The Crown’s Emma Corrin paid tribute to Princess Diana after winning the Best Actress in a Drama Series at the 2021 Golden Globes on Sunday.
The British star, 25, plays the late Royal in the fourth series of the Netflix drama, in a role which has won her widespread critical acclaim.
An emotional Emma said Diana – who died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 – had taught her ‘compassion and empathy beyond measure’ as she accepted the award, on a night dominated by The Crown.
Royal role: The Crown’s Emma Corrin paid tribute to Princess Diana after winning the Best Actress in a Drama Series at the 2021 Golden Globes on Sunday
Emma appeared virtually at the ceremony and was left almost speechless when her name was announced, as costar Olivia Coleman cheered her on.
Brits dominated the night as The Crown came away with multiple awards during the night, including Best Actor in a TV Series which went to Josh O’Connor, 30, who plays Prince Charles to Emma’s Lady Di.
As the night progressed, The Crown – which chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to modern times – swept the board as it also picked up Best Drama Series. The show won the same accolade in 2017.
Following that, Gillian Anderson, who portrays former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the drama, scooped Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series.
Chronicled: The British star, 25, plays the late Royal in the fourth series of the Netflix drama, in a role which has won her widespread critical acclaim
Emma beat costar Olivia Colman, Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer, Ozark’s Laura Linney and Ratched’s Sarah Paulson in the best actress in a TV drama category.
After Emma’s name was announced, Olivia was cheering for her and stood up to give her a round of applause. Somewhat speechless after her win, Emma thanked her ‘incredible cast’ and her ‘Prince Charming’ Josh O’Connor.
‘I could not have done this without you,’ she gushed.
The final person Emma thanked was the late Princess Diana.
‘Most of all, thank you so much to Diana,’ Emma said, with her eyes raised to the sky.
He’s a viewer: An emotional Emma also revealed she felt ‘moved’ by Prince Harry ‘s revelation that he watches The Crown during his recent appearance on James Corden ‘s The Late Late Show (pictured together above)
‘You have taught me compassion and empathy beyond any measure that I could ever imagine,’ she added, ‘and on behalf of everyone who remembers you so fondly and passionately, thank you.’
Season four of The Crown follows the beginning of Prince Charles’ relationship with Princess Diana.
Emma later opened up to Extra’s Rachel Lindsay about her reaction to Prince Harry’s recent interview with James Corden, where he revealed he watches the show.
Prince Harry showed his loyalty to Netflix, with whom he has a multi-million pound contract, and defended The Crown, despite the show facing widespread criticism over its ‘twisted’ depiction of the Royal Family.
Speaking with James Corden, the Duke of Sussex, 36, gave his seal of approval to the Netflix show, which portrays his father Prince Charles as callous and self-serving and his grandmother the Queen as cold.
The fourth series of The Crown which premiered last November, showed Charles meeting and marrying an innocent Diana while maintaining his affair with the then-married Camilla Parker-Bowles. Scenes showing Diana gorging on food before vomiting into a toilet are so graphic that they carry on-screen warnings.
Prince Harry – who also name-dropped Netflix elsewhere in the interview – said The Crown is ‘fictional’ but is ‘loosely based on the truth’ and captures the feeling of being expected to put ‘duty and service above family and everything else’.
Harry added he would like Homeland actor Damian Lewis to play him if his character ever appears on the show as an adult.
‘They don’t pretend to be news, it’s fictional,’ Prince Harry said of The Crown. ‘But it’s loosely based on the truth.
‘Of course it’s not strictly accurate but it loosely it gives you a rough idea of that lifestyle and the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else and what can come from that.
‘I’m way more comfortable about The Crown than the stories I see written about my family, my wife or myself. Because it’s the difference between that’s [the fact] obviously fiction, take it how you will – but this is reported on as fact because you’re supposedly news.’
Emma said, ‘That really moved me in a way that I wasn’t really expecting.’
She continued, ‘When we’re making a show, we’re researching a show, on the one hand obviously we’re dealing with real people whose lives inform the characters that we then form, but on the other hand it’s intensely fictional, so actually when you’re doing a job it doesn’t find it so far removed from the real person and the people who are still alive…
‘It’s not something I ever felt I needed him to address or needed anyone to address, but actually hearing him say it, I’m glad that he enjoyed it, I feel moved and grateful for those words.’
‘To Emma Corrin, best actress winner, you’re extraordinary, talented, funny and brilliant player of rock paper scissors,’ he said. ‘I love you to bits.’
The actor concluded his speech with a message about the importance of mental health amid the pandemic.
‘I’m very lucky to be able to work in this period and there are so many people who are unable to work and are alone and isolated,’ he said. ‘And I hope that we can all collectively put mental health at the forefront of our mind. Thank you so much.’
This year’s ceremony, which usually takes place in early January, was pushed back to February 28 as Hollywood continues to adjust to the coronavirus pandemic and new safety guidelines.
Amy Poehler and Tina Fey returned to host for the fourth time. The comedy duo did the honors in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
It is the first ever awards show to be broadcast from two separate coasts.
Fey, 50, broadcasted from atop New York City’s Rockefeller Center in the Rainbow Room and Poehler, 49, in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where the ceremony is usually held annually.
Nominees tuned into the ceremony remotely but presenters have been asked to appear in person.
The impressive list of presenters this year included; Awkwafina, Cynthia Erivo, Annie Mumolo, Joaquin Phoenix, Kristen Wiig and Renee Zellweger, Kevin Bacon, Sterling K. Brown, Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Margot Robbie, Tiffany Haddish, Anthony Anderson, Kate Hudson and Kenan Thompson.
Satchel and Jackson Lee, children of three-time Golden Globe nominated filmmaker Spike Lee and producer/philanthropist Tonya Lewis Lee, are serving as the 2021 Golden Globe Ambassadors.
Jane Fonda, 83, received the Cecil B. DeMille Award, an accolade for film. The acting icon has previously won Golden Globes for her roles in Klute, Julia and Coming Home.
Norman Lear was honored with the Carol Burnett Award, a counterpart to the DeMille Award that focuses on life achievement in television. The writer, director and producer is a six-time Golden Globe winner.
Nominations were announced on February 3 with streaming giant Netflix receiving 42 nominations across film and television.