Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” became the first streaming series to win top Emmy comedy honors and HBO’s “Game of Thrones” recaptured the best drama series award Monday at a ceremony that largely slighted its most ethnically diverse field of nominees ever.
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” Amazon’s freshman sitcom about an unhappy 1950s homemaker liberated by stand-up comedy, earned best actress honors for star Rachel Brosnahan.
Her castmate Alex Borstein earned the supporting actress trophy and the series creator, Amy Sherman-Palladino, nabbed writing and directing awards.
Claire Foy of “The Crown” and Matthew Rhys of “The Americans” won top drama acting Emmys, their first trophies for the roles and last chance to claim them, with Foy’s role as Queen Elizabeth II going to another actress and Rhys’ show wrapped.
RELATED: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, John Mulaney among the Chicago-area Emmy winners
The field bested by Foy included last year’s winner Elisabeth Moss for “The Handmaid’s Tale” and Sandra Oh of “Killing Eve,” who would have been the first actor of Asian descent to get a top drama award.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” said a startled Foy.
“Game of Thrones,” which sat out last year’s Emmys because of scheduling, won despite competition from defending champ “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
“Thank you for letting us take care of your people,” ’'Game of Thrones” producer D.B. Weiss said to George R.R. Martin, whose novels fuel the drama.
In a ceremony that started out congratulating TV academy voters for the most ethnically diverse field of nominees ever, the early awards all went to white nominees.
“Let’s get it trending: #EmmysSoWhite,” presenter James Corden joked at the midway point, riffing off an earlier tribute to Betty White.
“I want to say six awards, all white winners, and nobody has thanked Jesus yet,” co-host Michael Che said, referring back to his earlier joke that only African-American and Republican winners do.
Then Regina King broke the string, with a best actress trophy in a limited series or movie for “Seven Seconds,” which tracks the fallout from a white police officer’s traffic accident involving a black teenager.
RELATED: The biggest snubs and surprises of the 2018 Emmy Awards
She was followed by Darren Criss, who won the lead acting award for the miniseries “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” and who is of Filipino descent.
Thandie Newton won best supporting drama actress for “Westworld,” and Peter Dinklage added a third trophy to his collection for “Game of Thrones.”
Brosnahan used her acceptance speech to give a shout-out to her comedy’s celebration of women power.
“It’s about a woman who’s finding her voice anew, and it’s one of the things that’s happening all over the country now,” she said. She urged the audience to exercise that power by voting.
Bill Hader collected the best comedy actor award for “Barry,” a dark comedy about a hired killer who stumbles into a possible acting career.
Red carpet looks: Stay with us as we list the best and worst dressed at the 2018 Emmys.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times (center); Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Tiffany Haddish in a custom Prabal Gurung gown that incorporates the colors of the Eritrean flag. Not only was it on-trend for the evening but it was one of our favorite looks.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Yvonne Orji’s black velvet gown with piping bodice detail is from the Georges Chakra Fall/Winter 2017 Couture Collection earns her a spot on this year’s best-dressed list.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Scarlett Johansson is on our best-dressed list.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times (left); Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times (center, left))
Rachel Brosnahan embodies Old Hollywood glamour -- and makes our best-dressed list -- with this one-shoulder Oscar de la Renta number.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times; Allen J. Schaben (right))
Elisabeth Moss is another actress that that evoked Old Hollywood glamour on this year’s gold carpet thanks to a custom black silk double georgette Vera Wanbg ensemble that included a strapless sweetheart corset and a pencil skirt with a leg-accentuating slit detail.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision/AP)
Gaten Matarazzo’s amber velvet Dolce & Gabbana tuxedo jacket with brocade trousers -- and his lapel flair - make him a lock for our 2018 Emmy Awards best-dressed list.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Caleb McLaughlin is a sartorial standout in a look from Louis Vuitton’s spring and summer 2019 men’s runway collection.
(Jordan Strauss / Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Heidi Klum is on our best-dressed list.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Issa Rae, in custom pale-blue silk V-neck Vera Wang jumpsuit, is on our best-dressed list.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Trevor Noah is on our best-dressed list.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Angela Sarafyan’s crystal-studded Christian Siriano gown was one of the top looks of the evening.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Nina Kiri is on our best-dressed list.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Regina King is on our best-dressed list.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times (left) Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times (center and right))
Kristen Bell in a white fitted dress is on our best-dressed list.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Hannah Zeile is on our best-dressed list.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Savannah Guthrie is on our worst-dressed list.
(Nina Prommer / EPA-EFE/REX/Shutter)
Samantha Bee was on our best-dressed list last year, but not this year. She made it to our worst-dressed list.
