Laura Linney won the award for outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or a movie at the Emmy Awards on Sunday night.

Linney won for her role as Cathy Jamison in the Showtime miniseries The Big C. The show premiered on Aug. 16 2010. Linney played the character of a high school teacher who had recently been diagnosed with terminal (stage IV) melanoma in the show.

She beat Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Asylum), Helen Mirren (Phil Spector) Elisabeth Moss (Top of the Lake) and Sigourney Weaver (Political Animals).

Linney wasn't present at the awards ceremony to receive her award so Damon and Douglas, who were also the presenters, accepted it on her behalf.

"Laura couldn't be here tonight, she is such a great actress that she didn't even need to show up," Damon quipped.

Linney spoke about the poignant value of the show in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year:

"I was in London, and I had gotten into a cab, and the driver burst into tears," she said. "I was so confused because I didn't realize that the show was that popular there to begin with, and he was so very grateful for the show. His wife has cancer, and they watch the show together, and he was very sweet and grateful that the show allowed them a way to talk to each other. That was really nice. You don't realize when you make a TV show that that's what you hope for."

Watch Damon and Douglas present the award:

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