Emmy awards 2016: People v OJ and Game of Thrones win big – as it happened

We’ve compiled some of Kimmel’s best lines here.

Lanre Bakare writes our news story on the night from Los Angeles:

Winter might be coming for the residents of Westeros but for the creators of Game of Thrones and HBO it was clear skies again at the Emmys, where the series won the best drama series award for the second year in a row.

Read his report below.

That was ... something. While I thoroughly enjoyed Jimmy Kimmel’s laconic, snarky performance as host, this year’s Emmys lacked surprise, controversy, or much to talk about. It was a by the book awards show, plodding along from category to category, rewarding many of the same people from years past. Even new winners like Rami Malek, who won best actor in a drama series for Mr Robot, had a whiff of the expected. Besides the typically elaborate, expensive set design, there wasn’t much that was grand about this show. Oh, and did I mention John Mayer?

Did The Americans and Mr Robot have better seasons than the sixth season of Game of Thrones? Sure. But Game of Thrones is still one of the most excellent programs around with sky-high production values and a galaxy of great characters. Should we be upset about it’s win? Of course not. And if you are, Khaleesi is coming for you.

With this win it now has the most awards ever. Is that correct? Maybe, maybe not. But there’s no going back now.

Richard Dreyfus had to confirm that he isn’t dead thanks to having the same surname as someone else

Good job, Veep, you deserve it. But can’t we make a rule about comedy shows not being able to win two years in a row, because Blackish, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, and Master of None really deserve a chance at the big award.

HOLY COW! It’s taken four years for Tatiana Maslany to go from constant Emmy snub to winning the award. Like Keri Russell she plays a number of different characters on the same show, but unlike Russell her variety of accents and personalities are constantly shifting. She sometimes has to play one of her clones pretending to be another one of her clones. It’s a mind-bendingly amazing performance. Too bad the show hasn’t been that great the past few seasons.

That Kimmel/Damon skit is up on YouTube if you want to see what Chris Rock found so funny

Rami Malek is currently giving one of the best performances on television and he was a shoo-in as Elliot Alderson, a hacker who took down the world on Mr. Robot.

His best bit though was giving us his best Elliot and asking the crowd, “Please tell me you’re seeing this too.”

A piece about Jeffrey Tambor’s call to hire more trans actors and the celebration of trans and queer talent we’ve seen at the Emmys tonight.

Ben Mendelsohn is a great actor in a great part on Bloodline, but he’s certainly the lowest profile in this category. Maybe this will have Netflix rethink its recent cancellation.

And guess who didn’t know the golden rule:

Henry Winkler was just on stage to pay tribute to the late Garry Marshall, whose small screen creations included Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley, ahead of a wider in memoriam montage.

“He was loyal, he had generosity of spirit and knowledge. I should know, he gave me my career”

The section included Jackie Collins, Alan Rickman, Anton Yelchin, David Bowie, Robert Loggia, Morley Safer, Doris Roberts, Gene Wilder, Prince and Muhammad Ali.

We interviewed Emmy winner Miguel Sapotchnik about the end of Battle of the Bastards.

Seriously I’m sick of Maggie Smith winning this award because, well, she wasn’t as great as the other nominees. I’m sorry, but Constance Zimmer was a revelation and the women of Game of Thrones are the best reason to watch the best show on television. Maggie Smith can’t even be bothered to show up!

I wish that Jimmy Kimmel really would have read off the next name on the list when she won. Instead he just took her trophy and said it would be in the lost and found. I hope he’s not using this as a way to get her on his show to finally pick up her Emmy.

And this is why nominee John Mulaney isn’t at the ceremony tonight (in case it’s been a concern)

After being roasted by Kimmel for helping Trump rise to power, reality TV producer Mark Burnett responded backstage:

The “Battle of the Bastards” episode of Game of Thrones should definitely win Best Director, but I don’t think it was very memorable for the writing. This looks like it might dash The Americans and Mr Robots hopes of an upset.

The sadly departed Key & Peele gets to take a victory lap. Most of the other nominees will be back for another try but this show that combined series laughs with subversive insights about modern culture deserves to be celebrated.

I know the internet is going to hate me, but the directors of Grease Live definitely deserved to beat Beyoncé and everyone else. They showed us what was possible with live musicals and made it fantastic.

Laverne Cox is presenting and she’s added her support to Jeffrey Tambor’s call for more transgender talent, thanking Orange if the New Black creator Jenji Kohan for giving her a chance.

The entire Kimmel intro (including a hilarious skit about a real life double murder!) is now on YouTube if you want to:

Not a massive surprise but Jimmy Kimmel presenting has led to the obligatory Matt Damon cameo. He’s eating an apple and ridiculing Kimmel for losing out to John Oliver.

