LOS ANGELES (AP) — Seth Rogen won best actor in a comedy series Sunday night for “The Studio,” kicking off the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards with what could be a record-breaking number of wins for the Apple TV+ Hollywood satire.
“I could not wrap my head around this happening," said Rogen, who is up for three more Emmys during the show. "I’ve never won anything in my life.”
Stephen Colbert was the first person to take the stage to present the award during the CBS telecast at the Peacock Theater in Los
Angeles despite the recent controversial cancellation of his show by the network. He was greeted by a rousing and lengthy standing ovation.
"While I have your attention, is anyone hiring?" Colbert said.
In an unusual show order, comic Nate Bargatze delivered his opening monologue only after the first award was handed out.
The show opened with a sketch where “Saturday Night Live” stars Mikey Day, Bowen Yang and James Austin Johnson joined Bargatze, who played television inventor Philo T. Farnsworth opining on what the future of TV will be like.
Bargatze-as-Farnsworth mentions that there will be a Black Entertainment Television. When asked if there will be a network for white people, he replied, “Why, CBS of course.”
Apple TV+ is poised to have a breakout Emmy year with the two most nominated shows, “Severance” and “The Studio,” which are the favorites to win the two biggest awards.
“The Studio,” with co-creator Seth Rogen starring as the new head of a movie studio, comes into the evening with blockbuster buzz for its breakout first season.
It tied a record for a comedy with 23 nominations, and with nine Emmys already won at last weekend's Creative Arts ceremony. It would be a major surprise if it did not break the record of 11 Emmy wins in a season by a comedy.
It could win as many as 15, and Rogen himself could win four times, as an actor, a writer a director and an executive producer.
“The Bear” and “Hacks” which have dominated the comedy Emmys in recent years, are both again up for best comedy series but suddenly find themselves underdogs.
“Severance,” the Orwellian office drama about people who surgically split their psyches into workplace “innies” and home “outies,” was the top overall nominee with 27 nominations for its second season. It won six at the Creative Arts ceremony.
Along with best drama — which would be a first for Apple — it's nominated in all four dramatic acting categories, with stars Adam Scott and Britt Lower each looking for their first Emmys.
Its top competition for best drama could be “The Pitt,” HBO's acclaimed drama about one shift in the life of an emergency room.
Its star Noah Wyle could be both the sentimental favorite and the actual favorite for best actor. He was nominated five times without a win for playing a young doctor on “ER” in the 1990s, and now could finally take his trophy for what is in many ways a reprise of the role.
It could also be an unprecedented night of Hollywood recognition for older women in an industry known for discarding female actors.
Oscar-winner Kathy Bates at 78 could become the oldest winner ever in the best actress in a drama category for playing the title role in CBS' “Matlock.” She'd be the first woman from a network series to win the award in a decade.
And Jean Smart at 73 could extend her own record for oldest winner of best actress in a comedy if she wins for “Hacks” as she has for all three previous seasons of the show.
Later in the show, could give “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” the Emmy for best talk series for the first time as a sort of protest vote and tribute to its host.
Many perceived the end of the show as punishment of Colbert and placation of President Donald Trump after Colbert was harshly critical of a legal settlement between the president and Paramount, which needed administration approval for a sale to Skydance Media. Executives called the decision strictly financial.
The Emmys are airing live on CBS at 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific time.
Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers may stream the show live. Standard Paramount+ subscribers can stream it Monday through Sept. 21.
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