Emmys heartbreak: Julia Louis Dreyfus breaks down

Usually the funniest person in the room, Julia Louis Dreyfus had the audience reaching for tissues as she broke down in tears during her acceptance speech for her Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series Emmy.

The actress, 55, lost her beloved dad William just two days ago, when he passed away aged 84.

‘I’d like to dedicate this to my father,’ she began. ‘I’m so glad he liked [my show] Veep, because his opinion was the one that really mattered.’

Mr Louis Dreyfus was a French-born billionaire energy tycoon, and admitted in 2014 that he was surprised his daughter became a star.

‘But I knew how natural she was, and how much she liked life. She was very funny to be around,’ he said.

Julia also used her speech to take potshots at America’s current political climate.

‘Our show started as political satire, but now it feels like a sober documentary,’ she told the crowd of A-listers at LA’s Microsoft Theatre.