Viola Davis has made history as the first black actress to win an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a drama series. The 50-year-old star was honoured for her role as Professor Annalise Keating in How To Get Away With Murder at Sunday's 67th Emmy Awards, and received an standing ovation from the crowd after giving an emotional and powerful acceptance speech. "I see a line and over that line I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me over that line. I can't seem to get there now. I can't seem to get over that line," she said, quoting abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
© Photo: Getty ImagesViola Davis made history as she collected her Emmy for How To Get Away With Murder
"But let me tell you something, the only thing that separates women of colour from anything else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there," she added. "Here's to all the writers, awesome people. "Viola wasn't the only star breaking records at this year's ceremony. Jon Hamm won the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his role as Don Draper in Mad Men. The actor, 44, had been nominated 16 times in the past – eight for lead actor for his portrayal of Don – and finally took home his first Emmy on Sunday night. It was his last chance at winning the award for Mad Men, which concluded its run earlier this year.
© Photo: Getty ImagesJon Hamm was named outstanding lead actor in a drama series
In disbelief, Jon crawled his way on to the stage. "There's been a terrible mistake, clearly," he joked as he held his trophy. "It's impossible to be named with all of those extraordinary gentlemen. It's impossible to be standing up here. It's impossible to have done this show with this incredible cast. "Jon notably thanked his ex-partner Jennifer Westfeldt, who he split from earlier in the month after 18 years together, as well as their dog Cora. "It's incredible and impossible for me personally to be standing here so I want to thank the people to whom I owe an incredible debt,” he said. "Cora and Jen, thank you all very much. I would not be standing here without you."
© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Mad Men star crawled onto the stage in disbelief to collect his award from Tina Fey
Sunday night also saw Game of Thrones become the most-winning series in Emmy history. The fantasy drama took home a stunning 12 awards on the night – the most of any series in a single year. Its final win, for outstanding drama series, made GOT the first fantasy program to take home an award in the category.Emmy Awards 2015: winners listOutstanding Drama SeriesBetter Call SaulDownton AbbeyGame Of Thrones *WINNERHomelandHouse Of CardsMad MenOrange Is The New BlackOutstanding Comedy SeriesLouieModern FamilyParks And RecreationSilicon ValleyTransparentUnbreakable Kimmy SchmidtVeep *WINNEROutstanding Lead Actor in a Drama SeriesKyle Chandler, BloodlineJeff Daniels, The NewsroomJon Hamm, Mad Men *WINNERBob Odenkirk, Better Call SaulLiev Schreiber, Ray DonovanKevin Spacey, House of CardsOutstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesClaire Danes, HomelandViola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder *WINNERTaraji P. Henson, EmpireTatiana Maslany, Orphan BlackElisabeth Moss, Mad MenRobin Wright, House of CardsOutstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy SeriesAnthony Anderson, black-ishLouis C.K., LouieDon Cheadle, House of LiesWill Forte, Last Man on EarthMatt LeBlanc, EpisodesWilliam H. Macy, ShamelessJeffrey Tambor, Transparent *WINNEROutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy SeriesEdie Falco, Nurse JackieLisa Kudrow, The ComebackJulia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep *WINNERAmy Poehler, Parks and RecreationAmy Schumer, Inside Amy SchumerLily Tomlin, Grace and FrankieOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama SeriesJonathan Banks, Better Call SaulBen Mendelsohn, BloodlineJim Carter, Downton AbbeyPeter Dinklage, Game of Thrones *WINNERMichael Kelly, House of CardsAlan Cumming, The Good WifeOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesJoanne Froggatt, Downton AbbeyLena Headey, Game of ThronesEmilia Clarke, Game of ThronesChristina Hendricks, Mad MenUzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black *WINNERChristine Baranski, The Good WifeOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy SeriesNiecy Nash, Getting OnJulie Bowen, Modern FamilyAllison Janney, Mom *WINNERKate McKinnon, Saturday Night LiveMayim Bialik, The Big Bang TheoryGaby Hoffmann, TransparentJane Krakowski, Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtAnna Chlumsky, VeepOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesAndre Braugher, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"Adam Driver, "Girls"Keegan-Michael Key, "Key & Peele"Ty Burrell, "Modern Family"Tituss Burgess, "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt"Tony Hale, "Veep" *WINNEROutstanding MiniseriesAmerican Crime American Horror Story: Freak ShowThe Honorable WomanOlive Kitteridge *WINNERWolf HallOutstanding Television MovieAgatha Christie's Poirot: Curtain, Poirot's Last CaseBessie *WINNERGrace Of MonacoHello Ladies: The MovieKilling JesusNightingaleOutstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a MovieTimothy Hutton, American CrimeRicky Gervais, Derek SpecialAdrien Brody, HoudiniDavid Oyelowo, NightingaleRichard Jenkins, Olive Kitteridge *WINNERMark