What Emmy Winners Revealed Backstage: Shrink Love, K-Mart Underwear and the Key to Badassery

63RD PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS: “The Big Bang Theory” cast member Jim Parsons receives Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Award at the 63RD PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, Sept. 18 on FOX. CR: Phil McCarten/FOX © 2011 Fox Broadcasting Co.

Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Supporting Actor in a Comedy

“Ed [O'Neill] actually said before the award, 'Just remember whoever wins deserves it,' which I thought was really sweet,” Burrell shared, dismissing any suggestion of imminent awkwardness on the set among the show's four nominees in this race. “Everybody's been incredibly supportive of each other and we know that this doesn't last forever.” Sending kudos to his TV wife, who won on the distaff side of this category, Burrell said, “It's an even greater credit to what Julie does that the straight person [in the Phil/Claire marriage] wins an Emmy. I don't think that happens very often.”

Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Explaining the acceptance speech comment she made about “therapy,” Bowen shrugged, “I'm a big proponent of taking care of one's mental health. Â... I don't have any problems with shrinks. Love them.” And as for what she said about scene partner Ty Burrell managing her fear, she explained, “Ty [once told me] that acting is nothing but fear management — so I knew I had to rock on the set all the time.”

Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Lead Actress in a Comedy

About the “unique” way in which this category announced — with Parks and Rec's Amy Poehler cuing the nominees to take the stage as called out — McCarthy says she barely heard the whole pitch before declaring, “I'm in!” As she explains, “If Amy Poehler thinks something's funny, I'll do it.” On the topic of her dress for the night, she revealed that she, having studied textile design in college, collaborated on it with a couture designer pal. “It has pockets, which I've always loved in a gown.”

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Lead Actor in a Comedy

Like many prognosticators, Parsons suspected that Steve Carell would claim the prize, having come off his final year with The Office and all. “That was what my mother had said,” he shared, “and I just felt that it would have been very richly deserved. He's tremendous on that show … and for such a consistent amount of time. I really thought it would be anybody but me.” Versus winning this category in 2010, Parsons said that with the show itself and costar Johnny Galecki also nominated, “It was a much more party atmosphere leading up to it this year.”

Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie

Asked why he singled out in his acceptance speech Kate Winslet — and not the other Mildred Pierce costar he had steamy love scenes with, Evan Rachel Wood — Pearce explained, “It was Kate Winslet I had sex with four times, so that was the forefront. We had a good laugh.”

Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
Lead Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie

The Brit beauty was, in a word, “thrilled” by the racy undertone of costar Guy Pearce's own acceptance speech, in which he raved about their love scenes. “I've had a crush on Guy Pearce since I was 11 years old. Just to stand in the same room as him was thrilling,” she gushed. “To hear that tonight was even more thrilling.”

Martin Scorsese, Boardwalk Empire
Directing in a Drama Series

Though he has Oscars back home, the filmmaker admitted to being “extremely nervous” about vying for an Emmy. “It's something I never really dreamed off,” he shared. “It's a different medium, in a way, even though we approach Boardwalk Empire as a film. It's exciting.”

Margo Martindale, Justified
Supporting Actress in a Drama

After seeing her original four-episode stint expanded to all of Season 2, Martindale was a bit caught off-guard by Mags Bennett's fate. “They seemed so happy with what I was doing, I thought I would live,” she related with a laugh. “Silly me. But it was a perfect and poetic ending for that character.”

Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Supporting Actor in a Drama

Dinklage had to laugh that on stage he thanked his pet sitter “but not my manager or my lawyer or anybody who's responsible for me having this job.” When asked how he makes Thrones' Tyrion such a convincing badass, Dinklage admitted it was “through being terrified on the inside. It's all a fake show. I feel very uncool all the time.”

Mad Men
Outstanding Drama Series

Series boss Matt Weiner claimed to be unaware that by winning for a fourth consecutive time in this category, Mad Men had hit a mark only matched by The West Wing and Hill Street Blues. “I'm a huge fan of television, and I watched all those shows. I'm a fan of all of them,” he said. “It's hard to comprehend that we're in that company.”

Modern Family
Outstanding Comedy Series

Ed O'Neill said that the ABC hitcom's second consecutive win for Best Comedy “was better than the first time,” noting that “to repeat is difficult.” Asked how they planned to celebrate, freshly minted Supporting Comedy Actress winner Julie Bowen quipped, “By getting the kids [on the cast] really drunk.” (Kidding, folks!) Not kidding was Sofia Vergara, who shared that she was wearing beneath her Emmy dress underwear “from my Kmart line.” She then told the press, “I like guacamole and plantains, marshmallows, cotton candy. But I work out.”

63RD PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS: “The Big Bang Theory” cast member Jim Parsons receives Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Award at the 63RD PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, Sept. 18 on FOX. CR: Phil McCarten/FOX © 2011 Fox Broadcasting Co.

