Maya Rudolph gets career Emmy no. 6, Angela Basset wins her first at the Creative Arts Emmys

On Saturday night, Maya Rudolph celebrated her sixth Emmy win, this time for her voice-over performance in Big Mouth at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Meanwhile, Angela Bassett earned her first-ever Emmy for narrating the National Geographic series Queens.

Rudolph, known for her time on Saturday Night Live, expressed heartfelt gratitude for her work on Big Mouth, where she voices the Hormone Monstress. Four of her Emmys come from this role. “I’m so proud to be part of something that captures the human experience,” she said, growing emotional as she spoke about the privilege of doing what she loves. "It's making me cry because I'm very menopausal," she joked.

The Creative Arts Emmys, which celebrate technical and behind-the-scenes achievements, precede the main Emmys ceremony, airing September 15, hosted by Dan and Eugene Levy.

Angela Bassett, visibly moved, accepted her award for best narrator. “Oh my god, my first Emmy,” she said, overcome with emotion. Backstage, she shared that the all-female production team behind the wildlife documentary inspired her involvement. “It touched my heart,” she said.

The evening also recognised other notable wins. Pat Sajak, recently retired, earned his fourth Emmy for best game show host for his final season on Wheel of Fortune, marking his first win since 1998. Saturday Night Live had a triumphant night with six craft category wins, including accolades for makeup and production design. Rudolph, a two-time SNL Emmy winner, is nominated for two more awards for her recent hosting gig and is set to return to the show this fall, reprising her role as Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the election.

As the ceremony wrapped, Dick Van Dyke, turning 99 soon, stole the spotlight with a lively moment. After Dick Van Dyke: 98 Years of Magic won best pre-recorded variety special, Van Dyke humorously announced, “I’d like to invite you to my memorial. No date yet, but I’m not feeling great.” He continues to make history, having become the oldest daytime Emmy winner in June for his appearance on Days of Our Lives.

Other notable wins include the Ron Howard-directed Jim Henson Idea Man, which picked up four awards, and Welcome to Wrexham, which won three, including Best Unstructured Reality Show. Shogun, the top nominee this season, received its first Emmy for a post-show featurette, with 17 more nominations awaiting results on Sunday when scripted television takes center stage.