Jamie Lee Curtis landed her first Emmy statue for her performance in The Bear at the 2024 Creative Arts Emmys over the weekend.
Organised by officials at the Television Academy, the second night of ceremonies honouring outstanding artistic and technical achievement in television took place at the Peacock Theater at L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles on Sunday.
After her name was announced as the winner of Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal of Donna Berzatto in the episode Fishes, Curtis took to the stage and expressed her thanks for the support the FX show has received.
"You know there's a saying, 'Hurt people, hurt people,' but I also think you can add to that and say, 'Helped people, help people,' and I think that's the story of The Bear. It's astonishing that I got this opportunity at this point in my life," she declared, before describing the show's cast and crew as the "ingredients of this beautiful, beautiful, beautiful piece of television... that I'm privileged to be in".
Later in the press room, Curtis exclaimed that she felt like the "luckiest girl in the world" and joked that she has come a long way since starring in yoghurt commercials.
"I've been an actor since I was 19. I'm 65," the Halloween actress stated. "I've sold yoghurt that makes you s**t for seven years. And I just never thought in my life that I would get to do work at this level of depth and complexity and intelligence. And it's just been the thrill of my creative life these last couple of years that I get these opportunities. So, I'm humble and incredibly grateful."
In addition, Curtis brushed off the possibility of potentially aiming for EGOT status, as she already has a Golden Globe and Academy Award to her name. EGOT is an acronym for the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards.
"Well, I can't sing at all, and I've never been on stage, actually. I've never done a play, and so I can't imagine," she responded of whether she would strive for Tony and Grammy Awards. "I am just not sure I would do so well in the theatre since you go to bed so late. But you know what? I never thought any of this was going to be possible in my life at all."
In addition, Jon Bernthal was named Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Mikey Berzatto in The Bear.
Elsewhere, Shogun dominated the prizegiving, taking home 15 trophies. The FX costume drama, which is set in feudal Japan, landed nods for casting, costumes and cinematography as well as Néstor Carbonell landing Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Michaela Coel, who wasn't in attendance, claimed Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Bev in Prime Video's Mr. & Mrs. Smith, while the crowd erupted in applause when Benj Pasek and Justin Paul won the Emmy for their song Which of the Pickwick Triplets Did It? for an episode of Hulu's Only Murders in the Building. The songwriters have now achieved prestigious EGOT status.
Meanwhile, Greg Berlanti was the recipient of the 2024 Governors Award for his work on TV shows like Dawson's Creek, Riverdale, All American, The Flight Attendant and You.
An edited presentation of both nights of the Creative Arts Emmys will air on 14 September.
