What celebs didn’t say onstage
As usual, some of the most interesting Emmy moments were not on screen but off, backstage with the nominees and on the red carpet before the show.
Highlights:
Field’s silent moment
Brothers & Sisters star Sally Field was ecstatic on her surprise win as best actress in a drama. But explaining why Fox censors bleeped her acceptance speech, Field said, “I probably shouldn’t have said the ‘god’ in front of the ‘damn.’ Ö I didn’t have a point to get across. I have no agenda, I didn’t have any political something I wanted to say. I wanted to pay homage to mothers, period, and especially the mothers waiting for children to come home from the war.”
Winners all
ïTina Fey, who created best-comedy winner 30 Rock, is looking to the Emmy to boost ratings. “I certainly hope that it will,” she said. “I don’t think it will hurt us, but I had friends who worked on (low-rated Emmy winner) Arrested Development, so I know how hard it can be.” The Emmy, word of mouth and big-time guest stars “can help us a little bit,” Fey said.
ïUgly Betty’s America Ferrara, who picked up the Emmy for best actress in a comedy, said the win “symbolizes all the wonderful blessings of the past year. I’m so happy and humbled to be on a show that’s not only fun Ö but is making a difference and inspiring people and changing the way we look at prejudice and diversity.”
ïMy Name Is Earl’s Jaime Pressly, who won for best supporting actress in a comedy, lit up a backstage smoke. Nervously picking up her award, her hands were shaking. “I can’t even hold it. I’m like this,” she said, exaggerating the shaking. Asked what she would do with the statuette, she joked, “I’m gonna go rub it in the cast’s face.”
Reflecting on her career and life: “I’ve been in the business 13 years. It’s nice to finally get noticed.” She gave birth to son Dezzi in May. On having a baby and winning the Emmy in the same year: “This is not my life. It’s been a new one.”
ïGrey’s Anatomy’s Katherine Heigl, who won for supporting actress in a drama, said she had begun to relax and enjoy the ceremony after leaving the stage earlier as a presenter. “I felt I wasn’t going to win. So when they said my name, it took a good couple of seconds to realize they meant me and that I had to get back up and say something profound. So that was a little nerve-racking.”
Of mom Nancy, whom she thanked from the stage: “She’s the most phenomenal woman I’ve ever met. She’s who I hope to be. This (Emmy) is for her because of all her strength, courage and fight. She never doubted me.”
Grey’sAnatomy creator Shonda Rhimes and castmates Sara Ramirez and Kate Walsh skipped the Tony Bennett/Christina Aguilera number so they could toast Heigl backstage. “We’re so proud and happy for our Katie,” Ramirez said.
ïRobert Duvall, who won for best actor in a miniseries for AMC Western Broken Trail, said he didn’t mess around when it came to training for the role. “I bought a horse a year in advance. I could have been a cowboy. But I ride mainly in an English saddle.”
ïEntourage’s Jeremy Piven, who won his second consecutive supporting-actor Emmy, said, “I’ll never, ever get used to this.”
Piven offered some insight into his obsessive talent-agent character, Ari Gold. “We all have our demons. I don’t think it’s me that’s winning this. It’s this character. He’s an aggressive, type-A wrecking ball.”
Winning again was humbling. “I never thought I’d be the people’s favorite in anything. I’ve never been on anyone’s list. I’ve never been a ‘type.’ I’ve been playing the abrasive best friend for decades.”
Piven later sat in the front row with his Emmy between his legs, playing with a cigar he seemed anxious to smoke. About that snarky line from host Ryan Seacrest at the opening about keeping him away from Heroes’ just-turned-18 Hayden Panettiere? “I was sort of blindsided. I don’t really know where that (ladies’ man rep) comes from.”
ïLost’s Terry O’Quinn, who won for best supporting actor in a drama, was told he could pick any of the Emmys. He paused and looked at the table with 45 statutes. He picked the third one in and third from the right. “I got the best one,” he said.
As for the win, “It’s a little frosting on being nominated. Beyond that, I don’t have expectations. I’m gratified to be invited to the party.” What keeps O’Quinn sane amid his relatively late-found fame? “The hovering specter of poverty. And my wife.”
ïDick Wolf on winning for best made-for-TV movie for Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: “This was the icing on the cake” after a long process to get the film made. We were six years at HBO. This was a labor of love and a labor of conscience.”
Mirren’s minor miracles
Though Helen Mirren, best actress in a movie or miniseries for Prime Suspect: The Final Act on PBS, appears to have been on a roll at the last few awards shows ó including an Oscar this year and an Emmy last year ó she is quick to point out, “I have had a few losses. Other years I’ve sat out there and not won. It’s been an amazing year for me. It’s always down to the writing. The writing is where the role springs from.”
Could anyone have predicted she’d have such a strong year? “I don’t believe in astrology, but I’d be very curious to what my astrological sign said about this year.”
Male bonding
Steve Schirripa came with Sopranos castmate Michael Imperioli, who later lost to O’Quinn. “This is it. It’s a little bit of sweet,” Schirripa said. Imperioli said this last time is “bittersweet,” and it was fun to get together with his castmates. But, he said, “we’ll be friends forever. I’m not afraid of not seeing them again.”
As for Entourage’s Kevin Dillon, who lost to Piven for supporting actor, he and his castmates were almost as tight off the set as their characters were on the HBO comedy. “I play golf with Jerry Ferrara (Turtle) every week.”
Denis Leary, who was up for best actor in FX’s Rescue Me, picked his personal favorite in the category before the show: “James Gandolfini should win every award tonight ó best actor, best drinker, best eater, everything you can win.” Neither Leary nor Gandolfini did; James Spader (Boston Legal) took the gold.
Food for thought
What was on the breakfast menu for Emmy day?
ï”I had lox, onions and eggs,” reported Ugly Betty’s Eric Mabius, on the red carpet with his wife, Ivy Sherman. “A nice Jewish breakfast, even though I’m Catholic.”
ï”I made breakfast for my hair and makeup team ó eggs, bacon and fruit smoothies,” said Desperate Housewives star Eva Longoria.
ï”Scrambled egg whites,” said Julia Louis-Dreyfus, nominated for best comedy actress for The New Adventures of Old Christine.
ïAnd how was Weeds’ Mary-Louise Parker keeping her pre-Emmy show strength up? “Peanut M&Ms,” she said.
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