Ty Burrell, Modern Family
Supporting Actor in a Comedy

“Ed [O'Neill] actually said before the award, 'Just remember whoever wins deserves it,' which I thought was really sweet,” Burrell shared, dismissing any suggestion of imminent awkwardness on the set among the show's four nominees in this race. “Everybody's been incredibly supportive of each other and we know that this doesn't last forever.” Sending kudos to his TV wife, who won on the distaff side of this category, Burrell said, “It's an even greater credit to what Julie does that the straight person [in the Phil/Claire marriage] wins an Emmy. I don't think that happens very often.”

Julie Bowen, Modern Family
Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Explaining the acceptance speech comment she made about “therapy,” Bowen shrugged, “I'm a big proponent of taking care of one's mental health. Â... I don't have any problems with shrinks. Love them.” And as for what she said about scene partner Ty Burrell managing her fear, she explained, “Ty [once told me] that acting is nothing but fear management — so I knew I had to rock on the set all the time.”

Melissa McCarthy, Mike & Molly
Lead Actress in a Comedy

About the “unique” way in which this category announced — with Parks and Rec's Amy Poehler cuing the nominees to take the stage as called out — McCarthy says she barely heard the whole pitch before declaring, “I'm in!” As she explains, “If Amy Poehler thinks something's funny, I'll do it.” On the topic of her dress for the night, she revealed that she, having studied textile design in college, collaborated on it with a couture designer pal. “It has pockets, which I've always loved in a gown.”

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Lead Actor in a Comedy

Like many prognosticators, Parsons suspected that Steve Carell would claim the prize, having come off his final year with The Office and all. “That was what my mother had said,” he shared, “and I just felt that it would have been very richly deserved. He's tremendous on that show … and for such a consistent amount of time. I really thought it would be anybody but me.” Versus winning this category in 2010, Parsons said that with the show itself and costar Johnny Galecki also nominated, “It was a much more party atmosphere leading up to it this year.”

Guy Pearce, Mildred Pierce
Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie

Asked why he singled out in his acceptance speech Kate Winslet — and not the other Mildred Pierce costar he had steamy love scenes with, Evan Rachel Wood — Pearce explained, “It was Kate Winslet I had sex with four times, so that was the forefront. We had a good laugh.”

Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
Lead Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie

The Brit beauty was, in a word, “thrilled” by the racy undertone of costar Guy Pearce's own acceptance speech, in which he raved about their love scenes. “I've had a crush on Guy Pearce since I was 11 years old. Just to stand in the same room as him was thrilling,” she gushed. “To hear that tonight was even more thrilling.”

Martin Scorsese, Boardwalk Empire
Directing in a Drama Series

Though he has Oscars back home, the filmmaker admitted to being “extremely nervous” about vying for an Emmy. “It's something I never really dreamed off,” he shared. “It's a different medium, in a way, even though we approach Boardwalk Empire as a film. It's exciting.”

Margo Martindale, Justified
Supporting Actress in a Drama

After seeing her original four-episode stint expanded to all of Season 2, Martindale was a bit caught off-guard by Mags Bennett's fate. “They seemed so happy with what I was doing, I thought I would live,” she related with a laugh. “Silly me. But it was a perfect and poetic ending for that character.”

Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Supporting Actor in a Drama

Dinklage had to laugh that on stage he thanked his pet sitter “but not my manager or my lawyer or anybody who's responsible for me having this job.” When asked how he makes Thrones' Tyrion such a convincing badass, Dinklage admitted it was “through being terrified on the inside. It's all a fake show. I feel very uncool all the time.”

Mad Men
Outstanding Drama Series

Series boss Matt Weiner claimed to be unaware that by winning for a fourth consecutive time in this category, Mad Men had hit a mark only matched by The West Wing and Hill Street Blues. “I'm a huge fan of television, and I watched all those shows. I'm a fan of all of them,” he said. “It's hard to comprehend that we're in that company.”

Modern Family
Outstanding Comedy Series

Ed O'Neill said that the ABC hitcom's second consecutive win for Best Comedy “was better than the first time,” noting that “to repeat is difficult.” Asked how they planned to celebrate, freshly minted Supporting Comedy Actress winner Julie Bowen quipped, “By getting the kids [on the cast] really drunk.” (Kidding, folks!) Not kidding was Sofia Vergara, who shared that she was wearing beneath her Emmy dress underwear “from my Kmart line.” She then told the press, “I like guacamole and plantains, marshmallows, cotton candy. But I work out.”

63RD PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS: “The Big Bang Theory” cast member Jim Parsons receives Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Award at the 63RD PRIMETIME EMMY® AWARDS at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, Sept. 18 on FOX. CR: Phil McCarten/FOX © 2011 Fox Broadcasting Co.