Bean, Montenegro win Emmy Awards

NEW YORK: Britain’s Sean Bean and Brazil’s Fernanda Montenegro took the top acting honors Monday night at the 41st International Emmy Awards in which the statues were spread among television productions from six countries.
The highlight of the awards ceremony came when Zachary Quinto, who plays Spock in the latest “Star Trek” films, presented the honorary International Emmy Founders Award to writer-director-producer J.J. Abrams, who took a break from pre-production work on the new “Star Wars” film.
Abrams, who helped create such trend-setting TV series as “Felicity,” “Alias,” and “Lost,” paid tribute to his actors and production crews as well as his family.
He credited his father, TV executive Gerald W. Abrams with teaching him “about leadership, tenacity and getting things done at all costs” and his wife, Katie McGrath,” for “her support and brutal honesty” and encouraging him early on to write “about things that I care about,” which led him to create his first television script for “Felicity.”
Britain garnered three International Emmys at the ceremony at the Hilton New York hosted by British comedian John Oliver, formerly of “The Daily Show.”
Brazil and France had two apiece, while Australia, South Korea and Germany each got one award. The 36 nominees represented 19 countries, including first-timers Angola and Uruguay.
Bean, best known for his roles in “The Lord of the Rings” and “Game of Thrones,” won the best actor award for his role in an episode of the crime anthology series.
Bean portrayed a shy English literature teacher in the series.
The veteran actor said he was especialy “delighted” because “I’ve never actually won anything before.”
Earlier on the red carpet, Bean said he took the role because it’s something he’s “always kind of aspired to — playing diversity and different characters.”
“I guess that’s what excites us as actors and this was a wonderful opportunity for me to display another side of my character,” he said.
The awards, presented by the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, honor excellence in television programming outside the US.