EMMYS 2019: AND THE WINNER IS... INCLUSIVITY
The Emmys — Hollywood’s top honours in television — celebrated diversity, equality and tolerance with historic wins and powerful speeches
JHARREL JEROME BECAME THE FIRST AFRO-LATINO TO WIN AN EMMY FOR ACTING
BILLY PORTER BECAME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY BLACK MAN TO WIN AN EMMY IN THE LEAD ACTOR CATEGORY
PATRICIA ARQUETTE ADVOCATED TRANSGENDER RIGHTS WITH HER EMMY ACCEPTANCE SPEECH
LAVERNE COX CHALLENGED ANTIGAY DISCRIMINATION WITH HER RAINBOW CLUTCH
PHOEBE WALLERBRIDGE WAS JUST ONE OF THE NUMEROUS BRITISH WINNERS
It was a historic night that raised a toast to diversity and inclusion, making the LGBTQ community immensely proud. Queer performers shone at the 71st Emmys Awards in Los Angeles with wins in several categories, including lead actor in a drama series, which went to Pose star Billy Porter, the first openly gay black man to take home the honor.
“Once again, we witness history unfold, the Emmy goes to Billy Porter,” actor Kerry Washington said before Porter strode on stage. “The category is love, y’all, love!” Porter told the audience, as he quoted late author James Baldwin and thanked husband Adam Smith. Patricia Arquette, who won an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie for her role in The Act, honoured sibling Alexis Arquette, a transgender actor and activist, who died in 2016.
“I lost my sister Alexis, and trans people are still being persecuted, and I’ve been mourning every day of my life, Alexis, and I will be the rest of my life for you until we change the world so trans people are not persecuted,” Arquette said. Transgender actor Laverne Cox, who was nominated for outstanding guest actress in a drama series for a role in Orange Is the New Black, came to the show sporting a rainbowcoloured handbag emblazoned with the date Oct 8, which is when the US Supreme Court will hear three related cases on whether queer and transgender people are protected from workplace discrimination by a landmark federal civil rights law. Openly gay actor Ben Whishaw of A Very English Scandal won for best supporting actor in a limited series, RuPaul’s Drag Race, which features drag performer RuPaul, won for best reality competition program.
OF EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
Peter Dinklage got his fourth Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series for his role in Game of Thrones, which bagged best drama series. “I count myself so fortunate to be a member of a community that is nothing but all about tolerance and diversity because no other place could I be standing on a stage like this,” said Dinklage, who was born with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism.
Michelle Williams, who won the Emmy Award for outstanding lead actress in a limited TV series or movie for Fosse/Verdon, utilised her maiden win to champion equal pay for women.When They See Us star Jharrel Jerome made history as the youngest person to win an Emmy for outstanding lead actor in a limited series or Movie as well as the first Afro-Latino to win for acting.
BRITISH INVASION
Comedy series Fleabag was the surprise big winner of television’s glitziest night and also saw a British invasion with Phoebe Waller-Bridge winning for best comedy writing, lead actress in a comedy — in a shocking upset over Veep star Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Waller -Bridge was just one of numerous British winners. Fleabag’s Harry Bradbeer earned the show a fourth Emmy, for directing in a comedy series. Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer won for lead actress in a drama series. Other Brits honoured included Succession writer Jesse Armstrong and John Oliver, whose late-night show Last Week Tonight earned prizes for variety talk series and writing. Chernobyl — set in Soviet-era Ukraine, starring British actors, won for writing, directing and limited series, while British production, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch won the best TV movie award.