When it comes to the Emmy Awards — and all other award shows, for that matter — it's easy to get caught up in all the glamorous stars [1], the host's laugh-out-loud jokes [2], and other highlights from the night [3]. One aspect that's sometimes overlooked, though, is the sheer power behind some of the words that come from the show's big winners [4] and presenters. To help emphasize exactly how poignant last night's Emmys were, we're highlighting five individuals who turned them into much more than an award show.
Regina King's Victory
In a night already dominated by other women of color like Uzo Aduba and Viola Davis, Regina King's best supporting actress win for American Crime is quite unique. Regina played Aliyah Shadeed, a woman of the Muslim faith. She talked to us about the daunting responsibility of playing the role [5] and doing it justice, so the fact that her work was recognized in such a big way is a statement in itself.
Jeffrey Tambor's Acceptance Speech
The fact that Jeffrey Tambor won for portraying a transgender woman is already monumental in its own right. He took it further, though, by dedicating his award to the transgender community [6]. "Thank you for your patience, thank you for your courage, thank you for your stories, thank you for your inspiration, thank you for letting us be part of the change. God bless you," he said.
Uzo Aduba's Unique Achievement
This is Uzo's second Emmy win for her turn as Crazy Eyes on Orange Is the New Black [7]. The cool thing, though, is that now she's won in both the comedy and drama categories for the same role, since OITNB was submitted as a drama this year. As for the icing on the cake, her acceptance speech [8] was more than enough to tug at our heart strings.
Tracy Morgan's Triumphant Return
After his harrowing car accident last year, Tracy Morgan took the stage to present the award for outstanding drama. His short but sweet speech [9], along with the standing ovation from the audience, is absolutely enough to bring you to tears.
Viola Davis and Her Slice of History
Arguably one of the most moving night's was Viola Davis winning for outstanding lead actress [10] in a drama series. Viola is the first black woman to receive this honor, and her acceptance speech was a powerful, graceful look [11] at how much it means to her.