Emmys: Acting & Hosting Diversity Noms Upticks From 2022, Black Women Set Record In Supporting Comedy Actress
12.07.2023 - 22:53
/ deadline.com
The Television Academy recognized 34 performers of color across acting and reality hosting Primetime Emmy nomination categories, a figure that is +3 from last year’s 31, and higher than 2019 when there were only 26 non-Caucasian actors and reality hosts.
2021 continues to hold the record for diverse Emmy nominees at 49, that year propelled by nominees for Disney+’s Hamilton movie musical and HBO’s fantasy drama, Lovecraft Country.
There were only two Emmy categories this year which were completely devoid of nominees from a diverse background: Drama Lead Actress and Comedy Lead Actor. And there were some major overlooks by TV Academy voters including Diego Luna, the star of Andor which nabbed a Best Drama Series nomination and Selena Gomez, the star of Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building which landed a comedy series nod.
But there were some great benchmarks set, read the supporting comedy actress category saw four Black women nominated, setting a record. They include Ayo Edebiri (The Bear), Jessica Williams (Shrinking), Janelle James and Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary). No Primetime Emmy acting category has ever counted more Black women in it.
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At 32, Dominique Fishback is the youngest Black woman to be nominated in the Lead Actress Limited or Anthology Series slot for Prime Video’s Swarm.
Ten-year old Kevionn Montreal Woodard is also the second deaf actor to be nominated after Marlee Matlin. He earned a Guest Drama Actor nom for HBO’s The Last of Us. No deaf performers have ever won Emmys.
Nicole Byer is also the most nominated Black woman in the reality host category with four hosting nom streak for Nailed It!. Overall, Byer counts seven Emmy