All the Moments You Missed From the 2023 Emmys
From relatable speeches to unexpected PDA and the most meme-worthy gown of the night
After a long delay due to last year’s Hollywood strikes, the 2023 Emmys finally took place tonight at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The annual television award show featured red carpet glamour, reunions between our favorite celebrities, surprising wins, emotional speeches, some PDA—and yes, plenty of memes.
Ahead, see every buzzy moment you may have missed from the show.
Christina Applegate got a standing ovation
The Dead to Me star looked stunning in a deep red velvet Christian Siriano gown on television’s biggest night, where she presented the first award: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, won by The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri.
Applegate stepped onto the stage with a cane and took the arm of host Anthony Anderson. The two walked forward to “Love and Marriage,” the opening theme song of ’90s sitcom Married… With Children, the show that made Applegate famous.
The actor, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021, was greeted with a standing ovation.
“Thank you so much. Oh my god, you’re totally shaming me with disability by standing up. It’s fine,” Applegate joked at the mic, adding, “Body not by Ozempic.”
Niecy Nash-Betts delivered a soul-stirring speech
The actor—who took home an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her performance as Glenda Cleveland in Ryan Murphy’s Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story—delivered a powerful speech highlighting the highs and lows of being a Black woman in Hollywood.
“I’m a winner, baby! Thank you to the Most High for this most divine moment. Thank you, Ryan Murphy, for seeing me. Evan Peters—I love you! Netflix, every single person who voted for me—thank you! And my better half, who picked me up when I was gutted from this work, thank you,” the Nash-Betts said. “And you know who else I want to thank? I wanna thank me. For believing in me and doing what they say I could not do! And I want to say here in front of all you beautiful people—go on, girl, with your bad self!”
Audrey Plaza’s dress became a meme
The White Lotus actor’s silky yellow Loewe gown, which was punctured at the bodice by a huge pin, became the best meme of the night, thanks to artist Austin Blake Mays. Noticing that from afar, the bodice of the dress looked like a Post-it note, the illustrator wrote over it, “I’m sorry, I can’t, don’t hate me”—Jack Berger’s famous last words to Carrie Bradshaw in an iconic episode of Sex and the City.
Benny Blanco supported Selena Gomez on the red carpet
Though the couple didn’t walk the red carpet together, Benny Blanco supported Selena Gomez from afar. In behind-the-scenes footage published by E! News, Blanco is seen sweetly blowing a kiss to the actor and singer (who wore a sparkly crimson Oscar de la Renta gown) ahead of the ceremony.
RuPaul stood up for drag queens
While accepting the Emmy for Outstanding Reality Competition Program for RuPaul’s Drag Race, the host loudly stood up for drag queens.
“If a drag queen wants to read you a story at a library, listen to her,” he said, referencing the recent news about a small library in upstate New York that was shut down after announcing plans for a drag queen story hour, as well as other similar stories from the last few years.
Princess Poppy showed up as a green red-carpet goblin
A slay from the Drag Race alum.
Quinta Brunson had a super-relatable onstage cry
Quinta Brunson couldn’t stop crying while accepting her Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, for her work on Abbott Elementary.
“Thank you so much,” she said as tears streamed down her face. “I don’t even know why I’m so emotional.” She went on to say that was maybe it was the “Carol Burnett of it all,” as the 90-year-old TV comedy legend was the one to give Brunson her award.
Same.
Iconic sitcom casts reunited
The stars of Cheers celebrated where everybody knows their names: at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger, and George Wendt, who starred on the beloved ’80s NBC sitcom, appeared onstage inside a replica of the show’s set at the titular bar. “Ted, don't you just think about it as a long-overdue class reunion, huh?” Ratzenberger said, leading the others to chime in before presenting an award.
Cast members from several other popular TV shows throughout history reunited at the ceremony, which featured appearances from actors who starred on The Sopranos, Martin, Game of Thrones, Ally McBeal, American Horror Story, and Grey’s Anatomy.
Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker made out
Mr. and Mrs. Barker, known for their passionate PDA, did it again. The couple walked the red carpet in matching black suits and made out right in front of the cameras. Ah, love.
Ayo Edebiri won big—and made a relatable parent joke
The 28-year-old Edebiri thanked her parents in the most hilarious, relatable way as she accepted the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, for her role in The Bear.
“I’m so incredibly grateful for this for so many reasons,” she told the crowd. “This show is about family, and found family and real family, and my parents are here tonight. I’m making them sit kind of far away from me because I’m a bad kid, but I love you guys so much. Thank you so much for loving me and letting me feel beautiful and Black and proud of all of that.”
Ali Wong and Bill Hader looked so in love
Ali Wong gave a sweet kiss to boyfriend Bill Hader as she won the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, for Beef.
And as she got emotional during her acceptance speech, Hader got teary-eyed in the audience, too, and enthusiastically cheering her on.
Watch a clip of the moment here.
Charlie Puth honored Mathew Perry
A longtime fan of Friends and Matthew Perry, the singer honored the late actor, who passed away last year, with an emotional rendition of the sitcom’s theme song, “I’ll Be There for You,” which he played as a photo of Perry flashed on the theater’s big screen.
Meghann Fahy and Leo Woodall had an Emmys date night
The stars of The White Lotus season two did not walk the red carpet together, but did look so loved-up while sitting front row at the award show together. Take a look here.
There was a big Bear kiss
And the grand finale. When the cast of The Bear accepted their sixth Emmy of the night, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach celebrated by giving a huge kiss to costar comedian Matty Matheson. Visibly startled, Matheson hilariously responded by simply saying, “I love you, Ebon.”
Kieran Culkin told his wife he wants more children
While accepting his award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, for Succession, the star told wife Jazz Charton, who was sitting in the crowd, that he wants more kids.
“And of course my beautiful wife, Jazz,” Culkin said at the end of his acceptance speech. “Thank you for sharing your life with me and giving me two amazing kids, Kinsey Sioux and Wilder Wolf. I love you so many and so much.
“And Jazz, I want more!” he added, to cheers and laughter from the audience. “You said! You said ‘Maybe,’ if I win! I love you so much.”
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