Damon: “I’ll see you at the after party”

Kimmel: “There’s an after party?”

Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld are amused. For some reason.

John Oliver’s show isn’t really a talk show, but it is certainly the internet’s favorite show to post clips from the morning after. This official cements his show’s reputation as the heir apparent to The Daily Show.

What an odd category. Apparently Best Writing in a Variety Special actually means Best Stand Up Special. I’m not going to lie, I haven’t seen Patton Oswald’s special. I didn’t even know that it existed. The Academy did though, so good for him.

John Mayer playing off award winners live is way more humiliating that an anonymous violin player. The only thing that would be more embarrassing would be if they just played Smooth by Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas after every acceptance speech. Imagine all the people going home to their spouses, having to say “Sorry, dear. I really wanted to thank you, but John Mayer skit-skatted on a guitar so I couldn’t.” I just hope they all understand. It’s not personal.

Aziz Ansari is on stage presenting an award and he’s gone for another Trump joke: “After careful consideration, I decided I am going with Trump which is why I think we should get rid of all Hispanic and Muslim nominees”

He also made another joke about getting rid of Jeffrey Tambor to open up the comedy actor category. Poor fella.

With Downton Abbey over and Sherlock not long for this world now that Benedict Cumberbatch is a superhero, what will be the new favorite UK export at the Emmys? Will Americans ever figure out that The Only Way is Essex is the best show on TV? Hugh Grant’s not busy these days. Put him in a funny Victorian era costume and throw him on a horse. We’ll call the show This Old Horse. These are the thoughts that keep me up at night.

While it might be a good night for LGBT winners, this was particularly rough for the OJ Simpson crowd just before a cut to commercials:

It’s rare that a show like The People Vs. OJ Simpson comes along and not only is a ratings blockbuster but makes the country reexamine a media frenzy that distilled the problems with class, race, and celebrity in America.

Also it’s rare to cut off one of the producers and go to commercial as she’s thanking her mom.

Kimmel’s awkward Johnny Cochran joke has not done down so well

You guys all watch Sherlock, right? It’s great, right? Well, no one in the US makes TV movies anymore, so it was an easy win.

As much as I wanted to see John Travolta and his delightful hair piece made of the fibers from an outdoor broom give a gleefully rambling acceptance speech, the victory for Sterling K Brown in the Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series category was the only acceptable outcome. Christopher Darden was certainly not the sexiest role in The People v OJ Simpson — less of the righteous fury of best actor winner Courtney B Vance’s Johnnie Cochran or the blatant camp of Travolta, but that made his stunning work all the more impressive. Sarah Paulson, who won for best actress in a limited series, got to throw on wigs and fake moles and gruffly smoke cigarettes. In a show with a dearth of sympathetic characters, Brown had to be the one we liked, the outsider, the guy who just wants to do the right thing.

The People Vs OJ Simpson deserves all the awards it gets and Courtney B Vance gets all the love he deserves from his wife Angela Bassett who “rocks his chain.”

(One of) Hillary Clinton(‘s interns) congratulated Kate McKinnon on her win!

Emmy winner Jill Soloway spoke about “dangerous monster” Donald Trump backstage

Sarah Paulson, one of TV’s greats, is one for two with the trophies tonight, but her work as Marcia Clark not only was one of the best portraits on television this year, but made everyone reevaluate how Clark was treated during the Simpson trial and what her legacy is. Paulson said in her acceptance speech, “I had been superficial and careless in my judgement, and I am glad to stand here today and say that I’m sorry.”

And, following Kate McKinnon and Jill Soloway, it’s a big night for lesbians.

Sterling K Brown’s Melania Trump joke might have bombed, but he was amazing as Chris Darden, the prosecutor who lost the OJ Simpson case (with Marcia Clark), giving the man depth and insight that the public didn’t realize the man had.

Here’s an interview with the victorious Sterling K Brown from earlier this month.

Leslie Jones has now shared video evidence of her excitable reaction to Kate McKinnon’s win. It’s, yeah, pretty excitable:

Susanne Bier is the only woman nominated in the category and the only one to take home a trophy. I bet Ryan Murphy is sitting in his iridescent blue tuxedo seething right now.

So far both winners in the directing categories have been women.

More sandwich lols (yes, they’re still on that joke). Amy Schumer had tried to eat the note written by Jimmy Kimmel’s mum but after she fished it out of her mouth, it was discovered that ... wait for it ... it was meant for Amy Poehler! More on the sandwich bit as it comes.

