“Game of Thrones” came into Saturday’s Creative Arts Emmys with 17 nominations across 13 categories, and won a record eight. That could bode well for the series at next week’s primetime telecast. It only needs one win there to tie the record of most Emmys in a single year for a series set by “The West Wing” in 2000 (it won four at Creative Arts and five at the Primetime, including Best Drama Series). We’re predicting “Game of Thrones” to win three races next Sunday — Best Drama Series, Best Drama Supporting Actress (Lena Headey) and Best Drama Directing (“Mother’s Mercy“) — bringing its total haul to 11 Emmys.
Creative Arts Emmy Awards: Complete list of winners
The eight categories “Thrones” won at Creative Arts were Best Non-Prosthetic Makeup (Single-Camera Series), Best Production Design (Contemporary/Fantasy), Best Drama Editing, Best Sound Editing (Series), Best Drama Casting, Best Sound Mixing (One-Hour Series), Best Special Visual Effects and Best Stunt Coordination.
It wasn’t the only show with an impressive showing on Saturday: “American Horror Story: Freak Show” won five. That’s already more than “AHS” has ever won in a single year, and it has more chances next week where it contends for Best Limited Series along with directing and several for acting. “Freak Show” prevailed in the following races: Best Non-Prosthetic Makeup (Movie/Mini), Best Prosthetic Makeup, Best Costumes (Period/Fantasy), Best Hairstyling (Movie/Mini) and Best Supporting Visual Effects.
There were upsets in all four guest-acting races. Margo Martindale won Best Drama Guest Actress for her brief return to FX’s “The Americans.” It’s the first ever Emmy win for “The Americans,” but the second for Martindale, who previously won Best Drama Supporting Actress in 2011 for “Justified.” Reg E. Cathey (“House of Cards“) won over frontrunner Beau Bridges (“Masters of Sex“) for Best Drama Guest Actor.
And Comedy Guest frontrunners Jon Hamm and Tina Fey (both for “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt“) lost out to Bradley Whitford (“Transparent“) and Joan Cusack (“Shameless“), respectively. It was the second career win for Whitford, following a Best Drama Supporting Actor prize for “The West Wing” in 2001, but it was the first for Cusack after five straight nominations for “Shameless.” Hamm, meanwhile, still has two chances to win his very first Emmy at next Sunday’s telecast: he’s up for Best Drama Series and Best Drama Actor as producer and star of “Mad Men.”
“Bessie” won four awards, including Best TV Movie, Best Cinematography (Movie/Mini), Best Score (Movie/Mini) and Best Sound Mixing (Movie/Mini). It has more opportunities to win next week, including Best Movie/Mini Actress for Queen Latifah, but she’s already a winner as a producer of the telefilm.
“Saturday Night Live: 40th Anniversary” claimed four prizes including Best Variety Special, as we predicted. But the Tony Awards lost Best Special Class Program in an upset to “Sweeney Todd (Lincoln Center).”
All three top reality awards went to repeat winners: Unstructured Reality Series went to “Deadliest Catch,” Structured Reality Series went to “Shark Tank” and Reality Host was awarded to Jane Lynch (“Hollywood Game Night“), all for the second year in a row.
“Transparent” won three: Best Main Title Theme Music and Best Costumes (Contemporary) along with Best Comedy Guest Actor. Also with three victories was HBO’s documentary “Going Clear“: Best Documentary Special, Best Nonfiction Writing and Best Nonfiction Directing
Among other Emmy favorites, “Olive Kitteridge” is expected to win Best Limited Series next week but only won twice at Creative Arts: Best Movie/Mini Editing and Best Movie/Mini Casting. “Veep” is our frontrunner for Best Comedy Series, but it only won once: Best Comedy Casting.
Margo Martindale (‘The Americans’) shocks with to win Drama Guest Actress
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