Sarah Snook Wins Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emmy for ‘Succession’

Shiv Roy may have had to reach for her superior’s hand at the end of “Succession,” but Sarah Snook only extended her arm Monday night to receive her trophy. The Australian actor won the Primetime Emmy Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series, marking her first victory overall.

Previously, Snook had been nominated twice for playing the ruthless political consultant turned aspiring Waystar Royco CEO. Both nods came in the Supporting Actress category, but she — along with her onscreen sibling, Kieran Culkin — moved to the Lead categories for “Succession’s” final season.

More from IndieWire

• In Defense of 'The Bear' as a Comedy

• Emmys Viewers Hit New All-Time Low Against NFL Playoffs: Down 27% from 2022

Snook triumphed in a stacked category. Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”) has 15 Emmy nominations throughout her career, and she’s won twice. Keri Russell (“The Diplomat”) is a four-time nominee who many consider long overdue for a win herself. (“The Americans” hive, rise up!) This is Sharon Horgan’s first acting nomination at the Emmys, but she’s also nominated for writing this year, making “Bad Sisters” a legitimate threat. The same goes for Melanie Lynskey, a two-time nominee for “Yellowjackets” and “The Last of Us,” which leads us to first-time nominee Bella Ramsey: “The Last of Us” won a slew of Creative Arts trophies over the weekend, proving the freshman HBO drama has what it takes to play with the big boys on the awards circuit. Lynskey or Ramsey could’ve capitalized on its success, but Snook proved too strong for them both.

Fresh off her win at the Golden Globes, Snook is amassing quite a trophy case. She was nominated for a SAG Award on Wednesday, which gives her a shot to add another SAG statue to her collection, after sharing in the Best Ensemble (“Succession”) award in 2022. In addition to her two Golden Globes, she’s won a Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and numerous accolades from her home country. She also has “An Irish Person” TV Award, bestowed this year and recognized alongside other reputable organizations on IMDB’s awards page. Although I have yet to properly vet the intriguing organization myself, any voting body that sees fit to honor Snook and Sean Durkin’s work in “Dead Ringers” is one with, at least, comparable merits to others listed here.

The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards were held Monday, January 15 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. The ceremony, which usually takes place in September, was delayed to accommodate the WGA and SAG strikes. That’s why the nominees do not include any shows released after the May 31, 2023 filing deadline, including “The Curse,” “Fargo,” and other fall and winter premieres. The 76th Emmy Awards telecast is expected to run on the traditional schedule.

Best of IndieWire

• 2023 Emmy Predictions: Who Will Win at the Primetime Emmy Awards?

• 2023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special

• 2023 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.