Alan Cumming won his second Emmy for hosting ‘The Traitors.’ (Screen capture via Television Academy/YouTube)
When “Severance” star Tramell Tillman became the first gay Black man to win for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, the first person he thanked was his mother.
“Mama, you were there for me when no one else was and no one else would show up,” the first-time winner said onstage, during his acceptance speech.
“Your loving kindness stays with me, and this is for you. Thank you to the Academy. I am full. I am humbled. I am honored. And as my mama would say, ‘Whew. Look at God.’ Thank you.”
Backstage in the pressroom, Tillman said he was “on cloud nine” and “still processing” the historic win.
“I am fortunate to be in the company of such great actors that have gone before me, like Andre Braugher, Ossie Davis, Michael K. Williams, that have done beautiful work, and those that are still with us today, like Giancarlo Esposito and Jeffrey Wright,” he said.
“These men, I’ve been taken by their work for years, and I borrow from them. So I’m just honored to be in the class.”
Tillman also mentioned the “importance of taking a chance on yourself,” adding he was “told that I would never make it as an actor, that it’s a career that leads to a dead end.”
But after seeing his classmates pursue their dreams, he realized it was time for him to take a chance, “I’ve learned there are no guarantees in life, but you continue to take a chance to see what happens.”
Another first-time LGBTQ winner who was thrilled with her win was “Adolescence’s” Erin Doherty, who won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.
Doherty thanked her girlfriend Sinead Donnelly onstage. “Sinead, thank you for making me the happiest person in the world. I love you with everything I’ve got,” she said lovingly.
In addition, a visibly shocked Jeff Hiller won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in “Somebody Somewhere.”
Thanking his “sweet husband,” Hiller said: “I feel like I’m going to cry because for the past 25 years, I’ve been, like ‘world, I want to be an actor!’ and the world’s, like, ‘maybe computers.’ I just want to say thank you to HBO for putting a show about sweaty middle-aged people on the same network as the sexy teens of ‘Euphoria!’ Thank you to the Duplass brothers, Carolyn Straus, and Hanna Boss and Paul Thureen who wrote a show about connecting and love, in this time when compassion is seen as a weakness.”
Alan Cumming picked up his second Emmy for hosting Peacock’s brilliant competition show “The Traitors.”
“Thanks to everyone who watches the show. Thanks to all of the people who have ‘Traitors’ parties and dress up as me. We see you. We love you!” he told the audience onstage.
Cumming is also an executive producer on the competition series. “Thank you to our crazy cast and our crew in Scotland who had to understand the concept of the Scottish summer is sometimes oxymoronic,” he quipped.
He also sent loving words to his hubby. Thanking his husband Grant, “who brings joy into my life every single day,” Cumming acknowledged that this was a difficult time we live in. But “it’s so great that our show brings a little bit of joy into this life.”
In the pressroom, Cumming was asked who he thinks should join the show, Cumming responded, “I’m sure our president would be very good on the show. Having a lot of chaos and sort of turmoil and treachery, so maybe he’d like to come on and be paid for that, probably better than he gets as president.”
At the awards show, Cumming supported trans rights, wearing a decorative pin to the lapel of his dapper tuxedo.
While this next season will be full of celebrities, the following season of “The Traitors” will feature regular people rather than Hollywood types.
Around town, there was a plethora of gifting suites activity, with numerous LGBTQ nominees and vendors.
“After 25 years of producing the official Grammy’s gift lounge, it feels like a full circle moment to be able to add something as prestigious as the Emmy Awards Giving Suite to our roster,” said organizer Lash Fary.
“To still be expanding our scope after all these years is a testament to how gifts make people feel … something that isn’t simply a trend. I’m incredibly proud of this new relationship and that sharing gifts I love with talented people I respect is something that allows me to live a beautiful life.”
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