Emmys 2019: Billy Porter and Jharrel Jerome may have won, but the awards failed to live up to its diversity promise
In 2018, the Television Academy nominated a record-breaking number of people of color for the Emmy Awards. When the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards came around, only two of them won: Regina King and Thandie Newton. This year, there were lesser nominations for people of color, but with shows like 'When They See Us' and 'Pose', viewers might have expected more wins for people of color.
This year, again, only two people of color won: Jharrel Jerome won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie for playing Korey Wise in Ava DuVernay's 'When They See Us' and Billy Porter won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role in Ryan Murphy's 'Pose'. Porter created history with his win, being the first openly gay black man to win in this category. In his acceptance speech, he quoted James Baldwin when he said that "It took many years of vomiting up all the filth I’d been taught about myself, and half-believed before I was able to walk on the earth as if I had a right to be here."
Jerome also made history, being the first Afro-Latino actor to win in an acting category and the youngest winner for the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series. He is also the first Latin-American actor to win since America Ferrera won an Emmy for her role in 'Ugly Betty'.
The biggest disappointment of the night for many fans, was, of course, Ava DuVernay and 'When They See Us' being passed over for Outstanding Directing and Writing for a Limited Series, as well as Outstanding Limited Series -- all of those awards went to HBO's 'Chernobyl'. One user tweeted "really think they be doin' Ava like they do Beyoncé at award shows: get her name in the big categories for buzz, anticipation, and diversity but they never had a chance to win #Emmys #Emmys2019".
While many are talking about the lack of nominations for people of color in this year's acting categories, one user rightly wrote that "One day we'll have a conversation about how it's great that POC are getting rewarded for acting, but continue to be largely shut out of acclaims for writing, directing, editing etc because...you know why." This year, there seemed to be more British winners than Americans. As one viewer wrote, the Emmy (and Oscar) Awards need "more African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos to be recognized".
The LGBTQ community saw more representation this year with Ben Whishaw, Cherry Jones, and Jane Lynch winning acting awards in addition to Porter. But it is important to note that, with the exception of Porter, these wins do not add to the tally of people of color who have won.
But it is not just the awards and nominations at the Emmys that needs to be called out -- the industry would have to go to its very roots in order to be more inclusive and diverse. Most of the award-winning shows across comedy, drama, limited series and even variety sketch and variety talk-show, featured few if not, no people of color in their cast and crew at all. While records may have been broken this year when it comes to people of color winning, the Emmys have yet again failed spectacularly at delivering on its diversity promise from last year.
