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'Sopranos' tipped for gold at Emmys swan song
2007-09-15
US mob drama "The Sopranos" was expected to whack the competition at the 59th annual Emmy awards on Sunday, when television's equivalent of the Oscars are held in Los Angeles. The HBO series, which ended in June after an eight-year run, was tipped for the top drama series prize, while James Gandolfini was expected to take home the outstanding lead actor award for his portrayal of mob boss Tony Soprano. Despite losing out on the outstanding drama award five times in the past -- winning only once before, in 2004 -- the show was still favorite to take home the most sought-after winged statuette of the evening. "It still may be the front-runner because it's the greatest TV show ever -- and if any series can break the curse, 'The Sopranos' can," said Tom O'Neil from industry insider website The Envelope. Edie Falco, nominated as best lead actress in a drama for her role as Tony's long-suffering wife Carmela, faced some tough competition, lined up notably against two-time Oscar winner Sally Field from the series "Brothers & Sisters." "The Sopranos" has been richly rewarded at the Emmys in the past, with Gandolfini and Falco each holding three awards under their belts, but the show only picked up one statuette last year, in the best drama writing category. Fox's action thriller "24," which scooped the top drama award in 2006, missed out this year but Kiefer Sutherland earned a chance to win the best lead actor award for a second year running for his portrayal of agent Jack Bauer. Other shows competing for the top drama award were ABC hospital drama "Grey's Anatomy," lawfirm series "Boston Legal," also from ABC, Fox's popular hospital drama "House" and NBC's science fiction series "Heroes." Hugh Laurie, whose cranky doctor Gregory House earned him a nod for the best actor in a drama category, was tipped as a serious challenge to Gandolfini. The outstanding comedy award looked set to be a battle between NBC's New York workplace comedy "30 Rock," spoof workplace documentary "The Office," which won last year, and ABC's newcomer "Ugly Betty." But HBO's winning "Entourage," an insider take on the world of celebrity in Hollywood, and popular sitcom "Two and a Half Men" starring Charlie Sheen could yet cause an upset on Sunday at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Alec Baldwin, who plays an awkward television boss in "30 Rock," was tipped for best actor in a comedy, but faces a tough challenge from Steve Carell in "The Office" and Tony Shalhoub, already honored with the award three times for his role as an obsessive-compulsive detective in "Monk." "30 Rock" creator and lead actress Tina Fey was also nominated for outstanding leading actress in a comedy series, where she faces off against America Ferrera in "Ugly Betty" and Felicity Huffman in "Desperate Housewives." The most nominations for the evening lie with HBO special "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee," based on the 19th century experience of native Americans, and historical mini-series "Broken Trail."
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