‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ and Netflix Top a Tie-Heavy 2021 Critics Choice Real TV Awards Winners List

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterAmanda Seyfried doesn’t think she nailed the iconic deep voice of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes for Hulu’s upcoming limited series “The Dropout” — but she did her “best to try to capture the oddness of it.”“The shape of my mouth isn’t the same as hers, but I can make sounds somewhat or pretty close to what she did,” Seyfried, who plays the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire on the Hulu show, said during a virtual panel at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour Tuesday. “And that’s my job as an actor, mimicking and stuff like that.

Adele thanked her ex-husband Simon Konecki and their son Angelo in an emotional speech on Tuesday as she picked up Album of the Year and Artist of the Year at the 2022 BRIT Awards.MORE: Adele shows off Hollywood transformation in glamorous black dressThe singer made her first public appearance after canceling her Las Vegas residency, and wowed fans as she wore a gorgeous custom Giorgio Armani Privé dress with a tulle neckline and tail. She accessorized with neutral makeup, large diamond earrings and a pear-shaped sparkling ring on the all-important finger.WATCH: Adele thanks ex-husband in emotional speech"I want to thank everyone I work with but I want to dedicate this to my son, and to Simon, his dad, this album was all of our journey, not just mine," she shared as she picked up the Album of the Year award. "I am very proud of myself for sticking to my guns and putting out an album about something so personal, not many people do stuff like that anymore."MORE: Adele gives another very candid chat: TV habits, fake Instagram, family traits and moreShe added: "And my son has been so gracious and kind and patient with me over the last over years, so it's for him."Adele, who is one of the world's best-selling music artists of all time, married charity entrepreneur Simon Konecki in 2017.

Ed Sheeran married his childhood sweetheart Cherry Seabrook in 2019, but he often keeps his beloved out of the spotlight.INSIDE: Ed Sheeran's ultra-rare look inside £3.7million estate that resembles a mini villageBut on Tuesday after he scooped Best Songwriter of the Year at the BRIT awards, he couldn't help but mention his beau in his acceptance speech. Standing on stage, the hitmaker said: "Because it's a songwriting prize I really really wouldn't be here without the fantastic people I get to work with, so thank you to all of them." After naming his record companies he then moved onto praise his loving wife.WATCH: Ed Sheerman makes rare omment about wife CherryHe added: "But also my wife Cherry, who at the drop of the hat will come to the middle of nowhere to a really secluded studio and live in-house and be so supportive while we just make songs and songs and songs.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is handing out the awards for this year’s broadcast portion of the 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, airing on CBS.Among the big winners: “Jeopardy!” once again picked up award for best game show. Executive producer Mike Richards dedicated the award to late host Alex Trebek.“We’ve heard from so many of you since he passed and we know how much he meant to you,” Richards said.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” has named Erin Irwin, Molly McNearney and Jennifer Sharron as executive producers. All three previously served as co-executive producers.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeWhen then-Turner Entertainment president Steve Koonin pitched Conan O’Brien on launching a show at TBS, he was upfront with the host: We won’t be able to deliver you an audience as big as the one you had at NBC. But you can do whatever you want.“He was true to his word,” said “Conan” executive producer Jeff Ross.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAmazon Prime Video’s “Small Axe” is among the final batch of this year’s Peabody Award winners, which have been announced throughout the week. Variety also has a first look at actor Cynthia Erivo presenting the honor to “Small Axe,” and filmmaker Steve McQueen’s acceptance speech; scroll down to watch.A collection of five films from McQueen about Black West Indian immigrants in 1970s and early 1980s London, “Small Axe” touches on subjects including police brutality, anti-Black racism, immigrant live and the music, food and culture of the time.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeHBO’s “I May Destroy You” and Netflix’s “Crip Camp” are among the next batch of this year’s Peabody Award winners, which continue to be announced throughout the week.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is prepping for a return to normalcy in 2022, including a live, in-person Daytime Emmys at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. But that’s next year.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe Television Academy is making a small, but meaningful change in how it recognizes gender-nonbinary performers in the Emmy competition.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large“Ted Lasso” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” are among the first batch of this year’s Peabody Award winners.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe 28th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will take place next year on February 27, 2022. That was the date originally reserved for the 94th Academy Awards — but with the Oscars moving to March 27, the SAG Awards will now fill that date.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeGreetings from Variety Awards Headquarters!  Hold on. 

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAs retail continues to reopen and consumers return to brick-and-mortar stores, “Rick and Morty” will be waiting for them. The Adult Swim animated series, which returns for Season 5 on June 20, has not only been a ratings juggernaut — it has turned into a merchandising machine.“Rick and Morty” now boasts more than 150 global licensees — spanning fashion, accessories, home, toys and games — that generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAnd yet, it was quite deflating to see the recent report “The Prevalence and Portrayal of Asian and Pacific Islanders Across 1,300 Films,” which found that just 44 of those films featured an API lead or co-star. And in particular, that one-third of those 44 was just one person: You guessed it, The Rock.I think Johnson would be the first to tell you that he’s just one person with one perspective, and that when it comes to on-screen portrayals, he can’t begin to represent the mixed plate that is the Asian American and Pacific Islander population in the United States.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe loophole that allowed docs to somehow compete in both Oscars and Emmys was always a bit bizarre. It couldn’t happen in scripted, where the rules have been ironclad: If you were released theatrically first, you’re a movie; if you’re on television, you’re, well, TV.In documentary, though, it’s often TV outlets such as HBO, PBS or Nat Geo commissioning and funding the projects to air on their networks — making them, arguably, TV projects.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe Television Academy first expanded the short form categories in 2016, buoyed by the promise of original fare from Maker Studios, Fullscreen, AwesomenessTV, YouTube Red, Adult Swim and others. Maker and Fullscreen basically don’t exist anymore, and the excitement of the short form races has perhaps further cooled after the Quibi debacle.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large“I May Destroy You,” “The Flight Attendant” and “Killing Eve” were among the top winners as the Banff World Media Festival revealed the winners to this year’s Rockie Awards International Program Competition. Announced Tuesday via a live, streamed virtual event, this year’s Rockie Awards saw the United Kingdom take home the most kudos, with 11, followed by the United States with ten.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeGreetings from Variety Awards Headquarters! Today is June 14, 2021, which means it’s 3 days until nomination-round voting starts on June 17; 11 days until the Daytime Emmys telecast on June 25; 14 days until nomination-round voting ends on June 28; 29 days until nominations are announced on July 13; 66 days until final-round voting starts on Aug. 19; and 97 days until the Primetime Emmys telecast on Sept.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe anthology Emmy category only lasted a year, but a variation of “outstanding dramatic program,” which mostly recognized individual episodes of anthologies such as “Hallmark Hall of Fame,” continued until the 1970s.Now, we’re in a new age of anthologies, spurred by filmmakers eager to tell their stories in episodic fashion (yes, I know, I grit my teeth every time another director claims they’re actually making a series of movies, or one 10-hour film, rather than a TV show). This year, that includes Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe,” which film critics attempted to claim as their own when crafting their end-of-year lists but is now an Emmy contender.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeJon & Vinny’s is offering pizza with extra chess this weekend. As part of Netflix’s For Your Consideration campaign for its limited series “The Queen’s Gambit,” the streamer has partnered with the popular local pizza chain to hand out custom pizza boxes promoting the show’s awards hopes.As part of the campaign, the Jon & Vinny’s green and white cardboard pizza boxes have been redesigned into chess boards.