*

Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai win acting awards for

'Shogun'

*

'Hacks' named best comedy, upsetting 'The Bear'

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Liza Colón-Zayas wins best supporting comedy actress for

'The

Bear'

By Lisa Richwine and Danielle Broadway

LOS ANGELES, Sept 15 (Reuters) - "Shogun," a sweeping,

historical epic set in imperial Japan, claimed the prestigious

best drama trophy at Sunday's Emmy Awards, and "Hacks" upset

defending comedy champion "The Bear" at television's highest

honors.

A tale of political machinations, "Shogun" also won acting

awards for Hiroyuki Sanada and Anna Sawai, the first Japanese

actors to win their categories. The series earned 18 total

awards, a record for a single season of a drama.

Netflix's ( NFLX ) "Baby Reindeer," the chilling story of a

bartender stalked by a customer, was named best limited series.

With most of its dialogue in Japanese with English

subtitles, "Shogun" was an unlikely global hit. Executive

producer Justin Marks thanked the team at the FX cable network

for taking a gamble on the show.

"You guys greenlit a very expensive, subtitled Japanese

period piece whose central climax is a poetry competition,"

Marks said on stage. "I have no idea why you did that."

Sanada described "Shogun" as an "East meets West dream

project."

"'Shogun' taught me that when people work together, we can

make miracles," he said. "We can create a better future

together."

Sawai was overcome with emotion as she accepted her best

actress award. "I was crying before my name was announced. I'm a

mess today," she said as she held her gold Emmy statuette.

The "Shogun" wins helped FX owner Walt Disney ( DIS ) earn

60 Emmys this year, the most in the company's history.

After the "Shogun" celebration came the night's biggest

surprise. HBO's "Hacks," about a 70-something comedian

and a millennial writer, was named best comedy, upsetting

previous winner "The Bear."

"Comedy is so important, obviously to us, but we really feel

like it can bridge divides," said executive producer Lucia

Aniello. "When you laugh with someone, you have something in

common with them. So please support comedy and speak truth to

power."

Earlier, Smart received a standing ovation when she won her

third Emmy for portraying ambitious stand-up comic Deborah Vance

on "Hacks."

"I appreciate this because I just don't get enough

attention," Smart joked on stage.

"The Bear," also on FX, broke its own record for most Emmys

for a comedy, taking home 11.

Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach won their second

straight Emmys for comedy actor and supporting actor. White

portrays Chef Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, a man trying to turn his

family's Chicago sandwich shop into a fine dining destination.

Moss-Bachrach earned his trophy for his role as Cousin

Richie, a restaurant manager and father.

Both actors won the same awards at the last Emmys, which was

held in January after Hollywood labor strikes disrupted the

normal schedule.

In a surprise, Liza Colón-Zayas landed a third Emmy for "The

Bear." She was named best supporting comedy actress for her role

as chef Tina Marrero, winning in a field that included legends

Meryl Streep and Carol Burnett.

"All the Latinas who are looking at me, keep believing and vote.

Vote for your rights," Colón-Zayas said in one of the night's

few mentions of the upcoming U.S. elections.

Presenter Candice Bergen recalled how her fictional "Murphy

Brown" character, a single woman, was attacked in 1992 by

then-Vice President Dan Quayle for having a child.

"Oh, how far we've come. Today, a Republican candidate for

vice president would never attack a woman for having kids," she

said, adding a "meow" in an apparent jab at Donald Trump's

running mate J.D. Vance's comments about "childless cat ladies."

Winners were chosen by the nearly 22,000 performers,

directors, producers and other members of Hollywood's Television

Academy.

"Baby Reindeer" star and creator Richard Gadd, who based the

series on his real-life story, also won acting and writing

honors for the show.

"Ten years ago, I was down and out. I never thought I'd be

able to get my life together," Gadd said on stage as he won his

writing award. "Here I am, just over a decade later, picking up

one of the greatest writing awards in television."

"Schitt's Creek" stars Eugene and Dan Levy shared hosting

duties at the red carpet event in downtown Los Angeles.

"If things go south, my name is pronounced Martin Short,"

Eugene Levy deadpanned, referring to the "Only Murders in the

Building" star who was in the audience.

Dan Levy joked that the Emmys, which aired live on Disney's ( DIS )

ABC, were known as "broadcast TV's biggest night for honoring

movie stars on streaming services."