(Jordan Strauss / Invision/AP )
Michelle Wolf is on our worst-dressed list.
Darren Criss on our worst-dressed list.
Amanda Crew is on our worst-dressed list.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Samantha Elizabeth is on our worst dressed list.
Alexis Bledel is on our worst-dressed-list.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Zuri Hall certainly is making a statement with her Emmys look, but this one is a bit much. Her gown looks as if she was wrapped up in someone’s ‘80s living-room drapes. That’s why she is on our worst-dressed list.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
We didn’t love Noah Schnapp’s logomania Emmys outfit for the 2018 Emmy Awards. Although he’s wearing the “it brand” of the moment, this look goes overboard with logos. It would have worked better with an understated tie. That’s why his look is on our worst-dressed list.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Amanda Brugel is on our worst-dressed list.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Jenifer Lewis made a political statement on the Emmys red carpet to support Nike and its support of athlete Colin Kaepernick, but this look is best suited for an afternoon at Runyon Canyon or a fitness class, not a red carpet. That’s why the look is on our worst-dressed list.
(Allen J. Schaben)Henry Winkler, aka “The Fonz,” won a supporting actor award — his first Emmy — for “Barry,” four decades after gaining fame for his role in “Happy Days.”
“If you stay at the table long enough, the chips come to you. Tonight, I got to clear the table,” an ebullient Winkler said, with an equally delighted auditorium audience rising to give him a standing ovation. To his grown children, he said: “You can go to bed now, daddy won!”
The biggest award so far won by a broadcast network was “Saturday Night Live” for best variety sketch series.
The Emmys had a real-life dramatic moment when winning director Glenn Weiss, noting his mother had died two weeks ago, proposed to his girlfriend, Jan Svendsen.
“You wonder why I don’t want to call you my girlfriend? It’s because I want to call you my wife,” Weiss said. She said yes, he put his mother’s ring on her finger and the crowd whooped and cheered.
John Oliver, in picking up the trophy for best variety talk show award for “Last Week Tonight,” thanked Weiss’ girlfriend for giving the right answer or, he joked, the whole ceremony could have gone south.
The Emmys kicked off with a song, “We Solved It,” a celebration to the diversity of nominees sung by stars including Kate McKinnon and Kenan Thompson. The tune included a mention that Oh could become the first woman of Asian descent to win an Emmy. “There were none, now there’s one, so we’re done,” the comedians sang.
Oh played along from her seat: “Thank you, but it’s an honor just to be Asian,” said the Korean-Canadian actress.
“Saturday Night Live” creator Lorne Michaels, producing his second Emmy telecast in 30 years, was tasked with turning viewership around after the 2017 show’s audience of 11.4 million narrowly avoided the embarrassment of setting a new low.
Emmy winner Henry Winkler arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Thandie Newton.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Evan Rachel Wood and Amanda Nguyen arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Game of Thrones” actress Emilia Clarke.
(Frazer Harrison / Getty Images)
“The Crown” actress Claire Foy.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Sarah Paulson and Connie Britton
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Evan Rachel Wood.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Actors Fred Armisen and Natasha Lyonne arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Jason Bateman from “Ozark” arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“Game of Thrones” actress Nathalie Emmanuel.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
William H. Macy and Felicity Huffman arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Eric Bana and Connie Britton.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Actress Edie Falco.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Sarah Sophie Flicker arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards with a message.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Actor Tracy Morgan.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” actress Elisabeth Moss attends the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Rich Polk / Getty Images for IMDb)
“This Is Us” creator Dan Fogelman arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Sarah Silverman plays to the photographers on the gold carpet for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Black-ish” star Tracee Ellis Ross.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Ellie Kemper from “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“This Is Us” star Chrissy Metz.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Joey King and Zac Posen arrive in style at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Big Little Lies” actress Laura Dern.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision / Associated Press)
Laurie Metcalf, left, and Alex Borstein.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision / Associated Press)
Jason Bateman and his wife.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“The Handmaid’s Tale’s” Samira Wiley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Actor Eric Bana.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Benedict Cumberbatch and wife Sophie Hunter.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Rhea Seehorn and Bob Odenkirk.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Game of Thrones” actor Kit Harington.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Chrissy Teigen and new EGOT member John Legend.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Henry Winkler and wife Stacey Weitzman arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Silicon Valley” actress Suzanne Cryer
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Ashley Nicole Black arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“Insecure” actress Yvonne Orji
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Dakota Fanning arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“This Is Us” actress Mandy Moore
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Poppy Delevingne arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Nukaaka Coster-Waldau, left, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
T.R. Knight, left, Poppy Delevingne, Samantha Colley, and Alex Rich arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Ready Player One” actress Elisa Perry
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“This Is Us” actor Sterling K. Brown greets fans near the red carpet at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“Black Panther” actress Letitia Wright
