Black women won big and made history at the 75th Emmy Awards!
Ayo Edebiri, who began her career in 2014 and racked and appeared in 16 movie and television in 2023 alone, won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “The Bear.”
"This is a show about found family and real family, and my parents are here tonight," Edebiri said. "I'm making them sit kind of far away from me because I'm a bad kid. But I love you so much. Thank you so much for loving me and letting me feel beautiful and Black and proud of all of that. I just love you so much. Probably not a dream to immigrate to this country and to have your kid be like, 'I want to do improv,’ but you're real ones."
Actress, comedian, and producer Quinta Brunson won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for everyone’s favorite comedy “Abbott Elementary.” Brunson is the second Black actress to win the award. Isabel Sanford won in 1981 for her role in “The Jeffersons.”
“I am so happy to be able to live my dream and act out comedy,” Brunson said. “I love my mom, my dad, my sisters, my brothers, my entire family so much. I love my husband. I love my cast. I love ‘Abbott Elementary.’ Thank you so much.”
Brunson will add the award to the three Golden Globe Awards she and her show collected in 2023. Brunson’s co-star Tyler James Williams (“Dear White People,” “Everybody Hates Chris”) won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor, and the show itself won an award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.
Actress, producer, and all-around amazing Niecy Nash-Betts, who received four previous Emmy nominations since her appearance in “Reno-911,” was properly recognized with a win for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for Netflix’s “Dahmer—Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer Story.”
“I accept this award on behalf of every Black and brown woman who has gone unheard yet over-policed, like Glenda Cleveland, like Sandra Bland, like Breonna Taylor,” said Nash-Betts. “As an artist, my job is to speak truth to power and, baby, I’m going to do it until the day I die.”
Nash-Betts plays Glenda Cleveland, the real life next-door neighbor of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, who targeted vulnerable, ostracized Black youth to his apartment. Cleveland repeatedly alerted authorities to alarming smells arising from Dahmer’s apartment over the course of months, but police downplayed her concerns.
Congratulations to these brilliant, outspoken women. We can’t wait to see what you do next!
Perdita Patrice is a Texas-based writer and documentary filmmaker. She enjoys live music, reading, and watching TV. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @perditapatrice