Earlier tonight the Television Academy kicked off their week-long Emmy event with the first night of five Creative Arts virtual ceremonies. Tonight, announcing the winners in 17 categories, the Television Academy honored some of the year’s best work in nonfiction and reality programming.
With three wins, Apollo 11 was the big winner of the night taking home Emmys for sound mixing, sound editing, and picture editing. Overall Netflix had a successful night with the streaming giant claiming five of tonight’s awards with recognition for Queer Eye, Cheer, American Factory, and a surprise writing win for Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer. Some of the other documentaries to win tonight included The Apollo and The Cave. Sir David Attenborough won his third consecutive Emmy while Leah Remini won an Emmy for the final season of her A&E series about her Scientology and the Aftermath.
Surprisingly two of the most nominated and well-known series of the night went home empty handed; Becoming and Tiger King.
Overall, it was a smooth, hour long ceremony with pre-recorded clips, tight acceptance speeches, and entertaining but brief bits from Nicole Byers. The ceremony can be rewatched here on on Television Academy’s official site and Youtube page.
Check out the first batch of winners below and sound off in the comments with your favorite winners and biggest surprises of the night:
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL
- The Apollo
- Beastie Boys Story
- Becoming
- Laurel Canyon: A Place in Time
- The Great Hack
OUTSTANDING HOSTED NONFICTION SERIES OR SPECIAL
- Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee
- Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath
- The World According to Jeff Goldblum
- Ugly Delicious
- Vice
OUTSTANDING SHORT FORM NONFICTION OR REALITY SERIES
- Between The Scenes – The Daily Show
- Full Frontal With Samantha Bee Presents: Pandemic Video Diaries
- National Geographic Presents: Creating Cosmos: Possible Words
- Pose: identity, Family, Community
- Rupaul’s Drag Race Out of The Closet
OUTSTANDING STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
- A Very Brady Renovation
- Antiques Roadshow
- Love Is Blind
- Queer Eye
- Shark Tank
OUTSTANDING CASTING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
- Born This Way
- Love Is Blind
- Queer Eye
- RuPaul’s Drag Race
- The Voice
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
- American Factory
- Apollo 11
- Becoming
- Sea of Shadows
- Serengeti
- The Cave
OUTSTANDING CINEMATOGRAPHY FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
- Cheer – Kevin
- Life Below Zero
- Queer Eye
- RuPaul’s Drag Race
- Survivor
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A DOCUMENTARY/NONFICTION PROGRAM
- American Factory
- Apollo 11
- Becoming
- The Cave
- The Last Dance
- Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A REALITY PROGRAM
- Cheer
- LEGO Masters
- Queer Eye
- RuPaul’s Drag Race
- Top Chef
OUTSTANDING MUSIC COMPOSITION FOR A DOCUMENTARY SERIES OR SPECIAL (ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE)
- Becoming
- Home
- McMillion$
- Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness
- Why We Hate
OUTSTANDING NARRATOR
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Black Patriots: Heroes of The Revolution
- David Attenborough, Seven Worlds, One Planet
- Angela Bassett, The Imagineering Story
- Chiwetel Ejiofor, The Elephant Queen
- Lupita Nyong’o, Serengeti
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
- American Factory
- Apollo 11
- Beastie Boys Story
- McMillion$
- The Last Dance
- Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR A STRUCTURED REALITY OR COMPETITION PROGRAM
- LEGO Masters
- Queer Eye
- RuPaul’s Drag Race
- Survivor
- Top Chef
OUTSTANDING PICTURE EDITING FOR AN UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
- Cheer
- Deadliest Catch
- Life Below Zero
- RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM (SINGLE OR MULTI-CAMERA)
- Apollo 11
- Beastie Boys Story
- Cheer
- Laurel Canyon: A Place in Time
- McMillion$
- Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness
OUTSTANDING SOUND MIXING FOR A NONFICTION OR REALITY PROGRAM (SINGLE OR MULTI-CAMERA)
- Apollo 11
- Beastie Boys Story
- Cheer
- Laurel Canyon: A Place in Time
- RuPaul’s Drag Race
- Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness
OUTSTANDING WRITING FOR A NONFICTION PROGRAM
- Beastie Boys Story
- Circus of Books
- Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer
- McMillion$
- The Cave
