Sandra Oh makes Emmy history as first Asian actress nominated for leading role in a drama
Oh’s role in the BBC America drama ‘Killing Eve’ won her recognition that had eluded fellow Asian actresses for 70 years
Just days away from beginning production on Season 2 of BBC America’s Killing Eve, Sandra Oh was reviewing script drafts at her London flat the moment she made Emmy history.
Her part in the thriller is her first headlining role, and it yielded her first lead actress in a drama nod when Emmy nominations were announced Thursday. But the firsts didn’t end there: Oh’s nomination carries an added layer of distinction because it makes her the first person of Asian descent to be recognised in the category in the TV award show’s 70-year run.
At a time when Hollywood is reckoning with calls for greater inclusiveness, the historic aspect of Oh’s nomination serves as yet another sobering reminder of the industry’s deep-rooted diversity problem.
Not that reminders are needed. It was only three years ago that Viola Davis stood up on the Emmy stage as the first African American winner in the category for her role on How to Get Away With Murder. And just last year, Donald Glover made history as the first black person to win the Emmy for directing, for his comedy series, Atlanta.
The significance of Oh’s lead role and nomination are not lost on her.
“I’ve really been learning a lot about the responsibility of that leadership role,” said Oh. “For me, I know I want to make the best of it – be as truthful as possible and also stretch the limits of what we see. We haven’t really seen a character like Eve or someone like myself – an Asian person – play this kind of role before. I take that deeply into consideration. Because if that cuts through, it will have ripple effects. My greatest hope is that it will ripple through and demonstrate that there is a whole world of people who are storytellers and who can be storytellers. It doesn’t have to always remain in the white realm. That’s one of the things I know I represent.”