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Jessica Biel, nominated for “The Sinner,” and husband Justin Timberlake arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“This Is Us” star Milo Ventimiglia, up for lead actor in a drama, arrives.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Killing Eve” star Sandra Oh, the first lead drama actress nominee of Asian descent, arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Jenifer Lewis from “Black-ish” arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
“Orphan Black” star Tatiana Maslany, up for lead actress in a drama.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Scarlett Johansson arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, CA.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” actor Tituss Burgess, up for supporting actor, comedy
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Fresh Off the Boat” and “Crazy Rich Asians” actress Constance Wu
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Nominee for “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” actor Darren Criss arives at the 2018 Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Nominee Tina Fey and husband Jeff Richmond arrive at the 70th Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Actress Michelle Dockery, who is nominated for “Godless.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Xosha Roquemore and “Atlanta” actor Lakeith Stanfield arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Stranger Things” actor David Harbour arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Nominated “Atlanta” writer Stefani Robinson
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Atlanta” actor Brian Tyree Henry, up for supporting comedy actor
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Game of Thrones” actress Gwendoline Christie
(Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press)
Tiffany Haddish, who won for outstanding guest actress in a comedy, for “Saturday Night Live.”
(Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press)
“GLOW” actress Betty Gilpin, up for supporting comedy actress
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Stranger Things” actor Charlie Heaton
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Stranger Things” actress Natalia Dyer
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“This Is Us” actor Lonnie Chavis
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Michelle Wolf
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” actress Yvonne Strahovski, up for supporting actress in a drama, and husband Tim Loden arriving at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
It’s thumbs up for Max Minghella.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
It’s a hello from “American Crime” actress Regina King.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” actor O-T. Fagbenle
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“This Is Us” actor Parker Bates.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Insecure” actress Issa Rae.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Justin Hartley and Chrishell Hartley.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Kristine Leahy.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
RuPaul Charles, left, and the cast and crew of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press)
George R.R. Martin.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision / Associated Press)
“Saturday Night Live” duo Aidy Bryant, left, and Kate McKinnon.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Sydney Sweeney pauses for photographers.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“Stranger Things” actor Noah Schnapp.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
“The Good Place” actress Kristen Bell arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Hosts Colin Jost, left, and Michael Che arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Sterling K. Brown, lead actor in a drama series and guest actor in a comedy series nominee, and his wife, Ryan Michelle Bathe, arrive for the 70th Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Valerie Macon / AFP/Getty Images)
Trevor Noah and Britney Young arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Zuri Hall arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Michaela McManus arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Ryan Michelle Bathe at the Primetime Emmys.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Marc Maron arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Angela Sarafyan arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Hoda Kotb, left, and Savannah Guthrie arrive at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Jenifer Lewis makes a statement in Nike gear on the Emmys red carpet.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Madeline Brewer arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Lilliana Vazquez arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Keltie Knight blows a kiss to the photographers at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Jeff Dye shows off his muscle on the red carpet at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Natalie Morales, from left, Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie are all smiles on the red carpet at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Tanika Ray, left, and Kit Hoover greet each other on the red carpet at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Rocsi Diaz arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Natalie Morales shows off her gown on the gold carpet.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
A shorts-wearing Mario Lopez arrives at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Samantha Elizabeth hits the gold carpet at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Police officers meet before the start of the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards
(Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press)The ceremony clearly bore his stamp, with Che and Jost as hosts and familiar “SNL” faces, including Kate McKinnon and Alec Baldwin, as presenters and nominees. The long-running NBC sketch show, already the top Emmy winner ever with 71, won again for best variety sketch series.
The pressure’s on Michaels because NBC and other broadcasters are increasingly reliant on awards and other live events to draw viewers distracted by streaming and more 21st- century options. The networks, which air the Emmy telecast on a rotating basis, are so eager for the ad dollars it generates and its promotional value for fall shows that they endure online competitors sharing the stage.
AP Writers Mike Cidoni Lennox in Los Angeles and Leanne Italie in New York contributed to this report.
MORE COVERAGE:
Emmys 2018: The best jokes from Colin Jost, Michael Che’s opening monologue
Donald Glover appears as ‘Atlanta’ character Teddy Perkins at the Emmys
Emmy winner Glenn Weiss proposes to his girlfriend during live broadcast
‘Black-ish’ star Jenifer Lewis wears Nike on Emmys red carpet in support of Colin Kaepernick
