“Back in the Day” we used to ask, “Is it Black enough for you?” For the first time in Hollywood history we can again ask that question referring to the 2017 Emmy Nominations which boasts the largest number of people of color nominees in television history.
According to Entertainment Tonight’s (ET) Stacy Lambe, in total, 25 people of color were nominated across the Emmys’ 18 on-screen acting awards, up from the 22 nominated in 2016. Of the major acting categories (not including guest and short-form), 16 were nominated. Last year, people of color represented 24.6 percent of the major acting nominees and 21.9 percent in 2015. In 2014, that number was only 9.7 percent.
Historically speaking the first time this happened with Black programming was in 1970, when “The Bill Cosby Show” and “Room 222” were both nominated, highlighting that more than one show with a predominately non-White cast was nominated in the same year.
No doubt there will be new faces nominated for the Emmy that you’re not familiar with, especially if you don’t watch Netflix or Hulu programming. Such is the case of Samira Wiley who had a recurring role on Netflix’s “Orange is the New Black.”
Her role had run its course and after exiting the Netflix hit she found herself on Hulu’s breakout hit “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Wiley is nominated for her role in Hulu’s adaptation of the award-winning Margaret Atwood novel. It is a riveting drama dealing with race, religion, and freedom. She did not know about this production when she exited “Orange.” Wiley says, “There were a few months there when I was out of a job and just happened to have the script cross my desk, as they say. By the story and also by the character, I felt like I could really bring something to her, and I would be devastated if anyone else was playing her, so I put my all into it. And to have this be the outcome is more than I could imagine.” “The Handmaid’s Tale” Season 2 will premiere in 2018.
The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were announced by Shemar Moore and Anna Chlumsky. To follow is a list of Emmy Nominations in the top categories. People of color cast members are highlighted.
Outstanding drama series
“Better Call Saul”
“The Crown”
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“House of Cards”
“Stranger Things”
“This Is Us”
“Westworld”
Outstanding comedy series
“Atlanta”
“Black-ish”
“Master of None”
“Modern Family”
“Silicon Valley”
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
“Veep”
Outstanding lead actor in a drama series
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us”
Anthony Hopkins, “Westworld”
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”
Matthew Rhys, “The Americans”
Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”
Milo Ventimiglia, “This Is Us”
Outstanding lead actress in a drama series
Viola Davis, “How to Get Away With Murder”
Claire Foy, “The Crown”
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Keri Russell, “The Americans”
Evan Rachel Wood, “Westworld”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”
Outstanding lead actor in a comedy series
Anthony Anderson, “Black-ish”
Aziz Ansari, “Master of None”
Zach Galifianakis, “Baskets”
Donald Glover, “Atlanta”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”
Outstanding lead actress in a comedy series
Pamela Adlon, “Better Things”
Jane Fonda, “Grace and Frankie”
Allison Janney, “Mom”
Ellie Kemper, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
Tracee Ellis Ross, “Black-ish”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace and Frankie”
Outstanding limited series
“Big Little Lies”
“Fargo”
“Feud: Bette and Joan”
“The Night Of”
“Genius”
Outstanding lead actor in a limited series
Riz Ahmed, “The Night Of”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “Sherlock: The Lying Detective”
Robert De Niro, “The Wizard of Lies”
Ewan McGregor, “Fargo”
Geoffrey Rush, “Genius”
John Turturro, “The Night Of”
Outstanding lead actress in a limited series
Carrie Coon, “Fargo”
Felicity Huffman, “American Crime”
Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Lies”
Jessica Lange, “Feud: Bette and Joan”
Susan Sarandon, “Feud: Bette and Joan”
Reese Witherspoon, “Big Little Lies”
Outstanding supporting actress in a limited series or a movie
Judy Davis, “Feud: Bette and Joan” (FX)
Laura Dern, “Big Little Lies” (HBO)
Jackie Hoffman, “Feud: Bette and Joan” (FX)
Regina King, “American Crime” (ABC)
Michelle Pfeiffer, “The Wizard of Lies” (HBO)
Shailene Woodley, “Big Little Lies” (HBO)
Outstanding supporting actor in a limited series or a movie
Bill Camp, “The Night Of” (HBO)
Alfred Molina, “Feud: Bette and Joan” (FX)
Alexander Skarsgärd, “Big Little Lies” (HBO)
David Thewlis, “Fargo” (FX)
Stanley Tucci, “Feud: Bette and Joan” (FX)
Michael Kenneth Williams, “The Night Of” (HBO)
Other nominees included Uzo Aduba in “Orange Is the New Black” (supporting actress drama), Thandie Newton in “Westworld” (supporting actress drama), Samira Wiley in “The Handmaid’s Tale” (supporting actress drama), Ron Cephas Jones in “This Is Us” (supporting actor drama), Jeffrey Wright in “Westworld” (supporting actor drama), Leslie Jones in “Saturday Night Live” (best supporting actress comedy), Tituss Burgess in “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (best supporting actor comedy).
Visit Emmys.com for a full list of nominations.
The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Stephen Colbert, will broadcast live on CBS on Sunday, Sept. 17.
