Uzo Aduba is one proud actress right now, as she picked up an Emmy last night, as the winners of the 72nd and 2020 Emmys Awards were announced on Sunday.
The former Orange is the New Black star, Uzo Aduba picked up the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or movie, as her fellow Nigerian, Yvonne Orji who got a nomination for supporting actress in a comedy series in her role in “Insecure” missed out in the winner’s list.
Uzo Aduba defeated the likes of Toni Collette in Unbelievable, Jean Smart in Watchmen, Holland Taylor in Hollywood, and her costars Margo Martindale and Tracey Ullman on Mrs. America.
The versatile actress reacting to her win, shared a post on her social media page where she is dressed in a black T-shirt with Breonna Taylor’s name written on it in gold. She thanked her fellow nominees and the team behind Mrs. America before thanking Chisholm, the first Black congresswoman and first Black candidate for a major party’s nomination for president of the United States, “for her championship work for all people who have been forgotten and marginalized, who she represented.”
Aduba tried one more time to get her mother’s attention, yelling “Mommy!” to the joy of both host Jimmy Kimmel, and the audience at home.
Uzo Aduba was one of the many blacks who won a record number of Emmys in the 2020 Emmys Awards on Sunday.
The 72nd Emmys saw seven black actors taking home statues. That broke the record of six sets two years ago.
Aside from Uzo Aduba others who won Emmys are Regina King who won outstanding lead actress in a limited series or television movie for her role “Watchmen;” her co-star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II whose outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or movie marked his first Emmy win, and 24-year-old Zendaya also accepted the statue for best actress in a drama series.
On Saturday Maya Rudolph, Eddie Murphy and Ron Cephas Jones took home guest-starring acting Emmys.
The 2020 Emmys Awards saw about 33% of blacks getting a nomination in the Emmy acting categories compared to 14% the five years prior. While the figures is still low, it is also a right good way to kick off the inclusiveness especially now that more people are pushing for diversity.