SINGAPORE - The host-less 2019 Emmy awards, held in Los Angeles on Sept 22 night (Sept 23 Singapore time), has ended with more than a few surprises and many deserving winners.

Here are the top five moments from English-language television's biggest night.

1. JHARREL JEROME'S TOUCHING TRIBUTE

Jharrel Jerome picked up the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series trophy for the Netflix drama When They See Us, based on the true story of five teenage African-American men falsely accused of rape and assault who came to be known as the Central Park Five.

The five men portrayed in the drama - who served prison terms ranging from six to 14 years for crimes they did not commit - were present in the audience when the 21-year-old actor, who starred as Korey Wise, picked up his award.

The men, now in their 40s, gave him a standing ovation as Jerome choked up paying tribute to them onstage - calling them the "exonerated five".

2. MICHELLE WILLIAMS CHAMPIONS PAY EQUALITY

The multiple Oscar nominee Michelle Williams, who nabbed the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series as dancer Gwen Verdon in Fosse/Verdon, gave the most memorable speech.

The 39-year-old actress made headlines last year when it was revealed that she was paid only an additional US$1,000(S$1,380) for reshoots on crime thriller All The Money In The World (2017) when co-star Mark Wahlberg commanded an extra US$1.5 million.

She said to great applause: "The next time a woman, and especially a woman of colour, because she stands to make 52 cents on the dollar compared to her white male counterpart, tells you what she needs in order to do her job, listen to her, believe her, because one day she might stand in front of you and say thank you for allowing her to succeed because of her workplace environment and not in spite of it."

3. JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS LOSES LIKE A WINNER

Had she won for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for HBO's political satire Veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus would have made history with the most number of Emmy acting wins.

But it was not to be. In one of the biggest upsets of the night, Phoebe Waller-Bridge took home the prize for Fleabag. Louis-Dreyfus, who came on after her loss with co-star Tony Hale, was about to announce the winner of the category when Hale whispered urgently behind her: "Julia Louis-Dreyfus."

She replied, in the voice of her ruthless, self-obsessed politician character on Veep: "Drop it."

The tiny exchange was the most self-aware bit of humour of the show.

4. GAME OF THRONES GOODBYE

There were segments dedicated to shows that have recently concluded and one of the biggest send-offs was for HBO's epic period fantasy series Game Of Thrones, which took home the Outstanding Drama Series trophy.

Members of the cast, dressed in their modern-day finest, gathered onstage to bid adieu to the show that made many of them household names. While none of the women of the series won any acting awards in the show's eight-season run, they received loud cheers during the segment. Fan favourite Gwendoline Christie looked overwhelmed.

5. BILLY PORTER MAKES HISTORY

Billy Porter, the first openly gay, black man named Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series, was not just a star on the red carpet. The vivacious 50-year-old, dressed in a glittery suit with a jaunty big hat, danced his way onstage to history.

The Pose star, who plays a fashion designer and drag ball emcee, opened his arms wide to fully soak in the cheers for him before he said: "I am so overwhelmed and so overjoyed to have lived long enough to see this day."

Quoting American novelist James Baldwin, he added: "It took many years of vomiting up all the filth that I had been taught about myself and halfway believed before I could walk around this earth like I have the right to be here. I have the right, you have the right, we all have the right."

A rerun of The 71st Emmy Awards will be aired on Sept 23 at 8pm on Fox Life (Singtel Channel 301, StarHub Channel 501).

Correction note: This article has been edited for accuracy.