"The Handmaid's Tale," "Veep" big winners at 69th Emmy Awards

 "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Veep" ruled this year's biggest night in U.S. television on Sunday, thanks to Emmy wins for outstanding drama and comedy series. "Big Little Lies" and "Saturday Night Live" were also big winners.

Hulu's "The Handmaid's Tale" was crowned best drama series, also earning Elisabeth Moss a best actress and Ann Dowd a best drama supporting actress. The show also nabbed best directing and writing awards.

Adapted from Margaret Atwood's 1985 thriller, Hulu's victory with "Handmaid's Tale" is a huge win for the streaming service.

Yvonne Strahovski, from left, Joesph Fiennes, Madeline Brewer, Samira Wiley, Elisabeth Moss, O-T Fagbenle, Alexis Bledel, Ann Dowd, Max Minghella, and Amanda Brugel pose in the press room with their award for outstanding drama series for "The Handmaid's Tale" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. [Photo: Invision/AP/Jordan Strauss]

"Veep" won the Emmy Award for a comedy series. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, the show's star, took home her unprecedented sixth consecutive win for playing fictional politician Selina Meyer.

Gary Cole from left, Clea DuVall, Anna Chlumsky, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kevin Dunn, Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, Sam Richardson, and Reid Scott pose in the press room with the award for outstanding comedy series for "Veep" at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. [Photo: Invision/AP/Jordan Strauss]

"This is and continues to be the role of a lifetime and an adventure of utter joy," said Louis-Dreyfus when she took the stage.

In limited series category, HBO's "Big Little Lies" came out on top, winning for best series, best actors Nicole Kidman, Laura Dern and Alexander Skarsgard, as well as for writing and directing.

"It's been an incredible year for women in television," said "Big Little Lies" star and producer Reese Witherspoon. "Can I just say bring women to the front of their own stories and make them the heroes of their own stories. Thank you for that opportunity and for audiences to wrap their arms around us."

NBC's "Saturday Night Live" picked up wins for best variety sketch series, directing for Don Roy King and in acting categories for Kate McKinnon and Alec Baldwin.

Sterling K. Brown won his second back-to-back Emmy for his role in the series "This Is Us" and in his speech honored Andre Braugher, who was the last black man to claim top drama performance honors, for "Homicide: Life on the Street" in 1998.

"It does feel different but for different reasons. I'm the first African-American in 16 years nominated. That kind of blows my mind," he said.

The 69th annual Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony was held at the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday evening and aired on CBS.