‘The Normal Heart’ named Outstanding TV Movie at Emmys
By Sam Rigby
The Normal Heart
was named Outstanding Television Movie at the 2014 Emmy Awards on Monday (August 25).
The HBO film – which was directed by Glee‘s Ryan Murphy – beat Killing Kennedy, Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight, Sherlock: His Last Vow and The Trip to Bountiful to the prestigious prize.
It was the only win on the night for the acclaimed drama, which swept the board when this year’s nominations were announced.
Mark Ruffalo, Julia Roberts, Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Joe Mantello and Alfred Molina had all received acting nominations for the project, but did not win in their respective categories.
However, Parsons did not leave empty-handed as he won the Lead Actor in a Comedy Series prize for the fourth time, for his portrayal of Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory.
Following their win, the cast and crew of The Normal Heart paid tribute to playwright Larry Kramer, who wrote the semi-autobiographical play back in the 1980s.
Murphy said: “We’re only here because of one person, and that’s Mr. Larry Kramer. We did this for him.”
He continued: “We’re going to use the rest of our time to ask young people watching to become Larry Kramers, to find a cause that you believe in, that you will fight for and that you will die for. Go online, look up AMFAR, look up the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
“This is for all of the hundreds of thousands of artists who have passed from HIV-AIDS since 1981,” Murphy concluded. “Your memory and your passion burns on in us.”
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> ‘The Normal Heart’: Why it’s a must-see film for gay men