John Lithgow wins best drama supporting actor at 2017 Emmys

Ruth Kinane
Updated
John Lithgow drama supporting actor Emmy win

Pass the crown to John Lithgow because he just won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the 69th annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles.

“I feel so lucky to have won this in the company of my fellow nominees. So many of you are my friends and former castmates… you deserve this,” said Lithgow, who took the top accolade for his portrayal of British Prime Minister and icon Winston Churchill in the Netflix series The Crown.

“The Crown keeps on giving and this is just the last of its gifts,” he continued before thanking the crew and cast — including “the wonderful Claire Foy” — “but most of all I have to thank Winston Churchill. In these crazy times, his life, even as an old man, reminds us what courage and leadership in government really looks like.”

The Crown follows the reign of Queen Elizabeth II (played by Claire Foy) as she ascends the throne and tries to acclimatize to her responsibilities as the monarch of the United Kingdom, all the while trying to maintain some sense of privacy and a happy family life. The Netflix series was nominated in 11 different categories including Outstanding Drama, Outstanding Lead Actress (Foy), and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series.

Lithgow can now rest assured all his hard work in prepping for the role paid off. “I don’t think I’ve ever prepared for any role quite as much as this, mainly because I’m an American playing the archetypal Englishman,” he told EW after his nomination was announced. “He’s arguably the most recognizable figure of the 20th century… so I almost overcompensated by immersing myself so completely in the man’s history.”

The acclaimed actor — who has previously won five Emmy Awards for his work in Amazing Stories (1986), 3rd Rock From the Sun (1996, 1997, 1999), and Dexter (2010), and also won the SAG Award for this role on the Netflix drama back in January — faced some fierce competition from his fellow nominees in the category: Mandy Patinkin (Homeland), Jeffrey Wright (Westworld), Jonathan Banks (Better Call Saul), David Harbour (Stranger Things), Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us), and Michael Kelly (House of Cards).

The Crown returns to Netflix for season 2 on Friday, Dec. 8.