Emmy awards highlight diverse actors, creators

World Today

Emmy awards highlight diverse actors, creators

It all began on the red carpet where the biggest stars of television came with high hopes of going home with an Emmy award.

CGTN’s May Lee wraps up the evening.

Although TV content has become more diverse than ever, for Asian actors, they’re still forging a difficult path.

“To me, there’s enough encouragement to kind of keep pushing forward, and to keep getting the word out about what things like white-washing actually are,” Emmy nominee BD Wong said.

Late night talk show Stephen Colbert kicked off the show reminding everyone to be thankful that Game of Thrones wasn’t in contention this year as well as a few digs at U.S. President Donald Trump including a surprise appearance by former White House press secretary Sean Spicer.

Nominations were dominated by HBO’s futuristic drama Westworld and variety sketch series Saturday Night Live both with 22 nominations.

For SNL the presidential election and current term of Donald Trump made for Emmy award winning material. Alec Baldwin won for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series portraying President Trump.

SNL also won for best director, best supporting actress and best variety sketch series.

Another big winner – HBO’s Big Little Lies. It took home 5 Emmys including Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Lead actress, Nicole Kidman whose character is a victim of domestic abuse.

“It is a complicated, insidious disease. It exists far more than we allow ourselves to know,” Kidman said.

The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu also took home 5 awards including Best Lead actress in a Drama series and Outstanding Drama Series.

On a lighter, but record breaking note, Julia Louis-Dreyfus won her sixth consecutive Emmy for best actress in a comedy, “Veep,” the most by a single performer for one role.

As for diversity, it didn’t go unnoticed by Emmy voters. African Americans, South Asians and LGBTQs were winners.