The Emmy Awards: Surprising Facts We Never Knew
Awards ceremonies are a big deal in the entertainment industry, and the Emmys are no exception. They’re the Oscars of television. But even if you watch every year, there’s a lot of drama and behind-the-scenes secrets that go right over the public’s heads. Do you know how much each of those statuettes actually costs? And did you ever hear about the time a First Lady won one? Read on to find out more.
1. The real woman behind the statuette
Did you know that Emmy statuettes are actually based on the image of a real woman? Out of the 48 ideas submitted for the design of the Emmy award, the Emmy founders chose the model of a woman called Dorothy, film editor Louis McManus’ wife. The statue’s wings represent art, and the atom she holds represents science: both crucial elements when it comes to making television.
2. Game of Thrones goes for gold
No prizes for guessing that Game of Thrones always did very well at the Emmys. Its final season claimed the record for the most nominations for single season: 32. And throughout its run GoT racked up a whopping 106 nominations and 35 wins, with Peter Dinklage especially being well rewarded for his performances. It even won Best Drama Series after Season Eight concluded, which might have come as a surprise considering how slated that one was by some fans.
3. You’re squidding me
In 2021 Korean horror series Squid Game took the world by storm — and the Emmys as well. Come 2022 it was nominated for 14 awards, the only time a non-English, non-Western-produced show had ever achieved nominations in the major categories. Five of its actors — Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Jung Ho-yeon, Oh Young-soo, and Lee You-mi — all received nods for their performances.
4. RuPaul wins the race
In 2021 RuPaul set a record: he became the highest-awarded person of color in the whole history of the Emmys. That year he picked up his 11th award for RuPaul’s Drag Race, a whopping fourth consecutive win for the competition show. Fun fact: he is also the first person to ever utter the word “enema” while receiving an Emmy award!
