This year's Emmy Awards took place on Sunday night in Los Angeles. While shows like Shogun and The Bear dominated the event with double-digit wins, Netflix's Baby Reindeer shined in limited series categories. The show bagged awards in four categories including, best writing for a limited or anthology series and best limited or anthology series or movie. Actors Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning won awards in their respective acting categories.
Baby Reindeer's first win of the evening came in best writing for a limited or anthology series category. Richard Gadd, the creator and star of the show, accepted the award and said, “Ten years ago, I was down and out. I never thought I would get my life together... No matter how bad it gets, it always gets better.”
Next, Richard Gadd was called on stage after he won as the best actor in a limited or anthology series category. With this, he became one of the few actors to have won both acting and writing Emmys in the same year. The feat has previously been achieved by Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag and Tina Fey for 30 Rock. Accepting the award for best actor, Richard expressed gratitude to his parents and said, “The thing I'm most grateful for is they've never, ever told me what I needed to do with my life, and they never, ever told me who I needed to be. And I think that's the greatest gift a parent can give a child.”
He added, “They always said: ‘Follow your heart, and the rest will fall into place.' I think it's good advice: Follow your heart, and the rest will fall into place.”
Richard climbed the steps to the stage for the third time after Baby Reindeer's win in the best limited series category. The actor talked about the importance of taking risks in the entertainment industry. Richard said, “I know the industry is in a slump right now, but no slump was broken without a willingness to take risks. The only constant for success in television is to take risks, push boundaries, explore the uncomfortable.”
Jessica Gunning won the first Emmy Award in her 17-year-long career for her performance in Baby Reindeer. Accepting the award, the actress said, “I've tried so many times to put into words what working on Baby Reindeer meant to me and I fail every time. So I'm going to sing… no. No, I'll keep it simple and just say thank you for trusting me to be your Martha. I will never, ever forget her or you or this. It really means a lot."
In Baby Reindeer, Jessica Gunning portrays Martha, a stalker who develops an obsession with comic and bartender Donny (Richard Gadd) after he offers her a complimentary cup of tea when she's feeling low. Martha's attachment turns into stalking and the pair develops a deep grasp of each other's mind as they spend more time together.
