews won her third Emmy Award at age 89, “The Studio†took nine trophies and “The Penguin†took eight Saturday at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards.
Andrews won for best character voice-over performance for her work on Netflix's “Bridgerton,†her first Emmy since 2005.
“The Studio,†the Hollywood satire from Apple TV+ that is this year's top-nominated comedy series, won five times, including awards for costumes, casting and production design.
“Thank you, Sal Saperstein,†nearly all the “Studio†winners said from the stage, a running gag that is a reference to Ike Barinholtz's character who gets unexpectedly thanked on the show.
The show's winners got to use their real filmmaking chops to recreate a fake one, including Adam Newport-Berra, whose cinematography evoked the beauty the show's comic characters were trying to capture.
The top nominated limited series, “The Penguin†from HBO, was the leader on a night that allows genre shows to dominated in technical categories. “Andor†won four in a similar vein for Disney+.
The Creative Arts Emmys, where nearly 100 awards are handed out across two nights, are a precursor to the main ceremony, which will air live on CBS on Sept. 14.
“This is the real Emmys,†presenter said at the beginning of the show at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. “This is that Emmys they couldn’t have the other Emmys without, cause nothing would get made.â€
Julianne Nicholson and Bryan Cranston were winners in the guest acting categories that add some star power to the proceedings.
Nicholson trumped Oscar winners Jamie Lee Curtis and Olivia Colman to win her first Emmy for best guest actress in a comedy, for playing a character known as Dance Mom on HBO Max's “Hacks."
Nicholson, who is also nominated for best supporting actress in a drama for “Paradise†at next weekend's main ceremony, usually plays starkly serious roles, and loved going in a new direction on “Hacks.â€
“It was so fun to just go balls to the wall in a way that I don’t usually get the opportunity to do,†she said backstage while holding her Emmy. “This was a huge surprise and something I’ve been searching for.â€
The guest actors on “The Studio†made for an extra star-studded category, and gave luminaries Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese a chance to win their first acting Emmys. But it went instead to their Emmy veteran “Studio†castmate Cranston, who won his seventh after taking six in his years on “Breaking Bad.â€
Merritt Wever won best guest actress in a drama for It was one of four Emmys won on the night for the Apple TV+ series, a decent showing but a light load of trophies for the year's most nominated show that is among the favorites for best drama next weekend. Another big drama nominee, “The White Lotus,†won just one, for its opening title music.
Neither Andrews, nor Cranston nor Wever were at the ceremony, as can be common at the Creative Arts Awards. Nominees who were present as presenters, including Rudolph, Curtis and Howard, did not come away winners.
Andrews won her first Emmy for the special “The Julie Andrews Hour†in 1973 and another for "Broadway: The American Musical" in 2005. She has both an Oscar and a Grammy for playing Mary Poppins. She strangely lacks only a Tony to complete her EGOT status, despite being a giant of the Broadway stage in shows including “My Fair Lady.â€
The weekend's winners mostly have little name recognition outside their field. Categories include best sci-fi or period hairstyles — also won by “Bridgerton†— and best stunt coordination for a comedy — won by “The Righteous Gemstones.â€
But big moments can also emerge. Last year, for most Emmys for a series in a season with 14 at the Creative Arts ceremony, before it went on to dominate the main ceremony.
Sunday will be devoted to reality and variety TV. Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé are both nominated for football halftime shows, while Barack Obama's competition for his second Emmy in the narration category includes Tom Hanks and Idris Elba.
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