Best actress win for Top of the Lake star

Elizabeth Moss, right, in Top of the Lake.

Jane Campion's foray into television, Top of the Lake, gained its star Elisabeth Moss a gong at the Critics' Choice Television Awards in Los Angeles.

Moss took home the award for Best Actress in a Movie or Mini-Series against heavyweight stars including Sigourney Weaver and Jessica Lange.

However her co-stars, Australian actors David Wenham and Thomas M Wright both lost out to Zachary Quinto for Best Supporting Actor and the series itself was eclipsed on Monday night by the HBO movie Behind the Candelabra.

That movie also scored Michael Douglas the prize for Best Actor in a Movie or Miniseries for his turn as flamboyant entertainer Liberace.

Drama series Breaking Bad and comedy The Big Bang Theory scooped the main prizes in the drama and comedy categories.

Breaking Bad shared the Best Drama Series award with Game of Thrones, while its star Bryan Cranston, who plays drug-dealing chemistry teacher Walter White, was named Best Actor in a Drama Series.

The Big Bang Theory was heralded as Best Comedy Series, and was also at the centre of another tie, with Kaley Cuoco sharing the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy prize with Eden Sher from The Middle. The geeky sitcom's Simon Helberg was awarded Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Veep's Julia Louis-Dreyfus picked up the Best Actress in a Comedy Series trophy, while Best Actor (Comedy) went to Louis CK for Louie.

In the drama categories, Tatiana Maslany was named Best Actress for her turn in sci-fi show Orphan Black, while Michael Cudlitz (Southland) and Monica Potter (Parenthood) were named Best Supporting Actor and Actress respectively.

- AAP