Thursday morning’s announcement of Emmy Award nominations went even further in proving that television is the place to be if you’re a woman: Kerry Washington got nominated for her role on Shonda Rhimes’s fantastically soapy Scandal.
While Washington’s nomination for Lead Actress in a Drama Series, alongside other strong picks like Vera Famiga (Bates Motel), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), Claire Danes (Homeland), Robin Wright (House of Cards), Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men) and Connie Britton (Nashville), might seem inevitable given her recent rise in popularity, it’s a big deal. The last time a black woman was nominated for Lead Actress in a Drama Series was in 1995; Supporting Actress has been won a few times in recent years by Chandra Wilson for Rhimes’s first big hit,Grey’s Anatomy.
The last time a black actress was nominated for lead in a comedy series was even longer ago –1986 – and this year hasn’t changed that: nominations went to Laura Dern (Enlightened), Lena Dunham (Girls), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Amy Poehler (Parks and Rec), Tina Fey (30 Rock) and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep).
Source: Jezebel
