Toni Collette wins Emmy

AAP

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TONI Collette has won the Emmy for her American TV series, United States of Tara.

She won the outstanding actress in a comedy Emmy, beating favourite Tina Fey for 30 Rock.

Sydney-born Collette is no stranger to big Hollywood awards nights after being nominated for an Oscar for her supporting performance in the 1999 thriller Sixth Sense and an Emmy in 2007 for the TV mini-series Tsunami: The Aftermath.

She came away from both empty-handed.

The 61st Emmy Awards are being held in Los Angeles at the Nokia Theatre.

"Wow. This is insanely confronting," Collette said as she collected her award.

Fellow Australian Rose Byrne missed out on the best supporting actress Emmy.

The winner of the Emmy was Cherry Jones for the show 24.

Byrne was nominated for her US TV legal drama, Damages, opposite Glenn Close.

Meanwhile, Simon Baker has missed out the award for best actor in a TV drama.

The Emmy went to Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad.

Baker was nominated for his new hit drama, The Mentalist.

Tasmanian-born Baker, who just turned 40, has bounced from Hollywood feature films including LA Confidential and The Devil Wears Prada to high-rating US TV shows including The Guardian and the latest, The Mentalist, one of the highest rating shows on US TV.

He received his show business break in the early 1990s on the Australian TV soap E Street.

Australian director Michael Rymer also missed out on an Emmy.

Rymer was nominated for directing the new version of the sci-fi series, Battlestar Gallactica.

The winner was Rod Holcomb for ER.

The 61st Emmy Awards are being held at Los Angeles' Nokia Theatre.