Emmys 2016: Kate McKinnon wins best supporting actress in a comedy

Score a victory for Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, and Ellen DeGeneres as Kate McKinnon has won her first Emmy. The actress took home the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her varied performances on Saturday Night Live at the 68th annual Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday.

“I’m really crying. I’m not making it up,” she began, clearly emotional. “Thank you to Lorne Michaels for giving me the job of my life. Thank you to my amazing collegues, the cast and writers.”

The star continued by thanking the two characters that likely earned her the award: “Thank you, Ellen DeGeneres. Thank you, Hillary Clinton.

To close, McKinnon got even more emotional: “On a personal note, thank you to my mother and sister and father. … He made me start watching SNL when I was 12. Thank you and I miss you pap.”

via GIPHY

The Ghostbusters star has four Emmy nominations overall and this was her third straight year being nominated in the category. The versatile performer has garnered critical praise for her wide-ranging impersonations, including her very timely Hillary Clinton impression.

McKinnon faced stiff competition in the category that included the back-to-back winner Allison Janney and three other returning nominees. The actress beat out Janney as the deeply flawed matriarch on Mom, Anna Chlumsky as the president’s under-appreciated staffer on Veep, Gaby Hoffmann as the immature youngest child on Transparent, Judith Light as the loving ex-wife on Transparent, and Niecy Nash as the caring nurse on Getting On.