Emmys in 2024: Christina Applegate, Kieran Culkin, and the best celebrity reactions

From the scripted to the spontaneous and the touching, here are eight viral moments caught on camera

This year's Emmy Awards was filled with touching and funny moments. Photo: Emmys; AFP; EPA

The 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards, which took place on Monday, featured a lot of great wins and fabulous fashion.

There were also plenty of celebrity interactions, reactions and touching moments that captured the attention of the internet.

From the funny to the candid, here are eight celebrity moments from this year's Emmy Awards that got the internet talking.

Christina Applegate standing ovation joke

Christina Applegate was escorted on stage by actor and host Anthony Anderson at the 75th Emmy Awards. AFP

The Emmy-award-winning actress was met with a standing ovation when she walked on stage to present the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.

Applegate, who was nominated in the category of Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in the Netflix dark comedy Dead to Me, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021. She was escorted on stage by host Anthony Anderson while using a cane.

The actress was visibly touched by the gesture but that didn’t stop her from quipping a timely joke.

“Thank you so much! Oh my God, you’re totally shaming me with disability by standing up! It’s fine!” she said.

Applegate then added, “body not by Ozempic,” to which audience members also laughed.

Niecy Nash thanking herself

Niecy Nash won Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or TV movie for Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story. EPA

Niecy Nash took home the Emmy for Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, for her work in Netflix series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.

While the actress gave a rousing, inspirational speech, accepting the award “on behalf of every black and brown woman who has gone unheard, yet overpoliced,” Nash-Betts also thanked herself in a moment that was both funny and endearing.

“And you know who I want to thank? I want to thank me,” she said, pausing for raucous applause. “For believing in me and doing what they said I could not do. And I want to say to myself in front of all you beautiful people, ‘Go, girl, with your bad self. You did that.”

Pedro Pascal and Kieran Culkin’s 'feud'

Pedro Pascal continued his and Kieran Culkin's fake fued that began at the Golden Globes. Photo: Emmys; Getty Images

It seemed to have all started during Kieran Culkin’s acceptance speech at the Golden Globes.

“Suck it, Pedro,” Culkin said on stage while looking over at Pascal in the audience, adding “mine” as he comically clutched the award to his chest.

They were nominated in the same category, Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Series – Drama in the 2024 Golden Globes, and Culkin won.

While Pascal was nominated for three Emmys for his work in The Last of Us, Patagonia and his episode hosting Saturday Night Live, he took the opportunity get Culkin back when he was on stage to present an award.

Pascal had been seen since the 2024 Golden Globes with his arm in a sling, an injury he sustained in a fall. But while on stage at the 2024 Emmys, the actor used his injury for comedic effect.

“A lot of people have been asking about my arm – it’s actually my shoulder,” he said.

“And I think tonight is a perfect time to tell everyone that Kieran Culkin beat the sh*t out of me.”

The camera then panned to Culkin who reacted with a serious dead pan expression for a few moments before both actors started laughing.

Kieran Culkin wants more children

Kieran Culkin tells his wife Jazz Charton during his acceptance speech that he wants more children. Photos: Emmys

During his winning speech for Lead Actor in a Drama Series at the Emmys for his role in the HBO series Succession, Culkin let his wife, and the whole world know, his plans for expanding his family.

After thanking his co-stars, the show’s creators, his mother and manager, Culkin addressed his wife, Jazz Charton at the end of his speech.

“And of course my beautiful wife, Jazz. Thank you for sharing your life with me and giving me two amazing kids, Kinsey Sioux and Wilder Wolf,” he said.

“I love you so much. And Jazz, I want more.”

His wife was caught on camera laughing before Culkin adding, “you said maybe, if I win! I love you so much!”

Honouring Matthew Perry

Matthew Perry was honoured along with other stars that died over the last year. Reuters

It was a sombre, touching moment when Matthew Perry was honoured at the Emmys during the In Memoriam Tribute segment of the award ceremony.

The segment, which also included Barbara Walters, Angela Lansbury and Kirstie Alley, showed their photos on screen alongside a live performance of pop singer Charlie Puth and singer-songwriter duo The War and Treaty. They first sang a rendition of Puth’s See You Again followed by a slower rendition of the Friends theme song.

Perry died unexpectedly in October. He was 54 years old and was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home.

Dylan McDermott reunites with American Horror Story villain

Dylan McDermott, left, and host Anthony Anderson on stage at the Emmy Awards. EPA

The American Horror Story actor found himself in a comically scary moment on stage during the Emmy Awards.

McDermott was on stage to announce the award for Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, surrounded by what looked like the murder house from season one of the hit show. It is a running theme of the award ceremony to pay homage to past shows.

“Is it me or does this place seem haunted? It's almost like somebody's watching me,” McDermott said before realising that someone was in fact watching him – the American Horror Story villain, Rubber Man.

“Oh no, not this dude, again,” McDermott said before host Anderson stepped out of the black Lycra suit.

Peter Dinklage’s shy reaction to standing ovation

Game of Thrones actor Peter Dinklage had a shy reaction to his standing ovation. Photo: AP; Emmys

As one of the most beloved characters from the hit series Game of Thrones, Peter Dinklage should be used to getting a lot of attention.

However, when the actor walked on stage to present the award for Drama Series and was greeted with a standing ovation, he seemed taken aback.

In a charming, shy moment, Dinklage covers his face from the audience with his cue card for a few moments and then gestured for the audience to sit down.

Danny DeVito supporting Rhea Perlman

Danny DeVito mentioned separated wife Rhea Perlman's Emmy wins on stage. AFP

The American actor has been separated from Rhea Perlman since 2017. But that didn’t stop DeVito from reminding the audience of Perlman’s accolades.

While he was on stage with the cast of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the actors were discussing in jest that their show has never been nominated for an Emmy when DeVito shared that he won an Emmy for the 1978 show Taxi.

He then added, “even Rhea won four for Cheers,” to which Perlman reacted by bursting out laughing in the audience.