The 2020 Emmy awards looked a little different this year.
Jimmy Kimmel presented the biggest night in TV from a lonely looking studio. Some of the nominees, like Rachel Brosnahan and Samira Wiley, wore pyjamas (no judgement here, we dig it) and winners were given the awards in their own homes rather than nervously walking up to the stage in a couture dress to give a speech in front of a daunting A-list crowd.
But one thing that remained the same? The memes.
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Luckily, the 2020 awards have shown us that whichever format an awards show takes, we can still rely on celebrities to do meme-worthy things and the meme-makers at home to work their magic at impressive speed.
Here are our favourite memes from the 2020 ceremony:
The sad departure of Ramy Youssef's potential Emmy
Thank goodness for the Ramy actor. After a disappointing evening for the comedian - he lost out in the Best Actor In A Comedy Series to Schitt's Creek's Eugene Levy - the star gave viewers at home an insight into what happens at a socially distanced ceremony when you don't win.
Youssef uploaded a video to Twitter showing a person in a hazmat suit, who had been on standby in case of a win, waving goodbye and holding an Emmy award.
While hysterical laughter can be heard in the background, Youssef captioned the video: 'When you lost the Emmy.'
For those at home questioning, 'surely this can not be real life?' Variety reported a couple of days ago that Emmy presenters really were going to be wearing the newly designed Hazmat suits to personally deliver the awards to potential recipients.
Needless to say, the internet loved it:
Zendaya's Emmy Win
Arguably, the 2020 Emmys belonged to Zendaya - who became the youngest ever actress to win in the Best Drama category, seeing off competition from Olivia Colman, Sandra Oh, Laura Linney and more.
While she might have received the award in her living room, surrounded by her family, her reaction was incredible and we are sure to see this GIF on repeat from now on.
Other memes were created as fans were just generally thrilled with the whole situation:
Jennifer Aniston Putting Out An Actual Fire
The Morning Show actor was one of the few celebrities who was actually invited to Los Angeles' Staples Centre to appear in the studio with Kimmel. During a skit in which Kimmel and Aniston 'sanitised' the envelope which contained the Best Actress In A Comedy Series winner - which included spraying it and lighting it on fire before Aniston extinguished it - the fire refused to go out after a couple of attempts...
It pretty much sums up 2020, tbh:
There was also just general appreciation, as ever, for Aniston:
Paul Mescal And His Plant
As most of the nominees were at home, the audience got a glimpse into the homes of the rich and famous. Cue, the obsession with Normal People's Paul Mescal and his house plant.
Dan Levy's Reactions
It was a huge night for Schitt's Creek with the comedy taking home nine Emmys, including father and son Eugene and Dan Levy both winning. While people were thrilled for Dan's Best Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series win, it was also his reaction to his co-star's victories which people loved to see.
Immediately, his pride and emotion at watching his father Eugene's acceptance speech became a meme:
And again, Dan Levy becoming the new Meryl Streep with his joy for Annie Murphy's Emmy win:
And once more, for Catherine O'Hara's Best Actress In A Comedy gone:
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Olivia Blair is Entertainment Editor (Luxury) at Hearst UK, working across ELLE, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Michaela Coel and Ryan Gosling over the years.
