It was a big night for prestige film personalities in front of and behind the camera at the Emmys tonight. Most notable was “House of Cards” and “Behind the Candelabra” directors David Fincher and Steven Soderbergh walking away with wins for TV Drama and TV Movie or Miniseries respectively.
In the case of Soderbergh, he joins rare air with names like Martin Scorsese, Bob Fosse and Michael Moore as one of only a handful of helmers to scoop up an Emmy, an Oscar (for 2000’s “Traffic”) and the Cannes Palme d’Or (for 1989’s “sex, lies and videotape”). In the case of Mr. Fincher, well, I’m sure he’ll get his fill of “He doesn’t have an Oscar but he has an Emmy!” headlines tomorrow morning.
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Michael Douglas took home his first-ever Emmy, winning the Best Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries honor for “Candelabra.” He offered up a double-entendre-laden speech in the process. “This was a two-hander,” he said, leading his co-star Matt Damon to get the giggles in the aisles. “You’re only as good as your other hand,” and in sharing the honor with Damon: “You want the bottom or the top? The top. I figured that.”
Another veteran of the big screen, Jeff Daniels, won the Best Actor in a Drama award in a shocker for HBO’s “The Newsroom” as James Cromwell was recognized in the supporting actor in a TV movie or miniseries category for “American Horror Story: Aslyum.” Claire Danes kept her Best Actress in a Drama run going for Showtime’s “Homeland” and Ellen Burstyn picked up a win for supporting actress in a miniseries or movie for “Political Animals.”
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And though they’re primarily television personalities, it’s worth mentioning Best Supporting Actor in a Drama winner Bobby Cannavale (“Boardwalk Empire”), who can currently be seen in theaters in Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine,” as well as Best Actress in a Comedy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep”), who stars in Nicole Holofcener’s just-released “Enough Said.”
Oh, and if you’re keeping score at home, there were no EGOT winners this year.
What was your favorite Emmy win in this evening of surprises? Have your say in the comments section below.