Game of Thrones dominates Creative Arts Emmys in landmark night for diversity

All four best guest performance categories were won by black actors for the first time

(HBO)

Game of Thrones dominated the first night of the Creative Arts Emmys, taking home seven awards from 15 nominations.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace came a near second, with four statuettes, while The Crown, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel all scored three wins each.

The event was also a landmark for diversity as all the major awards for best guest performances were won by black actors for the first time.

Girls Trip actor Tiffany Haddish won for her hilarious turn hosting Saturday Night Live, while fellow comic Katt Williams scooped guest comedy actor for his role in Donald Glover's series Atlanta.

The equivalent awards in the drama categories were won by Samira Wiley for The Handmaid's Tale and Ron Cephas Jones for This Is Us.

After receiving the award, Jones was asked whether a character like his - father William "Shakespeare" Hill, who reconnects with his son Randall Pearson (Sterling K Brown) after a battle with drug addiction - ould have been on TV in the past.

"No," he replied. "Not in this incarnation. Not that the audience wasn't ready for it. But maybe the executives, or people that have a say in the writing, probably wouldn't have been ready for this kind of thing.

"But now we are. We're moving forward and moving ahead."

There have only been two previous instances of multiple wins for black guest actors at the awards in the last two decades; in 2003 and 2014 when two actors won prizes

This year a record 11 black actors were nominated in the guest categories, accounting for half of all those in the running for the prizes. They were part of a record 36 diversity nominees in the acting Emmy categories, beating the previous record of 27 set last year.

Shauna Duggins also became the first woman ever to win an Emmy for stunt coordination for the Netflix series GLOW, a show about women's wrestling in the 1980s.

Meanwhile, The Late, Late Show host James Corden was among the other winners. His Snapchat comedy series James Corden's Next James Corden won two awards. Rick and Morty also beat out the tough competition - and overcame controversy surrounding showrunner Dan Harmon - to be named best animated show.

The Creative Arts Emmys are presented in recognition of technical and other similar achievements in American television programming.

The second night of the Creative Arts Emmys takes place Sunday night. The main Emmy ceremony takes place on September 17. See the full list of nominees here.