When They See Us star Jharrel Jerome made a powerful speech as he became the first ever Afro-Latino, and youngest ever actor, to win an Emmy Award.
The 21-year-old actor took home the win for Outstanding Lead Actor in A Limited Series for his role on the Netflix drama centred on the true crime case of the Exonerated Five (formerly known as the Central Park Five).
In the film, he played Korey Wise, who along with four other young black men was falsely convicted of the brutal rape and attack of a woman in New York’s Central Park.
Receiving a standing ovation from the crowd as he was announced the winner of the award by Angela Bassett, Jharrel was joined by his mum who sat proudly in the crowd.
Jharrel took the moment to celebrate his landmark win, and teared up when he joked on stage: ‘I feel like I should be in the Bronx right now, waiting for my mum’s cooking or something.’
On the importance of his win, he later said backstage: ‘It’s an honour. It’s a blessing, and I hope this is a step forward for Dominicans, for Latinos, for Afro-Latinos. It’s about time we are here.’
All five of the Exonerated Five were in attendance at the ceremony, with Korey Wise, Antron McCay, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson and Yusef Salaam standing beside showrunner Ava DuVernay.
In his winners’ speech, he paid mention to them as they stood up and applauded him.
‘I felt like I was in a championship game, and we went through our final hurrah,’ he said.
‘Thirty years ago they were sitting in a prison cell, falsely incarcerated, and today they’re in suits styled by designers for the Emmys.’
The Emmys 2019 proved to have a series of historical moments, especially for people of colour.
As well as Jharrel Jerome taking home a win, Billy Porter became the first, openly gay, black man to win the Best Actor in a Drama award at the ceremony.
During his poignant win, he said: ‘‘We as the artists are the people that can change the molecular structure of the hearts and minds of the people who live on this planet.
‘Please don’t ever stop doing that. Please don’t ever stop telling the truth!’
When They See Us is available now on Netflix.
Emmys 2019 Winners
Writing for a Comedy Series – Fleabag, Episode 1, Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Directing for a Comedy Series – Fleabag, Episode 1, Harry Bradbeer
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Bill Hader, Barry
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series – Phoebe Waller-Bridge
Competition Programe – RuPaul’s Drag Race
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie – Patricia Arquette, The Act
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie – Stellan Skarsgård, Chernobyl
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie – Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal
Writing for a Limited Series or TV Movie – Chernobyl, Craig Mazin
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie – Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us
Television Movie – Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie – Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon
Outstanding Limited Series – Chernobyl
Variety Talk Series – Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
Variety Sketch Series – Saturday Night Live
Directing for a Variety Series – Saturday Night Live, Host: Adam Sandler
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Writing for a Drama Series – Succession, Nobody Is Ever Missing, Jesse Armstrong
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series – Julia Garner, Ozark
Lead Actor in a Drama Series – Billy Porter, Pose
Directing for a Drama Series – Ozark, Reparations, Jason Bateman
Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Jodie Comer, Killing Eve
Comedy Series – Fleabag
Drama Series
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