‘SNL’ leads with nine wins at 69th Emmy Awards

Los Angeles, Sep 18 (IANS) The long-running sketch series "Saturday Night Live" won nine Emmys, including an award for actor Alec Baldwin for portraying US President Donald Trump.

The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, held here on Sunday, saw "SNL" dominating the awards with wins like Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (Baldwin), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (Kate McKinnon), Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series.

"I remember the first time we won this award," the series creator Lorne Michaels said on the stage.

"It was after the first season in 1976. I remember thinking... this was the high point and there would never be another season as crazy, as unpredictable, as frightening, as exhausting or as exhilarating.

"Turns out I was wrong," he said about the show that takes aim at various issues, especially the US politics.

"Big Little Lies", which boasts of a team full of "incredible tribe of fierce women", got eight wins in categories like Outstanding Limited Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Limited Series Or Movie (Alexander Skarsgard), Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie (Nicole Kidman) and Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie (Laura Dern).

During her acceptance speech, Kidman said that the show with an entertainment value is also about issues.

Its executive producer and actress Reese Witherspoon said that it's been "an incredible year for women in television and women getting to tell their own stories".

The project, which revolves around a murder investigation, also deals with domestic violence, among other things.

It tied with "The Handmaid's Tale" that also won eight Emmys including Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series (Elisabeth Moss), Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series.

The Hulu's series is the first streaming show to win an Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series.

The awards ceremony that saw many, including the show's host Stephen Colbert, taking jibes at Trump, also witnessed "Veep" winning the Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Variety Talk Series award going to "Last Week Tonight With John Oliver" and "The Voice" bagging the Outstanding Reality-Competition Programme.

Among actors, the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama series was bagged by Sterling K. Brown, for "This Is Us", John Lithgow ("The Crown") got the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Emmy went to Ann Dowd for "The Handmaid's Tale".

Donald Glover ("Atlanta") received the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series trophy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus ("Veep") walked away with Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series award went to Riz Ahmed for "The Night Of".