LOS ANGELES: Historical epic “Shogun” – a tale of warring dynasties in feudal Japan – could make history on Sunday at the Emmys, television’s equivalent of the Oscars.
The FX series is hotly tipped to become the first ever non-English-language winner of the award for best drama – the most prestigious prize at the gala honoring the best on the small screen.
The show’s cast could also win big with a host of nominations, including for veteran leading man Hiroyuki Sanada, and co-stars Anna Sawai and Tadanobu Asano.
Any new victories on Sunday would add to the already-record-breaking tally of 14 gongs “Shogun” took home from the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend.
This is the second Emmys gala this year, after crippling twin strikes in Hollywood last year bumped the 2023 ceremony to January.
The months-long walkout by actors and writers also crimped the pipeline of new shows that could be released in time for this edition, meaning submissions dropped by a third year-on-year.
And with awards heavyweights like “Succession” – which dominated the Emmys for years – having finished their runs, the path could be clear for some interesting newcomers.
One of those is Netflix’s word-of-mouth smash “Baby Reindeer,” based on a relatively unknown Scottish comedian’s harrowing one-man show about sexual abuse.
Part of the attention stemmed from the show’s claim to be “a true story” – an insistence that earned the streamer a $170 million lawsuit from a British woman who claims she was the inspiration for its obsessive and violent stalker.
Pundits predict Emmy voters will choose “Baby Reindeer” as best limited series, while its creator Richard Gadd goes head-to-head with Andrew Scott (“Ripley”) and Jon Hamm (“Fargo”) for best actor honors.
Emmy nominees in key categories
The limited series section, for shows that end in a single season, always draws A-list Hollywood stars, and this year is no exception.
Jodie Foster is a best actress favorite for her turn as an Alaskan cop in “True Detective: Night Country,” up against fellow Oscar winner Brie Larson, as a pioneering female chemist in “Lessons in Chemistry.”
More glory for ‘The Bear’?
In the comedy categories, “The Bear,” a dark satire set in a Chicago restaurant, and its foodie chefs played by Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach look primed for more Emmys glory.
The show’s intense debut season dominated the last Emmys, and its even more acclaimed and ambitious second season is eligible this time around.
It scooped up seven prizes in minor categories last weekend, including a best guest actress award for Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis.
HBO’s “Hacks” is expected to limit the rampage by “The Bear,” with Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder looking like frontrunners for their roles as a diva comedienne and her dysfunctional millennial assistant.
But all eyes will be on “Shogun,” an epic based on James Clavell’s historical fiction, which led the nominations with 25 overall.
Though produced by Disney-owned FX, and shot in Canada, it features a primarily Japanese cast and subtitles, making it only the second non-English-language show to earn a best drama nomination, after South Korea’s “Squid Game” two years ago.
With 14 wins in the minor categories, “Shogun” has already eclipsed the previous record for number of Emmys for a drama in a single season, set by “Game of Thrones” with 12.
Its biggest rival this year is former drama winner “The Crown.”
The final season of Netflix’s British royal saga drew a lukewarm response from critics, but Elizabeth Debicki is tipped for best supporting actress as Princess Diana.
Father-and-son acting duo Eugene and Daniel Levy will host the ceremony, which begins at 5:00 pm (0000 GMT Monday).
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