If you were lucky enough to be given a sandwich made by Jimmy Kimmel’s mum and handed out by the cast of Stranger Things, this is what was inside the bag:

Regina King is a really deserving winner for the excellent anthology series American Crime. In any other year it’s second season, about a school shooting, would have won all the trophies, but then OJ came along and killed its hopes. What, too soon?

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia, which DV DeVincentis won his Emmy for was not only the best episode of the series, but also the best use of a Brady Bunch joke.

Leslie Jones is on stage with the accountants from Ernst & Young! She’s poking fun at her recent hack, querying why they didn’t protect her dignity after nude pictures leaked.

Jimmy Kimmel’s mum is making 7,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and the kids from Stranger Things are handing them out. Because viral!

Kevin Spacey is tucking in.

Kimmel: “If you’re allergic to peanuts then I guess this is goodbye because we can only afford one epi-pen”

Sorry, Amazing Race, but The Voice is now the only reality show that the Academy will vote for. Don’t their grandkids make them watch American Ninja Warrior.

Mark Burnett didn’t really impress by making a Donald Trump joke and plugging the debut of The Voice tomorrow night. Damn, now I did it too.

It’s official, now both of the categories for comedic actors went to men playing women. This is apparently what toppling the patriarchy looks like. Though he did add that he would be happy to be the last cisgender male to play a transgender female on TV. Congrats Jeffrey Tambor, you really deserve it.

However, the funniest line he’s delivered this year was in his acceptance speech when he said, “Jeff Bezos took my hand last night and said, ‘Call Me Jeff Bezos.’”

This continues to be accurate

And this is what the audience at the ceremony is watching during the break:

Here’s a gallery of the best red carpet looks from earlier in the night. Our fashion team will be assessing the garms in a few hours.

Jeffrey Tambor has just introduced a tribute to the late Garry Shandling, who was a multiple Emmy winner. There’s a rather glorious montage of his greatest moments at the ceremony and also of his show.

This is Julia Louis-Dreyfuss’s eighth Emmy and she deserves every one, but can we stop already? There are plenty of other funny women on television who could use some commendation.

But, man, she really is funny. She says, “Veep has torn down the wall between comedy and politics. It started as a political satire but it now turned out to be a documentary, so she is going to rebuild that wall and make Mexico pay for it.”

Jeb is trying so hard bless him

I don’t know what’s greater, Jill Soloway’s suit or that she wins yet again for directing her outstanding series Transparent. First Kate McKinnon and now Jill Soloway, it is going to be a big night for lesbians. When she asks us to “Topple the patriarchy!” it really makes you want to.

Getting a bit worried now for whoever cut Aziz off...

Leslie Jones is thrilled her SNL co-star just scooped a gong

Here’s that Jeb Bush cameo that everyone is still a bit confused about:

Wow! A Saturday Night Live win in the acting categories is a bit of a shock. This is the first time that has ever happened. The always excellent Kate McKinnon clearly deserves this award, but this is already starting out to be a surprising night. And a big night for lesbians if Sarah Paulson takes home her trophy too.

Alan Yang says: “Asian parents: get your kids cameras instead of violins and we’ll be all good.”

Awkwardly after Alan Yang gave his speech, Aziz Ansari was cut off by music before he got to say anything. He joked: “Someone is going to be in so much trouble for this”. He’s probably right.

The first win for Master of None in a crowded field could spell the beginning of a great night for the series or it could be a make up for not giving it anything else.

Of course James Corden was singing two minutes in ...

It’s probably worth taking a look at Bryan Cranston’s red carpet Trump impression. Because not enough people do these, ya know:

Louie Anderson plays Zack Galifianakis’ mother in Baskets. If Jeffrey Tambor wins Outstanding Actor in a Comedy as he is expected to, both of the comedy acting awards will go to men playing women. And they say there are no good roles in Hollywood for women.

First Trump mention! Jimmy Kimmel has blamed television for Trump’s move into politics and specifically Mark Burnett who will be first thrown over the wall if Trump does indeed build one. Oh and he “accidentally” called his wife Malaria ...

Jimmy Kimmel is laying into “Lame” Maggie Smith for never showing up at the Emmys the nine times she has been nominated. “Get your Dowager Count-ass over here.”

Well, at least Jeb! Bush has a sense of humor about himself as he appeared in the parade of cameos that is Jimmy Kimmel’s opening because he is “in between jobs.”

James Corden makes his first appearance at the Emmy’s ceremony in Jimmy Kimmel’s taped introduction trying to get him to carpool karaoke Wham’s “Wake Me Up,” and then dressed up as George Michael. Can’t we get Adele back?

The Emmys pre-show was the Stranger Things kids performing Uptown Funk which sounds like the most internet thing on the internet at the moment

On the ABC pre-show, Tim Gunn chooses Rami Malek, Kit Harrington, Sarah Paulson, and Kerry Washington as Best Dressed. I can’t disagree.

