章 131: Emergence of a great performer
As the curtains fell on the 62nd Emmy Awards, there was an array of emotions - joy, surprise, and even a touch of the unexpected.
Undoubtedly, the grand focus of the drama category was "Mad Men", which had clinched the Outstanding Drama Series award for the third consecutive year, seamlessly carrying forward its powerful reign. On the other hand, "Breaking Bad" secured the Outstanding Leading Actor and Outstanding Supporting Actor awards, a bittersweet victory considering the companionship of Hugh Laurie and Michael C. Hall once again playing second fiddle.
In the realm of comedy, it wasn't Jim Parsons of "The Big Bang Theory" claiming the spotlight for the first time, but "Modern Family" that emerged victorious, shattering the triumphant streak of "30 Rock", and claiming the Outstanding Series, Outstanding Writing, and Outstanding Supporting Actor awards. After reigning for three years, "30 Rock" left this year's event empty-handed.
As for the mini-series and television movie category, surprises were somewhat lacking. Both "The Pacific" and "Temple Grandin" bagged the Best Mini-Series and Best Television Movie awards respectively, as was expected. "Temple Grandin" dominated every aspect, overshadowing "You Don't Know Jack", securing awards for Outstanding Leading Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actress, Outstanding Supporting Actor, and Outstanding Directing. The hot favorite "You Don't Know Jack" only managed to secure the Best Writing award.
Leading the nominations this year was "The Pacific", which ultimately secured nine awards. Though falling short of the record set by the 2008 mini-series "John Adams" with its thirteen awards, it still outperformed the previous achievement of "Band of Brothers", which took home six awards. It became the night's greatest victor. Notably, all three of these mini-series were produced by the collaboration of Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman.
The spotlight within the spotlight was undoubtedly on Renly, who secured the Outstanding Leading Actor award in a Miniseries or Movie category for "The Pacific". This young actor, merely twenty years old, achieved an unbelievable feat, not only becoming the youngest-ever victor in Emmy history but also the second-youngest victor across all categories!
Before this, the record for the youngest Emmy winner stood at fourteen years old, set in 1984 by Roxana Zal, who won the Best Supporting Actress award for a mini-series and television movie. She had portrayed an underage girl who had suffered sexual abuse in the television movie "Something About Amelia", earning her remarkable acclaim and an Emmy trophy. However, she gradually faded from the limelight afterward, and her presence on screens, big or small, became rare. To this day, her record remains unbroken.
In the realm of artistry, geniuses are never in short supply, particularly in the film industry, where numerous young actors have risen to fame in remarkable fashion.
Taking the Oscars, for example, one need not look beyond the likes of Orson Welles, who won a Best Actor nomination at the age of twenty-six with his debut "Citizen Kane", or Dustin Hoffman, who stunned everyone with his debut "The Graduate" at thirty. Even Timothy Hutton, who was merely twenty when he won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, still holds the record. Timothy was a mere twenty years and two hundred twenty-seven days old when he took home the golden statuette!
When it comes to the youngest female actors, the records become even more astonishing. Tatum O'Neal, with "Paper Moon", secured the Best Supporting Actress award at the tender age of ten years and one hundred forty-eight days. Similarly, Marlee Matlin won the Best Actress award at twenty-one years and two hundred eighty-one days. Furthermore, both Luise Rainer and Jodie Foster secured two Best Actress Oscars each before the age of thirty.
As George Hall once eloquently stated, the world is indeed brimming with countless geniuses, beyond measure.
However, no one could deny that acting was an art that required a blend of talent, spiritual essence, and insight. The shackles brought about by age couldn't be overlooked. In Oscar's history, there's only one male actor who managed to clinch the Best Actor title before turning thirty—Adrien Brody. In fact, he won the award just twenty-two days before his thirtieth birthday. This goes to show that recognition and acclaim for acting prowess require time's accumulation. For male actors, the prime years often span from thirty-three to forty-five, a period considered the golden age of performance.
The Emmy Awards and Oscars had a certain parallel beauty. Due to the plethora of Emmy winners and the complexity of age-related data, there isn't an official arrangement. However, what can be confirmed is that winners below thirty are few and far between. In the books, only Roxana stands as the sole winner under twenty, spanning across all categories. And not to mention the performer categories that emphasize the test of time, accumulation, and technique.
