Rhea Seehorn finally has her Emmy. The Better Call Saul alum won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Monday night for her performance as Carol Sturka in Pluribus, earning her first Emmy.
Seehorn was visibly emotional as she took the stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
“This is me on a beta blocker,” she joked through tears.
She then turned serious, thanking Pluribus creator Vince Gilligan for what she called “the role of a lifetime.” “Thank you, Vince Gilligan, for giving me not only the role of a lifetime, but for creating sets where we all get to collaborate and we are actually made to feel safe to take risks so that we get better as artists,” Seehorn said.
The actress also recognized her fellow nominees – Carrie Coon (The Gilded Age), Chase Infiniti (The Testaments), Keri Russell (The Diplomat) and Zendaya (Euphoria).
Seehorn shared that Russell had sent the nominees a gift and card quoting Gloria Steinem: “We are linked, not ranked.” “I feel that way about all you women,” Seehorn said.
She closed by thanking the show’s crew, background artists, cast, family and friends, and partners Graham Larson and McLain and Gray.
The win marks a major awards breakthrough for Seehorn after years of acclaimed work on Better Call Saul.
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Noah Wyle wins
Elsewhere in drama, Noah Wyle won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the second consecutive year for his performance as Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch in The Pitt.
Wyle beat Sterling K. Brown (Paradise), Gary Oldman (Slow Horses), Mark Ruffalo (Task) and Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat).
“Oh, this is overwhelming,” Wyle said.
He used part of his speech to praise Oldman, calling him a benchmark for actors of his generation. “I don’t know if there’s an actor my age that didn’t look and think, ‘That’s the benchmark that I want to hit one day in my career,’” Wyle said.
Wyle also thanked HBO, Warner Bros. Television and the team working on The Pitt, noting that production would resume early the next morning.
“I grew up in L.A. I’m a Hollywood kid,” he said. “I was raised on television, and movie theatres were my place of worship. This is all I’ve ever wanted to do, and this is the only club I’ve ever wanted to join.”
For Seehorn, the night was about finally breaking through. For Wyle, it was about proving last year was no fluke.
