Behind the Candelabra wins three Emmy awards

Scroll down for full list of winners

Behind the Candelabra scored a hat-trick at the 65^th annual Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles last night [Sept 22].

The biopic of Liberace picked up the award for Directing, Miniseries or Movie for Steven Soderbergh; Actor, Miniseries or Movie for Michael Douglas’ portrayal of the flamboyant entertainer; and best Miniseries or Movie.

Accepting his first ever Emmy award, Douglas thanked his family, wife Catherine Zeta Jones and co-star Matt Damon.

The drama had been nominated for 15 Emmys, including for Damon as Liberace’s lover Scott Thorson, on whose book the film is based.

Accepting the award, Douglas said of Damon: “You’re magnificent. The only reason I’m standing here is because of you.”

The ceremony included a performance by Sir Elton John, who paid tribute to Liberace with new song Home Again.

Behind the Candelabra received its world premiere in Cannes, where it played in competition for the Palme d’Or, and was immediately tipped for Emmy success following strong reviews. It is, however, excluded from the Academy Awards as premiered in the US on the small screen.

Director Steven Soderbergh and producer Jerry Weintraub took the project to cable network HBO after the US majors baulked at the subject matter of homosexuality, drugs and AIDS. The initial HBO broadcast on May 26 drew 2.4m viewers – the company’s highest numbers in close to a decade.

In addition, Netflix’s House Of Cards – one of the first digitally distributed series to earn major nominations – saw David Fincher win the Emmy for Directing, Drama Series.

The political drama stars Kevin Spacey, who lost out in the lead actor category to Jeff Daniels, who was the surprise winner for his role in The Newsroom, also beating Homeland’s Damian Lewis, Mad Men’s Jon Hamm and favourite Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad.

HBO led this year’s awards, winning seven Emmys, followed by Showtime with four, ABC and NBC with three each and AMC and Comedy Central with two each.

Full list of winners

Drama Series
Breaking Bad, AMC

Actor, Drama Series
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom, HBO

Actress, Drama Series
Claire Danes, Homeland, Showtime

Supporting Actor, Drama Series
Bobby Cannavale, Boardwalk Empire, HBO

Supporting Actress, Drama Series
Anna Gunn, Breaking Bad, AMC

Directing, Drama Series
David Fincher, House of Cards, Netflix

Writing, Drama Series
Henry Bromell, Homeland, Showtime

Comedy Series
Modern Family, ABC

Actor, Comedy Series
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory, CBS

Actress, Comedy Series
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep, HBO

Supporting Actor, Comedy Series
Tony Hale, Veep, HBO

Supporting Actress, Comedy Series
Merritt Wever, Nurse Jackie, Showtime

Directing, Comedy Series
Gail Mancuso, Modern Family, ABC

Writing, Comedy Series
Tina Fey, Tracey Wigfield, 30 Rock, NBC

Miniseries or Movie
Behind the Candelabra, HBO

Actor, Miniseries or Movie
Michael Douglas, Behind the Candelabra, HBO

Actress, Miniseries or Movie
Laura Linney, The Big C: Hereafter, Showtime

Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie
James Cromwell, American Horror Story: Asylum, FX

Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie
Ellen Burstyn, Political Animals, USA

Directing, Miniseries or Movie
Steven Soderbergh, Behind the Candelabra, HBO

Writing, Miniseries or Movie
Abi Morgan, The Hour, BBC America

Reality-Competition Program
The Voice, NBC

Variety Series
The Colbert Report, Comedy Central

Writing, Variety Series
The Colbert Report, Comedy Central

Directing, Variety Series
Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live, NBC

Choreography
Derek Hough, Dancing With the Stars, ABC