Last weekend the Creative Arts Emmys were handed out to honour technical and other similar achievements in American television programming (not to be confused with the Primetime Emmy Awards). Amongst the winners was Irish actor Chris O'Dowd who received the Emmy for 'Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series' for his performance in State of the Union.

State of the Union took home all three awards it was nominated for, including 'Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series' and 'Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series' for Rosamund Pike.

The SundanceTV show depicts Rosamund Pike and Chris O'Dowd as troubled couple Louise and Tom as they meet up in a pub every week before they attend their marital therapy session. The ten ten-minute episodes, written by Nick Hornby, previously aired on BBC Two.

Originally, State of the Union wasn't even nominated for the Short Form Emmy Award, taking the place of Better Call Saul Employee Training: Madrigal Electromotive Security after the show was pulled off the list because it didn't comply with the running time stipulations.

Chris O'Dowd joked about the surprise win afterwards, "Seems dodgy, but I'm delighted. It's a really strong show and I hope people get a chance to see it on Sundance."

Earlier this year, Chris O'Dowd received the Oscar Wilde Award for his wide range of roles over the course of his career. He stunned the Irish-American audience with a powerful speech about immigration.

The Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards precede the Primetime Emmy Awards, which will be held on September 22. The frontrunner for winner of the night is most likely Game of Thrones. The beloved series is nominated for a record-breaking 32 Emmys.