The 65th annual Primetime Emmy Awards took place on Sept. 22, 2013, at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles. Here is what these Emmy winners said backstage in the Emmy Awards press room.
Outstanding Drama Series
Do you think "Breaking Bad" will go down as the 21st century "Scarface"?
Vince Gilligan (executive producer): "Scarface" was an absolute classic of its time, as was the original "Scarface" before the 1982 version. I would like to think we would be remembered on some level. I'm just so proud to be part of these people here. [He points to the "Breaking Bad" cast and crew behind him.] They're doing such a great job.
Bryan, how does it feel to win this Emmy Award for the last season of "Breaking Bad"?
Bryan Cranston (co-star): This is the answer to a wish and a prayer of mine. I have been blessed in the past [with an Emmy Award], and this show has been nominated in the past. What I really wanted was what we got: to celebrate the entire writing crew and the cast. This is for all the crew that worked so hard with us for six years.
This is the culmination of everything. It happened right now, at this time. This is one hell of a party. I'm so excited to be a part of this. What a way to go out! "Breaking Bad!"
Bryan, your Walter White character on "Breaking Bad" is supposed to be one of the best Halloween costumes this year. Have you ever thought about going out on Halloween as Walter White and trying to win a costume contest?
Cranston: I had a little experience like that at Comic-Con, where I wore a Walter White mask and walked the floor of Comic-Con. That was quite fun. It tickles me when I see costumes and things like that happening. That is indicative of the influence the show has had.
But also there are thousands of artists around the world who have created art inspired by this show. And that is a testament of itself that we've resonated in this artist community, regardless of what medium it is. And so we're extremely happy about that.
Do you think about how viewers are reacting to episodes of "Breaking Bad," especially in this last season?
Cranston: All the time, because we're doing the same thing. In fact, when we read these scripts, they were like unwrapping a present, because we too were wringing our hands and saying, "Oh, God!" to ourselves, because of the wonderful craftsmanship that these wonderful writers have been able to do. They deserve the lion's share of appreciation for the success of this show. We are the mouthpieces from them. That's what makes me so proud that this happened tonight.
Vince, can you talk about a Web-only series such as "House of Cards" being nominated for Emmy Awards?
Gilligan: I meant what I said up there on the stage. Listen, I'm biased. I love our show. I love these folks, but I was stunned that we won. It was a very big surprise for me, a wonderful surprise. The fact that we were nominated among such wonderful shows — and there's a lot of wonderful shows that don't even get nominated — this is indeed the Golden Age of television, as has often been said. It is an absolute honor to be up here, to be a part of it and to be working now in television. It's a great thing.
Vince, does the television landscape feel different to you from when "Breaking Bad" first went on the air?
Gilligan: Absolutely. Television has changed a lot in six years. I'm no expert on the sociological elements of it, but I've got to think that a big part of what's changed is streaming video on demand, specifically with operations like Netflix and iTunes and Amazon. I think Netflix kept us on the air.
Not only are we standing up here tonight having won, but I don't think our show would have lasted beyond Season 2 if not for streaming video on demand. And also, the Internet component of it, where folks get to chat online with folks around the world afterward really has held us in good stead. It's a bold new era in television, and we've been very fortunate to reap the benefits of these two technological developments. We couldn't have done it without you guys. Thank you!
