Yvonne Strahovski has missed out on an Emmy award and her acclaimed TV series The Handmaid's Tale had a barren night, but the Australian actor will not have to wait too long for her grandest prize.
Strahovski is due to give birth to a baby boy any second and bravely sat through the 2.5 hour ceremony in Los Angeles on Monday.
The Emmy for supporting actress in a drama series instead went to a shocked Thandie Newton for her role in Westworld.
"I don't even believe in God but I'm going to thank her tonight," Newton told the A-List audience inside the Microsoft Theatre.
Strahovski, 36, from Sydney, was favourite to claim the Emmy for her emotionally complex character in The Handmaid's Tale, a series set in a totalitarian society where fertile women are forced to bear children.
The series' strong cast may have worked against Strahovski, with co-stars Ann Dowd and Alexis Bledel also nominated in the category and possibly splitting their votes.
The Handmaid's Tale also missed out on the outstanding drama series Emmy to Game of Thrones.
Emmy voters shared the awards around, with The Marvelous Mrs Maisel winning outstanding comedy series, The Americans' Matthew Rhys taking lead dramatic actor and The Crown's Claire Foy beating The Handmaid's Tale's Elisabeth Moss for lead actress.
Australian comedienne Hannah Gadsby drew laughs when she deadpanned her way through presenting the drama series directing category, won by Stephen Daldry for The Crown.
"For somebody like me, a nobody from nowhere gets this sweet gig, free suit, new boots just because I don't like men," Gadsby told the crowd.
"That's a joke of course."
Strahovski and husband Tim Loden had hoped to keep the sex of their child secret, but on the red carpet before the ceremony they let slip they were having a boy while joking about not going into labour during the Emmys.
"I'm just gonna hold him in there hope for the best," Strahovski said in an interview with E!.
"I just let it slip earlier didn't I?
"Breaking news.
"It's a boy."
"It's out," Loden added.
"If it changes we'll let you know."
Share
