ALEXANDRA ALCALA / ASST. A&C EDITOR

The 2024 annual Emmy Awards happened on Sunday Sept. 15. This year, the Emmys increased 54% in viewership from the ceremony last January, which reached an all-time low viewership record. This fall, a striking 6.87 million viewers tuned in, including some USD  Toreros. Here are some  of the highlights of the night. 

Winners of the night

This year, the top three winners of the night were all television series. “Shōgun” took first place with 18 wins. Many actors from the series took home awards and opened the road for Japanese actors who have not gained sufficient recognition in the past. Hiroyuki Sanada became the first Japanese actor to win the Emmy for best lead actor in a dramatic series. Co-star Anna Sawai won best actress in a dramatic series, also a first for Japan. 

Following closely behind “Shōgun” was “The Bear” with 11 awards out of 23 nominations. Some of “The Bear’s” winning categories included guest acting, cinematography, casting and editing. 

Finally, taking third place for most wins  is the Netflix  show “Baby Reindeer,” taking home six awards. The creator and star of the show, Richard Gadd, won three of these for acting, writing and producing the show. Co-star Jessica Gunning, who played his stalker, Martha, was named best supporting actress in a limited series.

“I think Baby Reindeer definitely deserves its praise,” USD senior Macy Shaw said. “It was a very unique and honest show about traumas that we don’t always see taken seriously or spoken about. I enjoyed the show and the spotlight it put onto adult sufferers of trauma and abuse. I haven’t finished it just yet because I know that it’s supposed to get even more intense as you keep watching it, so I preferred to read up on the rest of the series and watch interviews.”

Even though the winning series are loved by many and the celebrities that attended the Emmy awards are well-known, this isn’t always enough to get people to watch the show. However, many look forward to the highlights of the night.

“I don’t necessarily look forward to watching them every year, but I do enjoy watching clips of the Emmys online, a few speeches maybe and seeing what people wore,” Shaw said. “The Emmys are interesting, but I don’t typically watch them unless I want to see a particular show or film that I like there. Sometimes I find it a bit boring, but overall I think it’s a pretty historical event seeing as it’s such an old award show and has changed with history over time. So, a lot of firsts happen at the Emmys’ such as the first black actors to win an award.”

Richard Gadd at the award ceremony. Photo courtesy of @mrrichardgadd/Instagram

Stars on the red carpet

Some well-known celebrities that walked the red carpet were Andrew Scott, Selena Gomez, Saoirse Ronan, Jennifer Aniston, Robert Downey Jr., Idris Elba, Nicola Coughlan, Viola Davis and Meryl Streep. Most of them were either nominated for awards or were there to support and accompany someone who was nominated. Saoirse Ronan walked beside her husband Jack Lowden who was nominated for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for the show “Slow Horses.” Although many celebrities were expected to be in attendance, some were surprising to USD students.

“One of the nominations that most caught my attention was Selena Gomez,” said USD sophomore Paige Reigrut. “She had somewhat transitioned out of acting since her time on Disney Channel. The nomination was well-deserved as she explored different sides of her acting career and capabilities in ‘Only Murders in the Building.’” 

With the rise of streaming services, it can be hard to keep up with new shows and films. Watching the Emmys is a way for students to catch up with forgotten actors and stay up to date with new releases.

“Some of the nominations caught me by surprise because I had been unaware of their recent works since their breakout roles,” said Reigrut. “But, I also think the Emmys are important to recognize the creative minds that help us piece together entertainment media. I think they are a fantastic way to celebrate and bring attention to rising characters within the industry. I look forward to the Emmys each year. I enjoy watching the shows and stars. I love that they are getting recognition for their work.”

Notable winners from the series “The Bear.” Photo courtesy of @goodmorningamerica/Instagram

Political references run wild

The references and comments to the ongoing U.S. presidential election did not miss the Emmys this year. Some actors spoke about their political standings  in their award speeches. 

“The Bear” co-star, Liza Colón-Zayas, was one of these people. She urged Latinas to vote this November.

“To all the Latinas who are looking at me, keep believing, and vote – vote for your rights,”  Colón-Zayas said.

Selena Gomez also made a comment relating to the election. She did this when referring to her male co-stars, Martin Short and Steve Martin, as childless cat ladies. Here, Gomez was referencing JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, who has talked about Democrats in similar words.

“They are a bunch of childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they’ve made and so they want to make the rest of the country miserable, too,” Vance said.

These types  of  comments  were expected by some as the election looms closer and is on everyone’s mind. Yet, not everyone thinks it was the best environment to do so. 

“I was not aware of the different references and  comments to upcoming U.S. elections that were made during the award show, but I did hear some people talking about them,” USD sophomore Anthony Mentas said. “I think that these comments are unnecessary as they do not pertain to any aspect of the award show.” 

Because the Emmys are a time to celebrate film and the art of cinema, many people feel that politics do not belong in this sphere. However, some acknowledge that this has been a  recent  and potentially  positive  shift.

“I think that  having this type of show is a good idea, but there are some things to consider,” Mentas said. “One, people being awarded tend to get overly excited and emotional and can go on and on talking about a certain topic that has nothing to do with them being honored or the award show as a whole. Two, I personally believe that as a result of this show happening for so many years, there has been a major increase in the lack of class and respect that people obtain when attending this event.”

Celebrities voicing their political opinions to the public is becoming more common.Whether or not politics belong in the film world, they were present in this year’s Emmy ceremony. 

With popular shows and unexpected actors receiving rewards, this event caught  the attention of some USD students. With viewership back up, this year was important for the award show. 

Hiroyuki Sanada and others accepted an award for Shogun. Photo courtesy of @televisionacad/Instagram