Billy Crudup Calls Wife Naomi Watts a 'Piece of Eye Candy' in 2024 Emmys Acceptance Speech

Mar. 15, 2025

Billy Crudup at the 2020 Emmy Awards.Photo:Kevin Winter/Getty

Kevin Winter/Getty

Billy Cruduphas been crowned a winner at the 76th annualEmmy Awards.

The Morning Showstar nabbed the coveted award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series on Sunday, Sept. 15.

Crudup, 56, gave his wifeNaomi Watts, who received a 2024 Emmy nomination of her own forFeud: Capote vs. The Swans,a shoutout in his acceptance speech.

Billy Crudup and Naomi Watts at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater in L.A.Kevin Mazur/Getty

Kevin Mazur/Getty

He also commendedThe Morning Show’s creative team.

“I just want to say that this is for the writers and the educators who allowed me to do the writing that was beyond my level,” Crudup said. “Every time I would see the scripts, I would have to go back and work on the techniques that teachers like Ron Van Lieu gave me.”

Crudup was once again nominated for his role as network president Cory Ellison onThe Morning Show.He’s been nominated in the category for each of the show’s three seasons, and took home the trophy in 2020.

In his virtual acceptancespeechafter winning, he said he knew from the “second” he landed the part that it was “something to be fortunate about.”

“It has taken an army of support and I am incredibly grateful,” he said, before shouting out his costars includingJennifer AnistonandReese Witherspoon. “You gave me a wonderful opportunity and… I’m glad to have delivered something for you.”

The series, which returned for season 4 on Sept. 4, earned nine nominations this year — including a nod for Oldman for outstanding lead actor in a drama and outstanding drama series. It’s the first time the show’s been recognized since its 2022 premiere.

Hamm was nominated in two categories this year, both for his work onThe Morning Showas corporate titan Paul Marksand forFargo, in which he played local sheriff Roy Tillman and earned a nomination for outstanding lead actor in a limited or anthology series or movie.

As Paul Marks, Hamm was a love interest for Aniston’s anchor Alex Levy — andthe pair didn’t even need an intimacy coordinator for their scenes together, as Aniston toldVariety, “Jon was such a gentleman, always — I mean, every move, every cut, ‘You OK?'”

The 53-year-old has 16 prior Emmy nominations but has only taken home the win once: he won outstanding lead actor in a drama series for his final turn as Don Draper inMad Menin 2015.

Jonathan Pryce in ‘The Crown’ season 6.Justin Downing/Netflix

Justin Downing/Netflix

Pryce earned a nomination forhis portrayal of Prince Philipin the closing chapter ofThe Crown. The Welsh actor, 77, has just two prior nominations, but is up for more than one award this year, as his guest-starring role as David Cartwright inSlow Horsesearned him a nod for outstanding guest actor in a drama series.

The royal series earned a whopping 18 nominations this year, andElizabeth Debicki, who starred asPrincess Dianain the final two seasons,told PEOPLE the recognition “feels like the cherry on the cake, really, of such a nice thing.”

“The show’s been running for a long time, and my cast and I have been kind of on this ride for nearly three years in a way, in terms of prep and then shooting and press, and so it’s just a lovely end to a long and beautiful — but sometimes really challenging — chapter as actors.”

Reacting to the nomination in an Instagrampost, Duplass, 47, called it a “lovely honor.”

“But my favorite part of the news this morning was chatting with my fellow nominees,” he continued, before sharing a call to action regarding mental health. “And, almost to a person, the question has changed from the previous years’ ‘congrats aren’t you so excited’ to ‘congrats… how are you?’ It’s hard right now. For almost all of us. Please take care of yourselves and each other.”

Duplass has previously won one Emmy, collecting the award for outstanding documentary or nonfiction series in 2018 for executive producingWild Wild Countryon Netflix.

Tadanobu Asano as Kashigi Yabushige in ‘Shogun’.Katie Yu/FX

Katie Yu/FX

This is Asano’s first nomination, and the Japanese actor earned it for his role as Kashigi Yabushige, the Lord of Izu, onShōgun. The FX series dominated this year’s nominations, leading the drama series categories with an impressive 25 nominations.The Bear— which lies in the comedy category — was a close second with 23 nominations.

Takehiro Hira as Ishido Kazunari in ‘Shogun’.Katie Yu/FX

Like his costar, Hira, 50, is another first-time nominee. He played Ishido Kazunari, a peasant-turned-warlord inShōgun, who concluded season 1 in the Osaka Castle alongside the Taikō, Nakamura Hidetoshi (Yukijirô Hotaru).

Along with Asaro and Hira,ShōgunstarsAnna Sawai, who played translator Toda Mariko, andHiroyuki Sanada, who played Lord Yoshii Toanaga, were nominated for outstanding lead actress and actor in a drama series. The show — which has already been greenlit for two more seasons — was also nominated for outstanding drama series.

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SeePEOPLE’s full coverageof the 76th annual Primetime Emmy Awards as they’re broadcasting live on ABC from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.

source: people.com