Big Little Lies is officially this year's The People v OJ Simpson. The near-flawless HBO series swept this year's Emmy Awards, beating out competitors like Feud: Bette and Joan and Fargo to take home almost every single prize it was nominated for.
The series won the top Outstanding Limited Series prize, accepted by co-stars and co-producers Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman. "Bring women to the front of their own stories," Kidman said, "and make them the hero of their own stories. And thank you for that opportunity and for audiences to wrap their arms around us." Her friendship with Witherspoon, she said, "created opportunities out of a frustration because we weren't getting offered great roles. So now, more great roles for women, please. Thank you." YES.
Kidman also won the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series, and deservedly so, for her wrenching, complex, gruelling performance as Celeste. She beat Witherspoon, who looked genuinely thrilled as Kidman gave her speech. "Sometimes when you're acting, you get a chance to bring a bigger message," she said. "We shone a light on domestic abuse. It is a complicated, insidious disease, and it exists far more than we allow ourselves to know. It is filled with shame and secrecy, and by you acknowledging me with this award, it shines a light on it even more."
Laura Dern won Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for playing the tightly wound, occasionally terrifying Renata, also beating her co-star Shailene Woodley. "I've been acting since I was 11 years old and I think I have worked with maybe 12 women, so I want to thank the television academy for honoring our show and working with this incredible tribe of fierce women." She thanked Kidman and Witherspoon's mothers for "not only giving us extraordinary women but really well-read women because that's how I'm getting parts."
Alexander Skarsgård took home the award for Best Supporting Actor for his visceral performance as Celeste's abusive husband Perry, and thanked "the incredible ladies of the show, for making this boy feel like one of the girls."
Jean-Marc Vallée won for Best Directing for a Limited Series, but longtime Emmy fave David E. Kelley missed out on the Best Writing prize, which went to Charlie Brooker for Black Mirror: San Junipero.
At the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend, Big Little Lies also won three awards for casting, music supervision, and contemporary costumes. All in all, the show took home six Emmys, which feels like as good an excuse as any to re-binge the entire series next weekend, TBH.
