This Is How You Take Up Space At The Emmys

At the 76th Emmy Awards on Sunday, Hollywood’s most decorated stars and up-and-comers alike graced the red carpet and stage for a televised series of wins, snubs and memorable personal expressions. And though the show might have been considered “snoozy” to some, it was a night that saw historic breakthroughs and acts of resistance against the white, cis hetero patriarchy that has historically owned Hollywood.

Here are some of the many pivotal moments from Sunday’s show.

The FX series won big with 18 awards — the most won by a single season of a show — including the coveted title of Outstanding Drama Series. But this win is marked by something much more symbolic. Roughly 70% of the show, which takes place in feudal Japan, is in Japanese, marking the first time a non-English-speaking show has won the best in drama award at the Emmys.

It’s easy to cast ”Shōgun” as a gamble or risk that just so happened to pay off; even the showrunners were surprised that it had made it this far. But its win has exposed a universal truth: Great shows come from great storytelling. The sweep was a triumphant middle finger to the notion that great art relies on Americentrism to solicit eyeballs and awards.

Woon-A-Tai, who is of Oji-Cree descent, was nominated for best actor in a comedy series for his role on “Reservation Dogs.” Though he didn’t win (he should have, if you ask us), he created his own meaningful moment by arriving at the Emmys with red face paint in the shape of a hand over his mouth. The symbol is a protest of violence against Indigenous women and two-spirit people in the U.S. and Canada.

According to a recent study, more than 80% of the community has experienced some form of violence in their lifetimes, with over half experiencing sexual violence. It’s an epidemic that the media has historically remained silent about, which makes Woon-A-Tai’s gesture at one of Hollywood’s and media’s biggest stages all the more consequential and a horrific reality that must be reckoned with.

The actor delivered an impassioned speech celebrating Hollywood’s progress with representation while calling for more investment in untold stories from excluded groups. In June, Leguizamo took out a full-page ad in The New York Times, pleading with the Television Academy to recognize more exceptional artists of color and to stop whitewashing award shows.

In his speech, Leguizamo also honored other Latinx actors in the audience, including Liza Colón-Zayas, who had just become the first Latina to win best supporting actress in a comedy series for her role as Tina Marrero on ”The Bear,” and Sofia Vergara for her history-making nomination as Griselda Blanco in “Griselda.”

“The D is for diligence, the E is for excellence, the I is for imagination,” he said. “And everyone in this room tonight has dedicated their lives to diligence, excellence and imagination, so we are all DEI hires.”

Mau, who starred in ”Baby Reindeer,” is the first openly trans person to be nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and the fourth ever to be nominated for an Emmy. She had a touching moment with Laverne Cox, who hosted E! News’ red carpet show — and who was the first openly trans person to ever be nominated for an acting Emmy a decade ago for her role on ”Orange Is the New Black.”

“What we’ve been fighting for as a community is to be able to tell stories that come from the heart and that are based from a human foundation. Because that’s who we are as trans people,” Mau told Cox. “We are humans first and foremost.”

Throughout award season, various stars and celebrities have been seen wearing the red Artists4Ceasefire pin, which symbolically advocates for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza, safe release of hostages and humanitarian aid to Gazans. The Emmys on Sunday weren’t exempt from its presence. ”Bridgerton’s” Nicola Coughlan, as well as ”Reservation Dogs’” Dallas Goldtooth and Devery Jacobs, were among those who proudly donned their pins.

Though Sunday’s show was for the creative arts, it’s worth highlighting the work of activist and journalist Bisan Owda. Owda, who documented Israel’s bombing of Gaza, was nominated for a news Emmy for her short documentary “It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive,” an eight-minute feature following Owda’s displacement as a result of Israel’s war on Gaza. Despite concerted efforts from pro-Israel groups to get her nomination revoked, Owda triumphantly stands in the running.