#Emmyssowhite Trends After No People of Color Win in Acting Categories
The lack of representation for people of color is nothing new and while there is some progress being made, the Emmys last night was proof that there’s still a lot of work to be done
Photos: Instagram/@rosieperezbrooklyn/mjrodriguez7
The lack of representation for people of color is nothing new and while there is some progress being made, the Emmys last night was proof that there’s still a lot of work to be done. Of the 12 acting categories, not a single actor of color won despite record of POC nominees. There were 49 “non-Anglo nominees” in acting and reality hosting categories, which Deadline reported was the largest in the ceremony’s history. Among one of the biggest snubs was Pose star MJ Rodriguez who made history as the first trans performer to ever be nominated for an Emmy award in a lead acting category. Disney+’s feature of Hamilton received 12 noms with diverse nominees including creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr. who were both nominated for the Lead Actor Limited/Anthology Series/Movie category. Anthony Ramos was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor for Hamilton as well. Rosie Perez was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series for her work on The Flight Attendant. The big winners last night ended up being critic favorites including Hacks, The Crown, Ted Lasso, The Queen’s Gambit, andMare of Easttown who all have predominantly white casts.
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“On my Latina text chain and the always hilarious Lindsey Villarreal said she was gonna put a pitch together for Brown Crown Lasso and I pee pee laughed. So, I offer it to you in the hopes that you will laugh. Tomorrow we keep fighting to be seen,” showrunner, director, writer, actress, and One Day at a Time creator Gloria Calderón Kellett tweeted.
On my Latina text chain and the always hilarious Lindsey Villarreal said she was gonna put a pitch together for Brown Crown Lasso and I pee pee laughed. So, I offer it to you in the hopes that you will laugh. Tomorrow we keep fighting to be seen.
— ♥ Gloria Calderón Kellett ♥ (@everythingloria) September 20, 2021
The #emmyssowhite hashtag began trending with many on social media calling out the fact that despite so many nominees, the winners were predominantly white. “50% of tonight’s nominees were people of color and Television Academy voters pretty much chose all the white people #EmmysSoWhite #Emmys,” wrote @BBrands26 on Twitter. But it also comes at no surprise considering those who vote are also mainly white people. Franklin Leonard, founder of The Black List for filmmakers and writers, shared on the The Recount that 92 percent of C-Suite executives in Hollywood film are white and it’s no different on TV. According to a 2020 UCLA Hollywood diversity report, they found that only 24 percent of credited writers are minorities and only 21.8 percent of episodes were directed by minorities in 2018–19.
Black host, Black entertainment skits, Black announcer, Black commercials, Black musical breaks, speeches about inclusion.
All Black everything but winners.#Emmys #Emmys2021 #EmmyAwards #EmmysSoWhite pic.twitter.com/8Ih5ZngXhp
— Dana Abercrombie #AmplifyBlackVoices (@sagesurge) September 20, 2021
50% of tonight's nominees were people of color and Television Academy voters pretty much chose all the white people #EmmysSoWhite #Emmys pic.twitter.com/oTtx1TSxvc
— Brandi Brands (@BBrands26) September 20, 2021
“To the ‘allies’ who told me that they are losing jobs to diversity & there is too much diversity in TV PLEASE look at the winners of tonights Emmy. Who got extensive budgets & campaigns? Still so much work to do for actual equality. Glad to be on the Exec committee to make change,” Calderón Kellett tweeted.
