No Actors of Color Win Acting Emmys
Variety • • entertainment
Key Points:
- At the 78th Emmy Awards, all 10 actors winning in lead and supporting drama and comedy categories were from non-underrepresented communities, highlighting a lack of diversity among winners on the main show.
- Only two performers of color won Emmys this cycle, both at the Creative Arts ceremonies: Ernest Harden Jr. for guest actor in a drama and Octavia Spencer for narration.
- Behind the camera, Japanese American director Hiro Murai made history as the first Asian to win the comedy directing Emmy, marking a rare milestone for Asian representation.
- Nominations for performers of color dropped 39% from the previous year, continuing concerns about diversity setbacks since the peak in 2021, amid broader industry challenges and voter dynamics.
- Despite diversity issues, notable achievements included Matthew Rhys winning two lead acting Emmys in one night, Jean Smart winning her fifth lead comedy actress Emmy, and Allison Janney and Smart tying for the most acting Emmys ever won by a performer.