Amy Schumer recently got some heat for complaining how much she hated the self-confidence destroying red carpet at the Met Ball, packed with models and high fashion.

And tonight on the Emmy’s red carpet she listed all of the designers involved in her outfit to E’s Giuliana Rancic in the best possible wardrobe description I’ve heard - “I’m wearing a Vivienne Westwood dress, Tom Ford shoes and an OB tampon!”

Sarah Paulson has arrived on the red carpet, nominated tonight for her turn as Marcia Clark in The People v. OJ Simpson. She’s brought the real Clark as her date tonight who is struggling with the temperature from the looks of it ...

One of the most highly-expected red carpet guests tonight is Beyonce, whose new visual album Lemonade received four Emmy nominations, though it missed out at the Creative Arts Emmys.

Beyonce is known for the red carpet “moment,” for this year’s Video Music Awards, she turned up in a feathered and beaded gown accompanied with a whole squad of of women including singers Chloe and Halle, model Winnie Harlow, actress Quvenzhané Wallis and the “mothers of the Movement” (the mothers of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Oscar Grant and Trayvon Martin, who all died as a result of gun or police violence).

Will she do something similar tonight? Many of the women who accompanied her to the VMAs featured on Lemonade, so it’s possible.

Beyonce received a director’s nomination herself, along with Kahlil Joseph.

What are the creative arts Emmys, I hear you cry. Here’s a list of the shows that have already won – including best hair for Downton Abbey.

Outstanding casting – limited series

The People v O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story

Outstanding casting – comedy

Veep

Outstanding casting – drama

Game of Thrones

Outstanding hairstyling – limited series

The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story

Outstanding hairstyling – single-camera

Downton Abbey

Outstanding multiplatform storytelling

Archer Scavenger Hunt

Outstanding original interactive program

Henry

Outstanding social TV experience

@midnight with Chris Hardwick

Outstanding user experience and visual design

Cartoon Network App Experience

Lucy Hood digerati award

Rob Hayes

Look for both Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and Allison Janney to break some Emmy records tonight. If Louis-Dreyfuss wins her fifth consecutive Emmy for playing Selena Meyer on Veep she will break the record for most Emmy wins in the Outstanding Actress in a Comedy category. She currently is tied for that record with Candace Bergen and Mary Tyler Moore. If she wins tonight that will be her eighth overall Emmy.

If Janney threepeats in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy category for her role on Mom she will tie Cloris Leachman for the record of having the most Emmys in the acting categories. This would be Janney’s eighth after four wins for The West Wing, one for Masters of Sex, and three for Mom.

Those Stark sisters are loyal. Sophie Turner from Game of Thrones, who plays eldest daughter Sansa Stark showed off the tattoo she’d gotten with her co-star and real-life bestie Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark. It’s a peach colored imprint of the date they both found out they’d gotten the life-changing GoT gig: 07.08.09.

Reminder, these ladies are from the UK, so the date is 7 August, 2009.

Here’s what’s happening on the red carpet. Amber Jamieson who is watching it all on E! says:

So far the clear red carpet favorites are the kids from the summer hit Stranger Things. Curly haired Gaten Matarazzo is rocking a black and white checked vest and bow-tie, Caleb McLaughlin is in navy blazer with white flowers and Millie Bobby Brown is wearing an adorable Valentino black lace dress with colorful hummingbirds. They are clowning for the camera - blowing kisses, pointing down the lens and being cheeseball kids. It’s refreshing.

Deadline reports that security has been beefed up at this year’s awards after the explosions in New York on Saturday night. Police having been checking cars’ undercarriages with mirrors and there is an armoured truck with two Swat team members on standby if there is a security incident.

The stars are arriving on the red carpet in 90 degree heat before settling into the Staples Center in Los Angeles for television’s biggest night, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. Game of Thrones is set to dominate – it already won nine awards in the Creative Arts Emmys out of a total of 23 nominations in the whole thing, while its closest competitor, Ryan Murphy’s hugely acclaimed drama The People v OJ Simpson, has nabbed four. But who will take the biggest prizes – outstanding drama and outstanding comedy of the year?

Read our critics’ verdicts on the nominations here and here. Brian Moylan thinks that The Americans may nab the top prize from under Game of Thrones’s nose, which will be an upset. Both he and Dave Schilling will be on this blog when the awards start at 8pm EST. Before that, check out the list of winners which we’ll be updating as we go.

It’s one of the most diverse Emmys ever, with 18 actors of colour nominated in 16 categories. However, there are few Latinos honoured, as my colleague Luis Miguel Echegaray points out here.

Watch the show with us and please add your comments below.