Los Angeles (AFP) - 01:40 GMT - 'Normal Heart' claims Emmy - "The Normal Heart," the HBO film adaptation of Larry Kramer's play about the rise of HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s, wins for outstanding television movie.
The production has 16 Emmy nominations. It was based on the 1985 play by Kramer, who appears to have been on stage in a thick scarf and an "Act Up" baseball cap, along with "The Normal Heart" team.
In addition, Sarah Silverman wins her second career Emmy, for outstanding writing for a variety special, "We Are Miracles."
"We're all just made of molecules, and we're hurling through space right now, thank you," the comedian says before exiting the stage.
01:37 GMT - "Fargo" best miniseries - The FX Networks' "Fargo" scoops the Emmy for outstanding miniseries
01:26 GMT - 'Horror Story' looking pretty - Oscar winner Jessica Lange pockets the Emmy for outstanding actress in a miniseries, for her role as Fiona Goode in "American Horror Story."
At age 65, Lange looks positively stunning in a black gown as she receives her statuette, her third Emmy.
"I truly am so surprised" at winning, she says.
Perhaps. But Lange won the same award three years ago, also for "American Horror Story."
One of the most acclaimed actresses of her generation, Lange shot to fame in the 1970s after playing the ape's prisoner in the remake of "King Kong."
01:25 GMT - Seeing red - AFP's team in Los Angeles is reporting a distinctly red theme coursing through the Emmy Awards:
The best of American television graced the red carpet at the annual 66th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles -- moved from a Sunday to Monday for scheduling reasons -- and there was no doubt what the dominant theme of the evening was in the fashion stakes.
Red.
Online and at the Nokia Theatre, much of the talk centered on Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who won the statuette of lead actress in a comedy for "Veep." She sported an eye-catching twisted and draped Carolina Herrera halter gown.
"I'm just as nervous now as I ever have been," said Louis-Dreyfus, who reportedly washed her flowing dark locks in the kitchen sink.
January Jones ("Mad Men"), in a Prabal Gurung ensemble, Giuliana Rancic and super model Heidi Klum -- who wore designer Zac Posen -- also all wore various tones of raspberry red.
01:21 GMT - Three-repeat for "Sherlock" - "Sherlock" is shining tonight.
Benedict Cumberbatch wins outstanding lead actor in a miniseries for portraying Sherlock Holmes. The PBS show's Martin Freeman also won earlier for supporting actor in a miniseries, as did one of its writers, Steven Moffat.
01:08 GMT - Sherlock times 2 - It's a double for "Sherlock."
Martin Freeman wins outstanding supporting actor in a miniseries for the PBS show's episode "His Last Vow." He beat out four actors from "The Normal Heart."
Freeman is not in attendance, and presenter Stephen Colbert accepted it on his behalf.
Outstanding directing for a miniseries, movie or dramatic special goes to Colin Bucksey for "Fargo" episode "Buridan's Ass." The show runs on FX. This is Bucksey's first Emmy nomination, and first win.
00:56 GMT - Sherlock, Horror Story - Steven Moffat is awarded the Emmy for outstanding writing for a miniseries, for the show "Sherlock."
And silver screen veteran Kathy Bates wins outstanding supporting actress in a miniseries or movie, for her role as Madame Delphine LaLaurie in "American Horror Story."
She had stiff competition from within the miniseries; Angela Bassett and Frances Conroy, both on the FX Networks' show, were also nominated.
Bates clearly wasn't ready for the win.
"Oh my god. Hold this," she was seen telling her companion, handing him her purse.
00:43 GMT - Veep! - Julia Louis-Dreyfus, star of HBO's "Veep," snags the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series. The former "Seinfeld" star portrays Vice President Selina Meyer.
In the broadcast's first surprise moment, Louis-Dreyfus is embraced by "Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston as she strides toward the stage to receive her award. Cranston plants a half-hilarious, half-passionate six- or seven-second kiss on Louis-Dreyfus, prompting loud applause from the audience.
"Um, yeah he was on Seinfeld," the flustered actress says when she gets to the microphone. Cranston had portrayed a dentist on "Seinfeld" from 1994 to 1997.
Also, the Emmy for outstanding reality competition program goes to "The Amazing Race," on CBS.
