Australia’s Sarah Snook has capped an incredible week by taking out the award for best actress in a drama series at the Emmys on Tuesday.

Snook, who has claimed Golden Globe and Critics Choice awards for her role as Shiv Roy in the celebrated television show, Succession, thanked her parents for encouraging her to dress up as a child, as well as her baby daughter, who was born shortly after the airing of the show’s finale last year.

“My biggest thank you goes to somebody who won’t understand anything I’m saying right now – someone I carried through the last season, but she really carried me,” she said.

“She gave me the strength to do this. It’s all for you from here on out.”

Snook has has been nominated for best actress twice before at the Emmys – television’s premier awards ceremony – but this is her first win.

Succession, which follows the cutthroat machinations of the media mogul Logan Roy and his family, won six Emmys these awards including best drama series, best actor in a drama series for Kieran Culkin and best supporting actor for Matthew Macfadyen, as well as best directing for Mark Mylod and best writing for Jesse Armstrong.

“It was a great sadness to end the show, but it was a great pleasure to do it,” creator Armstrong said.

The Bear, the story of a fine-dining chef trying to turn around his family’s Chicago sandwich shop, also had a strong showing at the Emmys.

Star Jeremy Allen White was named best actor in a comedy, and his co-stars Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bachrach won supporting actress and actor, for the first season of the FX network show.

The series also won directing and writing honours and claimed best comedy series.

“I am so proud, so full of gratitude, to be standing in front of you all,” said White, who plays chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto.

“I love the show so much.”

Road rage drama Beef won best limited series, one of its five awards for the night. Stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong claimed acting trophies.

Emmy Awards was postponed from September because of Hollywood labour disputes last year.

Jennifer Coolidge, who won her second supporting actress honour for playing a loopy vacationer on limited series The White Lotus, took the opportunity to thank “all of the evil gays”, referring to characters on the show involved in a murder plot against her character.

Several Black actors won awards at the Los Angeles ceremony, which coincided with the US holiday commemorating civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

Edebiri of The Bear thanked her family for “letting me feel beautiful and Black and proud of all of that”.

A jubilant Niecy Nash, a supporting actress winner for limited series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, hoisted her Emmy in the air and proclaimed “I’m a winner, baby”.

“I want to thank me, for believing in me and for doing what they said I could not do!” Nash said.

Quinta Brunson was named best actress in a comedy for playing an optimistic teacher on Abbott Elementary, a show she created. She shed tears as she took the stage and was handed the honour by comedy legend Carol Burnett.

“I don’t know why I’m so emotional. I think it’s the Carol Burnett of it all,” Brunson said. 

“I’m so happy to be able to live my dream.”

Organisers used this year’s milestone – the 75th Emmys – to honour classic television shows with cast reunions and other moments.

Host Anthony Anderson opened the show with a choir singing theme songs from shows such as Good Times and The Facts of Life. Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker joined to play the drum solo from In The Air Tonight, a song that aired during a pivotal moment in 1980s hit Miami Vice.

Many of the cast of Cheers were reunited. Photo: Twitter/Television Academy

Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Perlman and other stars of Cheers gathered around a recreation of the iconic bar set, and Grey’s Anatomy actors Katherine Heigl and Ellen Pompeo spoke from a hospital room set up on stage. 

-AAP