Rylance, Wolf HallOutstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a MovieFelicity Huffman, American CrimeJessica Lange, American Horror Story: Freak ShowQueen Latifah, BessieMaggie Gyllenhaal, The Honorable WomanFrances McDormand, Olive Kitteridge *WINNEREmma Thompson, Sweeney ToddOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a MovieRichard Cabral, American CrimeDenis O'Hare, American Horror Story: Freak ShowFinn Wittrock, American Horror Story: Freak ShowMichael Kenneth Williams, BessieBill Murray, Olive Kitteridge *WINNERDamian Lewis, Wolf HallOutstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a MovieRegina King, American Crime *WINNERSarah Paulson, American Horror Story: Freak ShowAngela Bassett, American Horror Story: Freak ShowKathy Bates, American Horror Story: Freak ShowMo'Nique, BessieZoe Kazan, Olive KitteridgeOutstanding Variety Talk SeriesThe Colbert Report The Daily Show *WINNERJimmy Kimmel LiveLast Week TonightLate Show With David LettermanThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonOutstanding Writing For A Variety SeriesThe Colbert ReportThe Daily Show *WINNERInside Amy SchumerLast Week TonightLate Show With David Letterman
Outstanding Directing For A Variety SeriesThe Colbert Report The Daily Show *WINNERInside Amy Schumer Late Show With David Letterman The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonOutstanding Variety Sketch SeriesDrunk HistoryInside Amy Schumer *WINNERKey & PeelePortlandiaSaturday Night LiveOutstanding Reality-Competition ProgramThe Amazing RaceDancing with the StarsProject RunwaySo You Think You Can DanceTop ChefThe Voice *WINNEROutstanding Structured Reality ProgramAntiques RoadshowDiners, Drive-Ins and DivesMythBustersProperty BrothersShark Tank *WINNERUndercover BossOutstanding Unstructured Reality ProgramAlaska: The Last FrontierDeadliest Catch *WINNERInterventionMillion Dollar Listing New YorkNaked and AfraidWahlburgersOutstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition ProgramTom Bergeron, Dancing With The StarsJane Lynch, Hollywood Game Night *WINNERHeidi Klum & Tim Gunn, Project RunwayCat Deeley, So You Think You Can DanceAnthony Bourdain, The TasteOutstanding Variety SpecialBill Maher: Live From D.C.The Kennedy Center HonorsLouis C.K.: Live At The Comedy StoreMel Brooks Live At The GeffenThe Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special *WINNERTony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek LIVE!Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama SeriesAlan Alda, The BlacklistMichael J. Fox, The Good WifeF. Murray Abraham, HomelandReg E. Cathey, House of Cards *WINNERBeau Bridges, Masters Of SexPablo Schreiber, Orange Is The New BlackOutstanding Guest Actress in a Drama SeriesMargo Martindale, The Americans *WINNERDiana Rigg, Game of ThronesRachel Brosnahan, House Of CardsCicely Tyson, How To Get Away With MurderAllison Janney, Masters Of SexKhandi Alexander, ScandalOutstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy SeriesMel Brooks, The ComediansPaul Giamatti, Inside Amy SchumerBill Hader, Saturday Night LiveLouis C.K., Saturday Night LiveBradley Whitford, Transparent *WINNERJon Hamm, Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtOutstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy SeriesChristine Baranski, The Big Bang TheoryGaby Hoffmann, GirlsPamela Adlon, LouieElizabeth Banks, Modern FamilyJoan Cusack, Shameless *WINNERTina Fey, Unbreakable Kimmy SchmidtOutstanding Writing for a Drama SeriesThe Americans - Do Mail Robots Dream Of Electric Sheep? (Joshua Brand)Better Call Saul - Five-O (Gordon Smith)Game Of Thrones - Mother's Mercy (David Benioff and D.B. Weiss) *WINNERMad Men - Lost Horizon (Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner)Mad Men - Person To Person (Matthew Weiner)Outstanding Writing for a Comedy SeriesEpisodes - Episode 409 (David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik)The Last Man On Earth - Alive In Tucson (Pilot) (Will Forte)Louie - Bobby's House (Louis C.K.)Silicon Valley - Two Days Of The Condor (Alec Berg)Transparent - Pilot (Jill Soloway)Veep - Election Night (Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche) *WINNEROutstanding Directing for a Drama SeriesBoardwalk Empire - Eldorado (Tim Van Patten)Game Of Thrones - Mother's Mercy (David Nutter) *WINNERGame Of Thrones - Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken (Jeremy Podeswa)Homeland - From A To B And Back Again (Lesli Linka Glatter)The Knick - Method And Madness (Steven Soderbergh)Outstanding Directing for a Comedy SeriesThe Last Man On Earth - Alive In Tucson (Pilot) (Phil Lord and Christopher Miller)Louie - Sleepover (Louis C.K.)Silicon Valley - Sand Hill Shuffle (Mike Judge)Transparent - Best New Girl (Jill Soloway) *WINNERVeep - Testimony (Armando Iannucci)Outstanding Writing For A Limited Series, Movie Or A Dramatic SpecialAmerican Crime - Episode One (John Ridley)Bessie (Dee Rees, Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois, Horton Foote)Hello Ladies: The Movie (Stephen Merchant, Gene Stupnitsky, Lee Eisenberg)Olive Kitteridge (Jane Anderson) *WINNERThe Honorable Woman (Hugo Blick)Wolf Hall (Peter Straughan)Outstanding Directing For A Limited Series, Movie Or A Dramatic SpecialOlive Kitteridge (Lisa Cholodenko) *WINNERWolf Hall (Peter Kosminsky)Houdini (Uli Edel)Bessie (Dee Rees)American Horror Story: Freak Show (Ryan Murphy)The Honorable Woman (Hugo Blick)