Tonight, history was rewritten. At the age of twenty years and two hundred eighty-two days, Renly made history. Not only did he become the first actor to win an Emmy for Outstanding Leading Actor before the age of thirty, but he also joined the ranks of newcomers who took the Emmy stage at twenty years old, following in the footsteps of Roxana!
If Bryan Cranston's three consecutive wins were the fruits of laborious persistence and perseverance, and Jim Parsons emerged victorious after overcoming numerous trials, then Renly's meteoric rise was a testament to a prodigy's brilliant debut.
When "The Pacific" premiered, no one paid much attention to changes in the cast. To be precise, no one cared, for everyone knew that, like "Band of Brothers", this would be a collective masterpiece, greater than the sum of its parts. However, after the show's debut, everything changed dramatically. The three lead actors carried the weight of the entire series. After James Badge Dale's performance was engulfed by the show and Jon Seda's performance was fragmented, Renly's performance successfully threaded the main narrative of the entire series, delivering the reflection hidden behind the story with exceptional finesse.
It's no exaggeration to say that Renly's performance was a marvel, completely rejuvenating the series, infusing it with a new vitality.
Overcoming Al Pacino and Jeff Bridges, securing his first Emmy trophy, was undoubtedly the highest affirmation. Simultaneously, it drew people's attention to this young man. Recognized by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, acknowledged by the Emmy Awards, favored by HBO, where will his acting path lead him?
After the Emmy Awards concluded, major media outlets flooded their pages with coverage of the event. Among them, Renly undoubtedly stood at the center. Among over sixty news articles, two-thirds mentioned Renly's unexpected victory. The influential powers represented by authoritative media outlets like The New York Times and Vanity Fair directly zoomed in on Renly.
"... "Mad Men", "Modern Family"... and Renly."
This was the headline of Vanity Fair, consistent with their style of making shocking claims. It immediately elevated Renly to the heights of the three main highlights of the awards ceremony. In the article, Daisy expressed, "Without a doubt, Hall delivered the most spectacular performance on the small screen in 2010, surpassing Bryan Cranston and Jim Parsons. Alongside Claire Dennis, he upheld the honor of the television industry, once again proving that TV can deliver performances on par with movies!"
The highest praise propelled Renly into the spotlight. Daisy's admiration for him was evident. "What's even more precious is that Hall is just twenty years old, with eighty-three days left until he turns twenty-one. We are witnessing the rise of a new star."
In comparison, The New York Times offered a more reserved commentary, publishing a special feature with the title "When We Begin to Overlook Television Performances..."
In Bradley's article, he noted that people consistently praised film performances while unintentionally or intentionally overlooking or downplaying television performances. However, "Renly and Claire Danes have brought the focus back to the television screen with exceptional performances." Bradley emphasized, "Well, "Temple Grandin" is, after all, a television movie. The consideration of acting is parallel to that of movies. Comparatively, Hall's performance in the ten episodes of "The Pacific" meticulously assembled details, shaping characters in a serene yet profound manner, truly interpreting the charm of acting. His every expression and gesture linger in one's memory!"
Apart from this, Bradley also mentioned other actors like Bryan Cranston, stressing at the article's conclusion, "Actors led by Hall prove that perhaps the pace of performance may differ, the method of performance may vary, but exceptional actors are consistently brilliant. The size of the screen cannot confine their talents; it will inevitably become their performance stage!"
Not only The New York Times and Vanity Fair, but other mainstream media outlets also mentioned Renly in their coverage.
Hollywood Reporter considered it to be "An underdog story, yet not quite. The Emmy Awards courageously prove that absolute skill is the only criterion for evaluation."
The Chicago Tribune stated, "Emerging from "The Pacific", outshining the brilliance of Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, snatching the cup from Al Pacino's grasp, Renly's debut is undoubtedly a remarkable feat."
The New Yorker also brought up the point, "As a counterpart to "Modern Family", Renly, with his exceptional performance in "Temple Grandin", secured the Outstanding Leading Actor award in in a Miniseries or Movie category. He emerged as a fresh face that night, a delightful surprise."
...
The resounding praises echoed endlessly, almost overnight, spreading Renly's name far and wide, even more fervently than during the airing of "The Pacific". The Hollywood fairy tale of overnight fame was now unfolding!
Meanwhile, the online frenzy had just begun. Yahoo communities were bustling with discussions, the clamor and attention showcasing the traits of the internet era. In the "62nd Emmy Awards Live and Discussion Thread", one question undoubtedly dominated the conversation:
Who is Renly?
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