Emmys 2021: No diversity despite record nominee lineup

Black performers had a strong showing at the Emmys 2021 but the nominees of colour failed to win most categories, including all six acting fields at the award function.

Reuters

Los Angeles: No actor of colour won an award at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards despite a diverse nomination field.

Black performers had a strong showing at the Creative Arts ceremony. But on Sunday night nominees of colour failed to win most categories, including all six acting fields.

During the three-hour ceremony, led by a black host in Cedric the Entertainer, it took two hours for a person of colour to be recognised: 'RuPaul's Drag Race' for Outstanding Reality Competition.

RuPaul broke the record for the most Emmy wins by a person of colour.

Michaela Coel, who was nominated for four awards, was honored soon after for Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series for HBO Max's 'I May Destroy You'.

Coel became the first black woman to win for writing for a limited series, reports deadline.com.

Hamilton won for pre-recorded special, while Debbie Allen was the recipient of the 2021 Governors Award.

During her acceptance speech, she highlighted racism and sexism she faced in the industry while on her journey to becoming a celebrated producer, director, actor, dancer, and choreographer who helps lift up others from her community.

Without discounting the success of shows like Netflix's 'The Crown', HBO Max's 'Hacks', and Apple TV+'s 'Ted Lasso', the wins raise the question, were other nominees not equally worthy of celebration?

After three seasons, groundbreaking series 'Pose' has concluded and earned multiple nominations for executive producer and director Steven Canals, the first leading actress nod for a trans woman for Mj Rodriguez, and Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series for Billy Porter.

None were honoured for their contributions.

Michael K. Williams, who died earlier this month, was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his work in HBO's Lovecraft Country. After five nominations across his lengthy career, he was not posthumously celebrated for his standout performance.

After that diversity showed up strong at the nomination stage with a record 49 non-Anglo nominees recognised in the acting and hosting categories.

At the Creative Emmys, Maya Rudolph became the first same category consecutive double-Emmy winner in 20 years and the third Black woman ever to win back-to-back awards with her repeat trophies for 'Saturday Night Live' and 'Big Mouth'.

"I feel really honoured that I'm part of a legacy as the third woman of colour to achieve that," Rudolph said.