Aussie Murray Bartlett in full Emmys bloom with White Lotus

Aussie actor Murray Bartlett thanked his mum as he took out an Emmy for his role in HBO satire The White Lotus, which won five categories – more than any other show.

Australian Murray Bartlett with his Emmy for The White Lotus at the 74th Emmy Awards on Tuesday. Picture: AFP

Perth expatriate Murray Bartlett thanked his mum as he took out a key acting award at Tuesday’s Emmy awards for his role in HBO’s The White Lotus, which triumphed in five categories – more than any other show.

It was HBO’s night, as the network’s stars grabbed several acting awards and its Machiavellian corporate family saga, Succession, won best drama, the Emmys’ most prestigious category, for a second time. Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso won for best comedy series for a second consecutive year, while Netflix’s Korean hit Squid Game had history-making wins in acting and directing.

As he accepted his award for outstanding supporting actor in a limited or anthology series at Los Angeles’ Microsoft Theatre, Bartlett thanked his mother “all the way home in Australia for giving me the ultimate foundation in unconditional love and inspiring me’’. The Perth-raised NIDA graduate, who plays a luxury resort manager and recovering drug addict in The White Lotus, also thanked series creator Mike White, who took home two trophies for his direction and writing for the acclaimed show. “Thank you for giving me one of the best experiences of my life,” Bartlett said. In a major upset on TV’s night of nights, Succession’s Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong and other Hollywood figures were overlooked for lead actor in a drama series. For the first time, this prestigious gong was won by an Asian actor – Lee Jung-jae, of Squid Game fame. The dystopian drama’s Hwang Dong-hyuk became the first Asian director to snare the directing prize in the drama series category.

In a further stride towards cultural diversity, Zendaya became the first black woman to win outstanding lead actress in a drama series for a second time, beating heavyweights including Reese Witherspoon and Sandra Oh for her role in HBO’s Euphoria. Succession went into the awards as the favourite, with 25 nominations, and came away with three awards, including a writing gong for its showrunner, Jesse Armstrong. The Englishman attacked the British monarchy on a day when his compatriots were still paying their respects to the Queen. Armstrong said “a little more voting” was involved in the Emmy Awards than in King Charles’s ascension to the throne following his mother’s death.

“Keep it royalist,’’ counselled the show’s star, Cox.

Australian contender Toni Collette (The Staircase) missed out in the lead actress in a limited series category to The Dropout’s Amanda Seyfried.

Another Aussie, Succession’s Sarah Snook, was edged out in the supporting actress in a drama series category by Ozark’s Julia Garner. who has won three Emmys for her turn in the Netflix drug cartel drama.

The night’s best speech came from singer Lizzo after her show, Watch Out For the Big Grrrls, won the outstanding competition program category. Referring to the dearth of roles for plus-sized performers, she said: “When I was a little girl, all I wanted to see was me in the media. Someone fat like me, black like me, beautiful like me. If I could go back and tell little Lizzo something, I’d be like, ‘You’re gonna see that person, but bitch, it’s gonna have to be you’.”

African-American Jerrod Carmichael, who won for outstanding writing for a variety special, channelled Marilyn Monroe in a full-length white fur coat paired with a bare chest. Hosted by Saturday Night Live star Kenan Thompson, the 74th Emmys were one of the first major televised award shows since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards in March.