The best moments from the 2023 Emmy Awards: From big reunions to tearful tributes

The 75th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards are in the books and the ceremony certainly left its mark on the TV landscape. “Succession” and “The Bear” were the big winners at the Jan. 15 event, scoring six trophies apiece. And while those shows may represent the best in TV, the ceremony also saw the best in humanity, hilarity and heart.

Here are some of the most memorable moments from the show. The actor, who was nominated for her work in Netflix’s “Dead to Me,” was emotional when she appeared onstage . Applegate, who revealed in 2021 that she had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis , walked with a cane along with show host Anthony Anderson and poked fun at herself after getting a standing ovation.

“You’re totally shaming me with disability by standing up, but it’s fine,” Applegate said, adding, “Body not by Ozempic.” Applegate also choked up while reminiscing about her first TV credit, appearing in a 1972 episode of “Days of Our Lives.” “I’m going to cry more than I’ve been crying,” she said.

To celebrate 75 years of the Emmys, the show reunited casts from iconic programs of yesteryear, with stars from “Cheers,” “Martin,” “Ally McBeal,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “The Sopranos” turning up and giving fans a dose of nostalgia. “Being together brings back some great memories from show we’re all very proud of,” Kelsey Grammer said when stars from the “Cheers” cast appeared in a recreation of the famous fictional bar.

During the "Grey's Anatomy" reunion, Ellen Pompeo said, “When the first episode of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ aired .... I’m not sure Shonda Rhimes knew she would create a show that would have a lasting imprint on television and create lifelong friendships." Tina Fey and Amy Poehler revived their “Weekend Update” segment from “Saturday Night Live.” “We’ve reached the stage in life where we’ll only present awards sitting down,” Fey joked before the dup presented the award for outstanding variety special (live), which went to “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodgers Stadium,” making the singer the latest to join the exclusive EGOT club .

Culkin won the award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series for “Succession.” So, what better time to announce a desire to expand his family ? During his acceptance speech, he thanked his wife, Jazz Charton, and let her — and everyone watching — know he’d like their family of four to get bigger.

“Thank you for sharing your life with me and giving me two amazing kids, Kinsey Sioux and Wilder Wolf,” he said. “I love you so many and so much. And Jazz, I want more. You said ‘maybe,’ if I win! I love you so much.” Nash Betts should get an award for most honest acceptance speech when she won for outstanding supporting actress in a limited or anthology series or movie for her role in “Dahmer” because she thanked someone very special — herself .

“You know who I want to thank, I want to thank me for believing in me and doing what they said I could not do,” she said. “And I want to say to myself in front of all you beautiful people, ‘Go on girl with your bad self. You did that!’” Nash Betts, who played Glenda Cleveland, the neighbor who alerted police about Jeffrey Dahmer , then turned serious, while acknowledging Black women who are victims of police violence.

“Finally, I accept this award on behalf of every Black and brown woman who has gone unheard yet over policed, like Glenda Cleveland, like Sandra Bland, like Breonna Taylor,” she said. The “Abbott Elementary” star won outstanding actress in a comedy series , making her the first Black woman to win in the category since Isabel Sanford of “The Jeffersons” in 1981.

“I’m still processing, I’m just very grateful. I’m really grateful,” she said backstage about becoming the first Black woman to win the award in more than four decades. The comedy icon and seven time Emmy winner, 90, presented Brunson with the award and showed her flair for comedy is as good as ever.

“I was lucky enough to be the first female host of a comedy show,” she said about her long running “Carol Burnett Show.” “That was a long time ago, and I just want to say that a lot has changed in the last 46 years, for the better. Progress has been made. And it truly warms my heart to see how well men are doing in comedy now.”.