00:37 GMT - Lead actor, comedy - Jim Parsons grabs the Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a comedy, as Sheldon Cooper in "The Big Bang Theory." It is his fourth Emmy award.
With all the talk of cable TV like HBO and online streaming such as NETFLIX posing such a hefty challenge to network television, the broadcasters have ruled the first four awards: two each to ABC and CBS.
00:30 GMT - Modern Family, two out of three - Gayle Mancuso, director of Modern Family, wins the Emmy for outstanding directing for a comedy series.
This marks the second award for the show. Ty Burrell won outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series a few minutes ago.
Moments earlier, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel ribbed Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey: "You got so fat since the Oscars," he says, addressing the "True Detective" star in the front row.
The funnyman noted that McConaughey won an Oscar for "Dallas Buyers Club" only a few months ago. "How many of these (awards win) speeches of yours are we supposed to sit through?" he asked. "Alright alright alright already."
Kimmel jokes that McConaughey was too handsome for television.
"Beautiful son of a bitch. That's not a television face, that's a movie star face," he says, adding that McConaughey's "True Detective" co-star Woody Harrelson was "a television god."
Turning to less telegenic British comic Rickie Gervais, he says: "That's a television face."
To McConaughey he adds: "You don't belong here. and take Julia Roberts with you while you're at it."
00:29 GMT - Outstanding supporting actress, comedy series - And the Emmy goes to Allison Janney, who portrays the mother Bonnie in CBS show "Mom."
00:09 GMT - First Emmy goes to... - The tuxedoed Seth Meyers is on stage, sparing few actors or shows in the industry before handing off to Amy Poehler to present the first award of the night, outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series.
And the Emmy goes to...
Ty Burrell of ABC's hit show "Modern Family.
The Emmy Awards ceremony begins
23:51 GMT - Environmentally friendly - Per Variety magazine, latenight host and nominee Jimmy Kimmel took the Los Angeles subway to the Emmys with his wife Molly McNearney, forgoing the traditional limo ride and drop-off.
23:34 GMT - Timely themes - Per AFP Los Angeles bureau's Michael Thurston:
Mandy Patinkin, who plays CIA chief Saul Berenson in spy drama "Homeland," says the cast has been in Cape Town for the last three months, shooting the new series.
"We are so sad that the day will come when we have to say goodbye," he says.
He refuses to divulge which direction the show goes after (spoiler alert) the shock death of Nicholas Brody at the climax of the last series, but he said the terror-themed drama was worryingly topical, given recent events in Iraq and Syria.
"It is terrifying how timely it is. I wish it wasn't," he tells KTLA television.
23:33 GMT - A busy red carpet - Some of television's top stars have already filed down the carpet into the theater ahead of the Emmy kick-off -- signing autographs, posing for the cameras and doing their 360 twirls for the fashion police.
Among them is the show's first-time host Seth Meyers, who despite a dozen years on "Saturday Night Live" and now hosting his own late-night show confessed to having a bit of the jitters.
"Much like a lot of people in Hollywood I'm wearing a mask right now," Meyers says.
Heidi Klum arrived in a fitting red gown, apparently setting off a fashion debate by displaying her pink fingernails.
And the US vice president has arrived -- er, make that Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who portrays America's number two in the HBO political comedy "Veep" and is nominated for best lead actress in a comedy.
22:59 GMT - It's a girl! - First off from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, a bit of news: actress Hayden Panettiere arrives on the Emmy Awards red carpet showing her baby bump, and she reveals to E! News that she and fiancee Vladimir Klitschko are expecting a girl.
22:49 GMT - Live from the Emmys - The 66th Primetime Emmy Awards -- television's highest honors -- airs tonight, and AFP is here to bring you coverage of the shows and stars of the small screen, beginning now with red carpet coverage. The official awards presentations begin at 8:00 pm (0000 GMT).
Will "Breaking Bad," the mega-hit about a man's spiral into a violent drug underworld, go out on a high by winning the best drama series Emmy at the conclusion of its phenomenally successful seven-season run? Will "Game of Thrones," the nominations-leading medieval drama, scoop up key awards, or will newcomer "True Detective," with Hollywood royalty Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, crash the party?