Australian star Toni Collette has taken out the Emmy award for the best comedy actress for her role as a wife with a big personality in the hit US TV show the United States of Tara.
Simon Baker, former E-Street heartthrob unfortunately missed out on the award for best actor in a TV series for his role in the new hit drama, The Mentalist, with the prize going to Bryan Cranston for the new series Breaking Bad.
Another Aussie, Rose Byrne, was also nominated for best supporting actress in a drama series for her current role in action drama, Damages, missing out on the award to Cherry Jones in 24.
Renowned Australian director Michael Rymer was nominated for his work on sci-fi series Battlestar Gallactica, but missed out on the award to Rod Holcomb from the long-running medical series ER.
Collette defeated three-time award winner and 30 Rock star Tina Fey, who was tipped as favourite to win the award.
As Collette took the stage, she described her win as insanely confronting.
“I’m so humble to be here in this room let alone up on this stage” She said.
Others nominated for the award for Lead Comedy Actress included Christina Applegate, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sarah Silverman and Mary-Louise Parker.
Collette’s show, The United States of Tara is written by Oscar winning writer, Diablo Cody.
The nomination was Collette’s first in a comedy category, but the Sydney-born actress was previously nominated for an Oscar for her role kin the 1999 thriller Sixth Sense, and an Emmy in 2007 for the TV mini-series Tsunami: The Aftermath, but came away empty handed.
The awards were held in the Los Angele’s Nokia Theatre.