By Lisa Richwine and Daniel Broadway
LOS ANGELES — Selena Gomez, Jon Hamm, Reese Witherspoon and more stars hit the red carpet in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday as Hollywood heavyweights prepared to celebrate the best in television at the annual Emmy Awards.
“Shogun,” the historical epic set in feudal Japan, was the frontrunner to take the night’s top trophy for best drama series. Best comedy champion “The Bear,” about a family trying to open a top-tier restaurant in Chicago, is expected to take home the prize again, according to awards pundits.
Both shows debuted on the FX cable network and streamed on Hulu, setting up a big night for owner Walt Disney and its TV chief Dana Walden.
“Shogun,” a series about a 17th-century power struggle with most of the dialogue in Japanese, was no sure thing. It was developed over several years, then produced with elaborate sets, makeup and costumes, and the storytelling impressed critics.
“It was a huge surprise” when “Shogun” received nominations for the Emmy Awards, star and producer Hiroyuki Sanada said on the red carpet.
“We had faith in the audience, their intelligence and their curiosity about our culture,” he said. “We’re very glad they’re enjoying it.”
Sunday’s ceremony comes exactly eight months after the last Emmy Awards, which aired in an unusual January slot because of disruptions caused by a Hollywood labor strike.
As for the September schedule, the show will air live on Disney’s ABC on Sundays at 5 p.m. Pacific Time.
“Schitt’s Creek” father/son duo Eugene and Dan Levy will host the celebration. Producers have promised cast reunions from past shows like “Happy Days” and other moments to celebrate television history.
Country singer Jelly Roll was scheduled to perform during the “In Memoriam” segment of the night.
“I’m the only musician here,” he said on the red carpet. “I’m like a kid in a candy store. I just met the cast of ‘Shogun.’ I’m losing my mind.”
“Shogun” had already set records before the ceremony. It won 14 trophies — the most ever for a single season of a drama series — at last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys, where awards were given for crafts such as guest actors and cinematography.
The best drama category includes British royal family saga “The Crown” and Amazon Prime Video’s spy thriller “Mr. & Mrs. Smith.”
“The Bear” is competing with its second season, which featured a widely praised episode about a disastrous family holiday celebration.
“We tried our best to do what we did in the first season and stay together, be a unit, listen to each other and play off each other,” “The Bear” star Ayo Edebiri said on the red carpet.
HBO’s “Hacks,” about a 70-year-old comedian and a millennial writer, could play spoiler in the comedy category. Because of the timing of their seasons, these shows have never been able to compete head-to-head at the Emmys.
Winners are selected by nearly 22,000 performers, directors, producers and other members of the Hollywood Television Academy.
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