Linda Cardellini has won her first Emmy after more than three decades in the industry, taking home Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role in HBO’s DTF St. Louis at the Creative Arts Emmys on Saturday, September 6.
Speaking backstage, an emotional Cardellini described the moment as difficult to fully process.
“I feel so honoured,” she told E! News. “It’s an amazing feeling. I feel very, very grateful.”
She explained why the recognition felt especially immediate compared to the slower nature of screen work.
“In this business, we put it on film and then months later, sometimes a year later, it comes out, so it’s nothing so immediate. But this is a very immediate feeling when your name’s called.”
Onstage, Cardellini was visibly moved as she thanked her family and co-stars.
“I had to write something just in case, but first I would just like to say thank you to my mom and my dad. ‘I love you’ to my whole family and my friends and to Steve and my beautiful daughter Lyra Rose,” she said, also thanking showrunner Steven Conrad.
“Thank you for your beautiful heart and your beautiful mind. Thank you for this part and giving me this chance.”
She beat out a field that included Dakota Fanning, Laurie Metcalf, Joy Sunday, Youn Yuh-jung and Constance Zimmer.
Cardellini plays Carol Love-Smernitch, whose affair with local weatherman Clark Forrest, played by Jason Bateman, sets off the show’s central murder mystery alongside her onscreen husband, played by David Harbour.
This marks her third career Emmy nomination, following earlier nods for Mad Men and Dead to Me, and her first win.
She likened the feeling to a much lighter career milestone from years past, saying, “It was a dream to be on The Price Is Right, but this is really a dream come true since I was a little kid. I love television and to have an award from television is pretty wonderful. I’m flattered.”
DTF St. Louis, created by Steven Conrad, led the night with six wins from its 13 nominations, also picking up trophies for writing, directing, picture editing, cinematography and Harbour’s supporting actor win.
