Game of Thrones take home Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series

It is now the second fantasy or sci-fi show to get the award, after Lost in 2005.

HBO’s hit fantasy series Game of Thrones was awarded with the Outstanding Drama Series award the 2015 Emmys on early Monday morning. The whole cast and crew, including creators David Benioff and DB Weiss were present on stage to collect the award. It is now the second fantasy or sci-fi show to get the award, after Lost in 2005.

The cast and crew of HBO's The Game of Thrones congratulate each other on the win for Outstanding Drama Series during the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, California. (REUTERS)

Also, Mad Men star Jon Hamm finally won the best drama actor Emmy Award that eluded him seven times before, an overdue honour that was eclipsed on Sunday by How to Get Away with Murder star Viola Davis’ lead actor trophy that ended a whites-only reign.

Jon Hamm, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Tambor and Julia Louis-Dreyfus with their Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in Comedy Series, respectively.

“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity,” an emotional Davis said. “You cannot win Emmys with roles that are simply not there.”

Jon Stewart is gone from The Daily Show but not forgotten by Emmy voters, who gave the late-night show the best variety talk series award Sunday over another host who’s moved on, Stephen Colbert.

Jon Stewart and the cast and crew, winners of the award for outstanding variety talk series for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.

Stewart, who left the Daily Show earlier this year, warned the theater audience that the perils of leaving TV include no applause or free food.

“To everybody on television, I just want to tell you, cling to it as long as you can,” joked Stewart, who’s turning over Daily Show to Trevor Noah.

Besides Colbert, who left his Comedy Central show to become host of CBS’ late-night show, the tough competition included another channel alum, John Oliver.

Transparent emerged as an early winner at Sunday’s Emmy Awards, capturing a best comedy actor trophy for Jeffrey Tambor and a directing award for its creator, and giving both winners a chance to pay tribute to the show’s trangender themes.

“I’d like to dedicate my performance and this award to the transgender community. ... Thanks for letting us be part of the change,” said Tambor, who plays a man journeying toward womanhood.

Jill Soloway, who based the series on the life of her own “moppa,” as she calls her parent, used her directing trophy acceptance speech to ask for equal rights for transgender individuals.

“It is legal in the majority of U.S. states to refuse to rent to trans people,” she said, saying the country has a civil rights problem that must be addressed.

Peter Dinklage nabbed the best supporting drama actor award for Game of Thrones, which also won writing and directing trophies.

Peter Dinklage and Uzo Aduba accept their awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor and

Host Andy Samberg noted that the 67th Emmys coincided with the 67th birthday for George R.R. Martin, whose novels are the basis for Game of Thrones. A smiling Martin was in the theater audience to accept the congratulations.

Uzo Aduba won the supporting actress in a drama trophy for Orange is the New Black, which was switched under academy rules this year from comedy competition. Aduba won a guest actress award last year for her portrayal of “Crazy Eyes” in the series.

Emmys voters didn’t give up their fondness for choosing the familiar over the groundbreaking in other categories as well.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus was honored as best lead comedy actress for Veep for the fourth time. Allison Janney of Mom and Tony Hale of Veep were repeat winners for supporting comedy acting honors.

Janney, who plays a dysfunctional parent, thanked series producer Chuck Lorre for creating a deeply flawed character and “thinking of me to play her.”

“This is nuts,” said Tony Hale, thanking his show’s writers and lauding his fellow nominees: “You make me laugh hard.”

Olive Kitteridge, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Elizabeth Strout, nearly swept the limited series categories, with six trophies including the top award and lead acting honors for Frances McDormand and Richard Jenkins and a supporting award for Bill Murray.

Regina King of American Crime won supporting actress honors for a limited series. Inside Amy Schumer won for best variety sketch series.

Amy Schumer, winner of the Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Award for Inside Amy Schumer, poses in the press room.

The Voice won a best reality series trophy, breaking the hold that The Amazing Race long hold on the category and snaring an award that always eluded American Idol.

Samberg kicked off the ceremony with a video in which he made elaborate fun of the overload of TV programs available.

“So many shows, so little,” he sang, before entering a “TV viewing bunker” to binge-view on all the nominated shows. A bearded, shaggy-haired Samberg emerged to boast to contenders Jon Hamm and Kerry Washington that he had them and everyone else covered.

Appearing on stage, groomed, Samberg touched briefly on the political scene.

“Sure, Donald Trump seems racist,” he said. “What else?”

He also took note of what he called the most diverse group of nominees in Emmy history. They include Viola Davis and Taraji P. Henson, who could become the first non-white winner in the best drama series actress category.

“So congratulations, Hollywood, you did it. Racism is over! Don’t fact-check that,” Samberg said.

Here is a list of important awards with their nominations and winner:

Outstanding Drama Series

Better Call Saul (AMC)

Downton Abbey (PBS)

Game Of Thrones (HBO) -WINNER

Homeland (Showtime)

House Of Cards (Netflix)

Mad Men (AMC)

Orange Is The New Black (Netflix)

Outstanding Comedy Series

Louie (FX)

Modern Family (ABC)

Parks And Recreation (NBC)

Silicon Valley (HBO)

Transparent (Amazon)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

Veep (HBO)- WINNER

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Kyle Chandler, Bloodline

Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom

Jon Hamm, Mad Men- WINNER

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan

Kevin Spacey, House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Claire Danes, Homeland

Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder-WINNER

Taraji P. Henson, Empire

Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black

Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

Robin Wright, House of Cards

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson, Black-ish

Louis C.K., Louie

Don Cheadle, House of Lies

Will Forte, Last Man on Earth

Matt LeBlanc, Episodes

William H. Macy, Shameless

Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent-WINNER

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie

Lisa Kudrow, The Comeback

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep-WINNER

Amy Poehler, Parks and Recreation

Amy Schumer, Inside Amy Schumer

Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul

Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline

Jim Carter, Downton Abbey

Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones-WINNER

Michael Kelly, House of Cards

Alan Cumming, The Good Wife

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey

Lena Headey, Game of Thrones

Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones

Christina Hendricks, Mad Men

Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black-WINNER

Christine Baranski, The Good Wife

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Niecy Nash, Getting On

Julie Bowen, Modern Family

Allison Janney, Mom-WINNER

Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live

Mayim Bialik, The Big Bang Theory

Gaby Hoffmann, Transparent

Jane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Anna Chlumsky, Veep

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Andre Braugher, Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Adam Driver, Girls

Keegan-Michael Key, Key & Peele

Ty Burrell, Modern Family

Tituss Burgess, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Tony Hale, Veep - WINNER