Adolescence star Owen Cooper has become the youngest male actor to win a Primetime Emmy, taking Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at age 15 for the Netflix drama.
The teenager, who had already made history as the youngest person ever nominated in his category, told the audience he was "nothing" just three years ago.
"Honestly, when I started these drama classes a couple of years back, I didn't expect to be even in the United States, never mind here," he said in his acceptance speech.
"But I think tonight proves that if you listen and you focus and you step out of your comfort zone, you can achieve anything in life."
Cooper’s award capped a dominant night for Adolescence, which won six Emmys in the Limited Series field.
The show claimed Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, with Stephen Graham taking Outstanding Lead Actor, Erin Doherty winning Outstanding Supporting Actress, Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham awarded Outstanding Writing and Philip Barantini recognised with Outstanding Directing.
"I'm just a mixed-race kid from a block of flats in a place called Kirkby," Graham told the audience.
"So, for me to be here today in front of my peers and to be acknowledged by you is the utmost humbling thing I could ever imagine in my life, and it shows you that any dream is possible."
Severance was nominated 27 times, while crime drama mini-series The Penguin had 24 nominations and Adolescence received 13.
The British drama, which dominated Netflix's most-watched list earlier this year, centres on the story of a 13-year-old boy arrested for the murder of a classmate.
There was disappointment for the Irish contingent. Sharon Horgan, previously nominated for Catastrophe and shortlisted this year for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series with Bad Sisters, missed out. Ruth Negga (Presumed Innocent) and Colin Farrell (The Penguin) also left empty-handed after receiving their first Primetime Emmy nominations.
In drama, hospital series The Pitt was named Outstanding Drama Series, with Noah Wyle taking Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Katherine LaNasa winning Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
Apple TV+’s Severance, which led the field in nominations, secured acting prizes for Britt Lower (Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series) and Tramell Tillman (Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series).
Comedy belonged to The Studio, which won Outstanding Comedy Series and saw creator-star Seth Rogen take Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series as well as share honours for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.
Jean Smart won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Hacks, while Hannah Einbinder took Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and Jeff Hiller won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for Somebody Somewhere.
In his opening address, host Nate Bargatze announced that he would donate $100,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of America.
But if speeches ran for more than 45 seconds, he deducted $1000 from the total amount being donated, while speeches under the time limit would add more money to the total.
"I know, it's brutal," he said. "This is a game I’ve made up and these are rules."
But with the speeches running over, the donation limit went "way down", Bargatze told the crowd in his closing monologue.
"The number, I’ll be honest, it was embarrassing. It went way down. And I don’t know, I can’t imagine ever doing this again," host Nate Bargatze said.
"So CBS is going to add $100,000. I will give $250,000 dollars (£185,000). It takes us to $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Club."
Maggie Smith, musicians Ozzy Osbourne and Quincy Jones, Gossip Girl actress Michelle Trachtenberg and director David Lynch were among the famous faces honoured in an In Memoriam slideshow.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which was controversially cancelled earlier this year, won the award for Outstanding Talk Series.
"And that’s related to love, because sometimes you only truly know how much you love something when you get a sense that you might be losing it," Colbert told the crowd, who kicked off his speech to cheers of "Stephen" from his team onstage.
"Ten years later, in September of 2025, my friends, I have never loved my country more desperately. God bless America. Stay strong. Be brave, and if the elevator tries to bring you down, go crazy and punch a higher floor."
The Primetime Emmy winners in key categories:
Lead Actress, Comedy
Jean Smart, Hacks
Supporting Actress, Drama
Katherine LaNasa, The Pitt
Supporting Actor, Drama
Tramell Tillman, Severance
Lead Actress, Drama
Britt Lower, Severance
Supporting Actress, Comedy
Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
Supporting Actor, Comedy
Jeff Hiller, Somebody Somewhere
Supporting Actor, Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Owen Cooper, Adolescence
Supporting Actress, Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Erin Doherty, Adolescence
Lead Actress, Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Cristin Milioti, The Penguin
Lead Actor, Limited or Anthology Series or Movie
Stephen Graham, Adolescence
Lead Actor, Drama
Noah Wyle, The Pitt
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series
Adolescence
Outstanding Comedy Series
The Studio
Outstanding Drama Series
The Pitt
Additional reporting: Press Association
