The 2024 76th Emmy Awards delivered an incredible evening full of unforgettable highlights, from groundbreaking wins/nominations to impassioned speeches. If you weren’t able to catch the ceremony live, there’s no need to fret. We’ve compiled a roundup of the most notable and impactful moments from the night for you to enjoy — and feel inspired by. (In no particular order.)
1. Liza Colón-Zayas win
Liza Colón-Zayas from “The Bear” took home the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, becoming the first Latina actress to win in this category. In her acceptance speech, she encouraged, “To all the Latinas who are looking at me, keep believing and vote.”
2. John Leguizamo’s speech on representation
John Leguizamo delivered a heartfelt speech reflecting on the evolving representation of Latinx’s in film and media, both historically and in the present.
“What I see here tonight makes me, well, almost happy and certainly less angry, because tonight is among the most diverse list of nominees in Emmy history,” Leguizamo remarked. He emphasized the need for even more stories from historically excluded groups, including Black, Asian, Jewish, Arab, LGBTQ+, and disabled communities. “And this show tonight is proof that our industry is making progress.”
He highlighted several notable nominations for the Latinx community — Selena Gomez for “Only Murders in the Building,” Sofia Vergara for “Griselda,” Issa Lopez for writing and directing “True Detective: Night Country” — which also featured indigenous actor Kali Reis in a lead role — and Mexico City-born Nava Mau, the first transgender person ever nominated for a limited series acting Emmy, for “Baby Reindeer.”
Leguizamo also commended Liza Colón-Zayas for her win in “The Bear” and praised the Television Academy for electing Cris Abrego as their first-ever Latino chair.
He urged for continued progress, calling for even more inclusion and representation.
3. Anna Sawai win
Anna Sawai made history by winning the Emmy for Best Drama Actress for her role in “Shogun.” This marked her first Emmy win and made her the first actress of Asian descent to take home the award for Lead Actress in a Drama Series. In her acceptance speech, Sawai dedicated the award to “All the women who expect nothing and continue to set an example for everyone.”
4. Hiroyuki Sanada win
Hiroyuki Sanada also made history by winning the award for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. He is the first Japanese actor and only the second Asian actor ever to achieve this honor. Sanada received the accolade for his portrayal of Yoshii Toranaga in “Shogun.” During his win, he remarked, “It was an east meets west dream project with respect. Shogun taught me that when people work together we can make miracles. We can create a better future together.”
This victory further solidified “Shogun’s” position as the most-awarded show in a single season, following its impressive haul of 14 awards at the Creative Arts Emmys the previous weekend.
5. Greg Berlanti accepting TV Academy’s 2024 Governors Award
At Sunday’s Emmys ceremony, writer, producer, and director Greg Berlanti, was celebrated for his role in LGBTQ+ representation on television, and was awarded the Governors Award. This honor is given to creators who have made a “profound, transformational and long-lasting contribution” to the medium. Reflecting on his career, Berlanti shared, “There wasn’t a lot of gay characters on television back then, and I was a closeted gay kid.” He took matters into his own hands by creating prominent gay characters, memorable TV moments, and making television history with the first on TV-screen gay kiss, among other achievements.
6. D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Kali Reis, and Lily Gladstone nomination
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai has made history as the first Indigenous nominee in a lead acting category at the Emmys for his role in “Reservation Dogs.” Reflecting on his nomination at the Critics’ Choice Awards earlier this year, he shared, “Not a lot of Native actors, creatives, artists get to be on stages like these. To be on stage and be representing our people every day, it’s an honor.”
Indigenous actresses Lily Gladstone and Kali Reis have made history with their first Primetime Emmy nominations, becoming the first Indigenous women ever to be nominated for acting Emmys. Gladstone and Reis received nods in the Supporting Actress in a Limited Series category for their roles in Hulu’s “Under the Bridge” and HBO/Max’s “True Detective: Night Country”, respectively.
7. Nava Mau nomination
Nava Mau has made history as the first trans woman to be nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited Series for her role in “Baby Reindeer.” In an interview with Laverne Cox, Mau expressed, “Ultimately, I hope that we continue to get to be all that we are as trans people on screen.”