That’s checkmate for “The Queen’s Gambit.”
Netflix’s hit period chess show claimed the top prize for limited series at the 2021 Emmy Awards on Sunday.
Created by Scott Frank and Allan Scott, “The Queen’s Gambit” stars Anya Taylor-Joy as orphan chess prodigy Beth Harmon. The acclaimed series follows Harmon and her journey to the top of the competitive chess world amid struggles including drug and alcohol addiction.
Considered one of this year’s most competitive Emmy fields, the limited or anthology series nominees also included “I May Destroy You,” “Mare of Easttown,” “The Underground Railroad” and “WandaVision.”
“The Queen’s Gambit” had earned 18 nods when nominations were announced in July. The series started its run to the top prize at last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards, where it scored nine wins.
The show came into Sunday’s telecast having already won Emmys for its casting, cinematography, period costumes, editing, period makeup (non-prosthetic), original dramatic score, sound editing, sound mixing and production design.
The series was also in the headlines Thursday when chess grandmaster Nona Gaprindashvili sued Netflix for $5 million over what she considered her “grossly sexist” portrayal on the show.
This momentum carried over into Sunday’s telecast, where “The Queen’s Gambit” cast and crew were nominated in six of the major categories. Earlier in the evening, Frank won the award for directing.
“The Queen’s Gambit’s” Emmy haul adds to prior accolades, including a 2021 Golden Globe Award for limited series or TV movie as well as various guild awards. Taylor-Joy has also won a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her portrayal of Beth on the show.
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