Biggest Emmys Upsets Through the Years: Ricky Gervais, Katherine Heigl, Julia Garner and More
08.09.2022 - 08:21
/ usmagazine.com
Everyone loves an underdog! Award shows have notoriously delivered surprising wins, losses and snubs over the years, but there was possibly never a more surprising night of upsets than the 2007 Emmy Awards.
While the evening was filled with entertaining plot twists, nothing left viewers more shocked than The Sopranos walking away with a sole win for Outstanding Drama Series, despite nabbing 15 nominations.
As the crime drama was airing its final season, James Gandolfini was the favorite to take home the trophy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama — delivering what critics referred to as one of the best performances in the history of television. The win, however, went to James Spader for Boston Legal.
Edie Falco, who portrayed Carmela on the HBO series, didn’t fair any better, losing Outstanding Lead Actress to Sally Field from Brothers & Sisters. Aida Turturro and Lorraine Bracco, for their part, were beat in the Supporting Actress category by Katherine Heigl in Grey’s Anatomy — something that left even Heigl herself speechless.
The comedy groups faced their fair share of upsets that same year too. Viewers were stunned when Ricky Gervais was announced as the winner for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in Extras, besting 30 Rock’s Alec Baldwin and Two and a Half Men’s Charlie Sheen. The win also meant a loss for The Office’s Steve Carell for his portrayal of Michael Scott — a role that initially was Gervais’ in the British version four years prior.
Carell’s loss was such a twist that Gervais didn’t even show up to the ceremony. In the England native’s absence, however, the Anchorman star ran on stage to accept the award from presenters Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart instead.
In 2008, Gervais attended