Niecy Nash bet on herself and it paid off.
At the 2024 Emmys on Monday night, Nash won Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for her role as Glenda Cleveland in Dahmer: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.
“I'm a winner, baby!” she declared as she took the stage. “Thank you to the Most High for this divine moment. Thanks, Ryan Murphy, for seeing me. Evan Peters, I love you. Netflix. Every single person who voted for me. Thanks. My better half who picked me up” when I was laid off from that job. Thanks.”
Nash continued to acknowledge those who contributed to her victory, including himself.
“I want to thank myself for believing in myself and doing what I said I couldn't do. I want to say to myself in front of all you beautiful people: 'Go, girl, with your bad self. That's what you did.' “
Emmys 2024:View the full list of winners
Nash added: “Finally, I accept this award on behalf of every black and brown woman who has been unheard and yet overly policed, like Glenda Cleveland, like Sandra Bland, like Breonna Taylor! My job is to speak truth to power, and that's what I'm doing (will) do until the day I die.”
The moving speech came on an evening of historic victories and powerful moments of acceptance from actors of color such as Ayo Edebiri, Quinta Brunson and others. It didn't go unnoticed that the heroic acts also took place on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Niecy Nash talks about the power of positive self-esteem: 'I'm so proud of myself'
Backstage, Nash continued to offer words of encouragement while in the Emmys press room. “I'm the only one who knows what it's costing me. I'm the only one who knows how many nights I cried because I couldn't be seen for a certain type of role. I'm the one who knows what it costs. “You like to get divorced on camera and still have to show up at the door and still go home – you still have kids and a whole life,” she said.
“So, I’m proud of myself. I'm proud that I did something that people said I couldn't do because I believed in myself,” the actress continued. “And sometimes people don't believe in themselves. And I hope my speech was a delicious invitation for people to do just that. … And that's why it's not called mom appreciation, you appreciation, we appreciation. It’s called self-esteem because no one but you could believe in it.”
Nash noted that in Hollywood she was only viewed as a comedic actress, but had to prove that she “wasn’t a one-trick pony. I’ve got a few other tricks under these lovely sleeves.”
RuPaul encourages audience to “listen to a drag queen” as the show picks up its 5th Emmy
RuPaul is no stranger to Emmy wins for his outstanding reality competition program, taking home his fifth award for “RuPaul's Drag Race” on Monday.
The judge and executive producer previously won the category four years in a row between 2018 and 2021 after losing to Lizzo's Watch Out for The Big Grrrls last year.
“We are very honored to receive this award. Listen, you’re just amazing for honoring our show and recognizing all these queens,” he said. “We have released hundreds of drag queens into the wild and they are beautiful. On behalf of everyone, we thank you.”
RuPaul added, “If a drag queen wants to read you a story in a library, listen to her because knowledge is power, and if someone tries to limit your access to power, they're trying to scare you, so listen to one.” Drag queen too. We.” I love you, thank you.
Quinta Brunson is the second Black woman in over 30 years to win lead actress for a comedy at the Emmys
Brunson won the Emmy for best actress in a comedy series for ABC's “Abbott Elementary,” an award presented to her by television legend Carol Burnett.
The win marks the first time a Black woman has won in this category in over 30 years. The first and most recent winner of the award was Isabel Sanford for “The Jeffersons” in 1981.
As Brunson began to accept the award, her voice shook as she was visibly overwhelmed by her victory.
“Wow,” Brunson said. “Thank you. I don't even know why I'm so emotional. I think kind of like the Carol Burnett of everything.”
Brunson wiped away tears as she said she loved “so much” doing “Abbott Elementary” and was “so happy” to be “living my dream and doing comedy.” She added: “I say this every time, but I love comedy so much that I'm so lucky to be able to get this.”
Ayo Edebiri thanks her parents for making me feel beautiful, black and proud at the Emmys
Edebiri received the award for best supporting actress in a comedy series for her role in “The Bear”.
“I'm so incredibly grateful for this for so many reasons, but the most important one is that it's a show about family and found family and real family,” Edebiri began her speech. “And my parents are here tonight. I make her sit a little far away from me because I'm a bad child. But I love you so much. Thank you for loving me and making me feel beautiful and black and proud of all of it.”
She jokingly added: “(It's) probably not a dream to immigrate to this country and have your child say, 'I want to improvise,' but you are real children. Thank you for that. This means “world.”
Her win, combined with Brunson's, marked the first time in a year that two black women have won the top comedy categories. “It is very special and I feel very honored. It’s really, really special, today of all days,” said Edebiri in the press room.
GLAAD accepts Governors Award and calls for more trans visibility: “It’s life-saving”
GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis accepted the Governors Award on behalf of the organization at the Emmys, emphasizing the importance of on-screen visibility.
“What the world sees on television influences the way we interact with one another and the decisions we make in our living rooms, at school, at work and at the ballot box,” Ellis said. “More people say they have seen a ghost than know a transgender person. When you don’t know people, it’s easy to demonize them.”
The GLAAD President added: “Visibility creates understanding and opens doors. This is life-saving. Our community has achieved so much and yet we are still bullied and vilified with cruel and harmful lies. Sharing stories is the antidote.”
Featuring: KiMi Robertson, Brendan Morrow
Niecy Nash on queerness, marriage, joy:“I’m having the time of my life”