Brett Goldstein wins second Emmy, Sheryl Lee Ralph sings her acceptance

By Lisa Richwine and Danielle Broadway

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Brett Goldstein landed his second Emmy award on Monday for playing a foul-mouthed but soft-hearted soccer star on "Ted Lasso," and Sheryl Lee Ralph was honored for her role as a veteran teacher on comedy "Abbott Elementary."

The actors were among the early winners at the Emmy awards, Hollywood's annual celebration of the best of television.

Ralph appeared shocked when her name was called as the winner of best supporting comedy actress in a comedy on "Abbott Elementary," a show about a predominantly Black school in Philadelphia. The actress began her acceptance speech by singing a rousing, acapella excerpt of the song "Endangered Species."

"I am a woman, I am an artist, and I know where my voice belongs," she sang, prompting a standing ovation.

British actor Goldstein, named best comedy actor, said he was going to try not to swear after his profanity-laced remarks were cut off in Britain when he won last year, preventing his family from hearing them.

Then he added: "Mum, Dad ... I fucking love you."

Singer Lizzo earned an Emmy award for competition series for "Watch Out for the Big Grrrls," a show in which women compete to be her backup dancers. The musician said that as a little girl she had always wanted television to feature "someone fat like me, black like me, beautiful like me."

"I'm going to go back and tell a little Lizzo something ... you're going to be that person," she said.

Among other winners, Michael Keaton was named lead actor in limited series for playing a small-town doctor who becomes addicted to painkillers in "Dopesick." Murray Bartlett and Jennifer Coolidge won awards for their roles on HBO limited series "The White Lotus."

Host and "Saturday Night Live" star Kenan Thompson kept a celebratory tone throughout the show, saying it was a time to appreciate one of the world's favorite pastimes.

"What would we do without television, read books?" he joked, before joining dance numbers to theme songs ranging from classic sitcom "Friends" to current best drama nominee "Stranger Things."

"Succession," an HBO series starring Brian Cox as the patriarch of a family jockeying for control of a media dynasty, was seen as a favorite for the night's top prize - best drama. The series, which tells the story of a wealthy family jockeying for power, won the award in 2020.

Matthew Macfadyen, who plays insecure son-in-law Tom on "Succession," said he was "deeply flattered" by winning the Emmy award for supporting actor in a drama.

"It really is such a pleasure to play this bonkers gift of a role," he said.