‘SNL’ has now won 83 Emmys, more than any other series in TV history.
Forty years after he burst to stardom on Saturday Night Live, Eddie Murphy won his first Emmy Award on Saturday (Sept. 19) for outstanding guest actor in a comedy series for his return to the show. For such a major star, Murphy has a surprisingly spare awards cabinet. He has won one Grammy (for Eddie Murphy: Comedian, 1983). He was nominated for an Oscar for Dreamgirls (2006), but did not win.
Maya Rudolph won outstanding guest actress in a comedy series for her appearance on that same Murphy-hosted episode of SNL in which she played Senator (and now VP nominee) Kamala Harris. Rudolph also won a second Emmy this year for outstanding character voice-over performance for Netflix’s Big Mouth. These are her first Emmys.
SNL won three Emmys on Saturday, matching the number it received at the variety-focused Creative Arts Emmy Awards on Tuesday (Sept. 15). SNL has now won 83 Emmys, more than any other series in TV history.
Dave Chappelle won outstanding variety special (pre-recorded) for the second time in three years for his latest stand-up special, Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (Netflix). Chappelle won in this category two years ago for Dave Chappelle: Equanimity. Chappelle won a second Emmy on Saturday for outstanding writing in a variety special. Chapelle won a Grammy in January for Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones, an album release of the Emmy-winning special. He has won the Grammy for best comedy album the last three years running.
Ludwig Göransson won his first Emmy for outstanding music composition for a series (original dramatic score) for The Mandalorian on Disney +. In the past two years, Göransson has won an Oscar and a Grammy for his work on Black Panther and two additional Grammys for his work on Childish Gambino’s “This Is America.” The Swedish composer just needs a Tony to become an EGOT.
Ron Cephas Jones won outstanding guest actor in a drama series for his recurring role on NBC’s This Is Us. His daughter, Jasmine Cephas Jones, had won outstanding actress in a short form comedy or drama series on Thursday (Sept. 17), for her role on Quibi’s #FreeRayshawn. They are not the only parent and child who could each win Emmys this year. Daniel Levy is nominated for four Emmys for his work on Schitt’s Creek. His father, Eugene Levy, is nominated for two Emmys for his work on the same show.
RuPaul Charles won outstanding host for a reality or competition program for RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1) for the fifth consecutive year. That makes him the top winner in the history of the category. He had been tied with Jeff Probst, a four-time winner for Survivor.
RuPaul accepted his Emmy with an uncommonly poignant and thoughtful speech: “I’ve always said every time I bat my false eyelashes, I’m making a political statement. Well, tonight the only political statement I want to make is this – love. Love for our LGBT brothers and sisters. Love for black queens and brown queens. And love for the United States of America where a little gay boy with nothing more than a pussycat wig and a dream can build an international platform that celebrates sweet, sensitive souls everywhere.”
After urging viewers to vote on Nov. 3, RuPaul dedicated his Emmy to “one of my girls,” Chi Chi DeVayne, who died on Aug. 20 at age 34. “May you rest in power and perfection,” he said.
Here’s the complete list of winners from Saturday’s Creative Arts Emmys:
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded) — Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (Netflix)
Outstanding Writing For a Variety Special — Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones, written by Dave Chappelle (Netflix)
Outstanding Directing For a Variety Special — Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones, directed by Stan Lathan (Netflix)
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series — Eddie Murphy as Host on Saturday Night Live (Episode: “Host: Eddie Murphy”) (NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series — Maya Rudolph as Senator Kamala Harris on Saturday Night Live (Episode: “Host: Eddie Murphy”) (NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series — Ron Cephas Jones as William Hill on This Is Us (Episode: “After the Fire”) (NBC)
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series — Cherry Jones as Nan Pierce on Succession (Episode: “Tern Haven”) (HBO)
Outstanding Music Composition For a Series (Original Dramatic Score) — Ludwig Göransson for The Mandalorian (Episode: “Chapter 8: Redemption”) (Disney+)
Outstanding Host For a Reality or Competition Program — RuPaul for RuPaul’s Drag Race (VH1)
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program — Cheer (Netflix)
Outstanding Animated Program — Rick and Morty (Episode: “The Vat of Acid Episode”) (Adult Swim)
Outstanding Television Movie — Bad Education (HBO)
Outstanding Children’s Program – (tie) Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Netflix); We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest (HBO)
Outstanding Commercial — “Back-to-School Essentials” (Sandy Hook Promise)
Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series — The Last Dance (ESPN)
Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking — The Cave (Nat Geo)
Outstanding Casting For a Limited Series, Movie or Special — Watchmen (HBO)
Outstanding Choreography For Variety or Reality Programming — Al Blackstone for So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Outstanding Cinematography For a Single-Camera Series (One Hour) — The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel – M. David Mullen (Episode: “It’s Comedy or Cabbage”) (Prime Video)
Outstanding Contemporary Costumes — Schitt’s Creek (Episode: “Happy Ending”) (Pop TV)
Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) — Euphoria (Episode: “And Salt the Earth Behind You”) (HBO)
Outstanding Interactive Extension Of a Linear Program — Mr. Robot: Season_4.0 ARG (USA Network)
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For a Variety Series — Saturday Night Live (Episode: “Host: John Mulaney”) (NBC)
Outstanding Main Title Design — Godfather of Harlem (Epix)
Outstanding Period and/or Character Hairstyling — Hollywood (Episode: “A Hollywood Ending”) (Netflix)
Outstanding Production Design For a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program (One Hour or More) — The Crown (Episode: “Aberfan”) (Netflix)
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing For a Comedy Series — Insecure – Nena Erb and Lynarion Hubbard (Episode: “Lowkey Trying”) (HBO)
Outstanding Sound Editing For a Limited Series, Movie or Special — Watchmen (Episode: “This Extraordinary Being”) (HBO)
Outstanding Sound Mixing For a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour) — The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Episode: “A Jewish Girl Walks Into the Apollo…”) (Prime Video)
Outstanding Stunt Coordination For a Drama Series, Limited Series or Movie — The Mandalorian (Disney+)
Nicole Byer, the Emmy-nominated host of Nailed It!, hosted the show.
For those keeping track, going into Sunday’s night’s primetime Emmy Awards telecast on ABC, The Mandalorian and Watchmen are tied for the most Emmy wins, with seven each. Saturday Night Live follows with six, followed by RuPaul’s Drag Race, with five, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, with four.
By networks, the leaders going into Emmy night are HBO and Netflix, with 19 awards each, followed by Disney + and NBC, with eight each.
