By ANITA BENNETT

Emotional: Kate Winslet paid homage to her mum, after winning an Emmy Award tonight in Los Angeles

After tonight's Emmy Awards, there is no doubt, Hollywood adores its British imports.

Kate Winslet, Dame Maggie Smith and the ITV1 series Downton Abbey all reigned supreme at the awards ceremony.

Winslet picked up the lead actress in a miniseries or movie Emmy, for her starring role in the HBO drama Mildred Pierce.


Joy: Kate punched the air in delight as her name was announced

The 35-year-old played the titular role in the five-part series, which was set during the Great Depression.

Dressed in a stunning red gown, Kate gushed after winning: 'Mildred Pierce was capable of great acts of love as a mother.

'It doesn't matter how old you are or what you do with your life, you will never stop needing your mum. And I will never stop needing mine, so thanks mum.'

Winner: Kate's performance as a depression era mum earned her the Emmy Award

Based on a 1941 novel by American writer James M. Cain, the movie centres on a young mother with a talent for baking, who is forced to hunt for work to support herself and her two young daughters, after throwing her husband out of the house.

It had been nominated in 21 categories, but won just two awards, including a supporting actor statuette for British-born and Australian raised actor Guy Pearce.

Thanks mum: The actress said, 'It doesn't matter how old you are or what you do with your life, you will never stop needing your mum. And I will never stop needing mine'

Mildred Pierce's big night: Kate's co-star Guy Pearce also picked up an Emmy Award

Pearce joked: 'I got to have sex with Kate Winslet many many times.'

UK series Downton Abbey, which airs in the U.S. on the PBS network, was also a big winner.

It picked up four awards, including the coveted best miniseries or TV movie Emmy.

Thrilled: Pearce gave Kate a kiss backstage as they posed for pictures and stopped for a round of interviews

Pucker up: Winslet didn't hold back in her affection for presenter Hugh Laurie (left) and co-star guy Pearce

Celebration: Kate is surrounded by her co-stars before going up onstage to accept her award

The series also earned Essex native Maggie Smith, who was not at the ceremony, an Emmy in the Supporting actress category.

Upon hearing the news, Hugh Bonneville, at home in England, tweeted: 'Well done, Mother dear.'

It additionally won awards in the directing category for Brian Percival and a writing Emmy for Julian Fellowes.


Downton's finest: Elizabeth McGovern, Joanne Froggatt and Michelle Dockery hold one of the show's four awards

Fellowes said: 'This is really a David and Goliath story, except in this case Goliath was wonderful, some wonderful shows that we were up against, and it seems perfectly extraordinary that we've won.'

He added: 'None of us know what's going to be a hit, we make these shows, we hope for the best, but we don't know why sometimes it comes right and this evening is such a marvellous moment in all our lives because this evening it came right.'

Big winner: The UK series Downton Abbey cleaned up, winning four Emmy awards, including a writing nod for Julian Fellowes who appeared stunned that the series had won

He was joined by some of the production team and some stars of the show Elizabeth McGovern, who plays the Countess of Grantham, Michelle Dockery, who plays her eldest daughter Lady Mary and Joanne Froggatt, who fans will know as head housemaid Anna Smith.

The show won its four awards as the first episode of the second series aired on ITV in the UK last night.

British import wins big: The cast and crew line up for a picture with their awards

Other British stars with nominations at the ceremony included Hugh Laurie, Eileen Atkins and Idris Elba, who got a nod for his role in the BBC1 series Luther.

Scottish actress Kelly MacDonald of Boardwalk Empire was nominated in the supporting actress in a drama series category and fellow Scottish star, Alan Cumming, received a nod for his role as a political operative in The Good Wife.

Share the glory: The Downton Abbey ladies clutch their award backstage


A hit: Emmy voters embraced Downton Abbey which airs in America on the PBS network


Kate Winslet: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie



source: dailymail