Upworthy's book GOOD PEOPLE, now available - take a look!

Shop
 Explore 

actors of color

Sandra Oh just made Emmy history, and her reaction was so delightful.

Actress Sandra Oh just made Emmy history.

The star of BBC America's "Killing Eve" is the first actress of Asian descent to be nominated for lead actress in a drama series, Variety reported after nominations were announced on July 12.

Hell yes!

Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images.

Oh has never won a Primetime Emmy, despite snagging five nominations for her supporting role in ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" between 2005 and 2009.

The actress is flabbergasted by the historic accolade — and rightfully so.

"I'm struggling to find the right words for it," she told The Hollywood Reporter.

"What's a blend of the words seriousness and joyous?" she continued. "I'm absolutely thrilled. I feel my community at all times; I am my community at all times. I have joy not only for the show and myself and family, but also for my community. Hopefully my community can feel like they have representation, as well."

Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for NAACP.

In 2010, Archie Panjabi became the first actress of Asian descent to win an Emmy for her supporting role on "The Good Wife," and actor Riz Ahmed, who is British-Pakistani, won the lead actor in a drama series in 2017 for his work in HBO's "The Night Of."

But Oh's nomination would be the first for an Asian actress in the coveted category.

"I don't want to rest on the fact that a handful of us have had the opportunity and that it stops there," Oh told The Hollywood Reporter.

"I want the movement to keep on going. I want the ripple to turn into a wave."

[rebelmouse-image 19397372 dam="1" original_size="750x530" caption="Oh and "Killing Eve" co-star Jodie Comer speak onstage during the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour. Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images." expand=1]Oh and "Killing Eve" co-star Jodie Comer speak onstage during the Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour. Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images.

In April, the actress opened up to Vulture about how inexcusably rare it is to see people of color like herself in lead roles.

"We haven't even scratched the surface of how deeply we need to see ourselves represented," she noted. "And how it's not just leaving the images to the outside voices. It's finding it within ourselves."

Congratulations, Sandra!

The 70th Primetime Emmys are set to air on September 17, 2018.

What other TV shows can learn from the creators of 'This Is Us' and 'The Good Place.'

On the NBC hit comedy, "The Good Place," Manny Jacinto plays, well, a lovable idiot.

The show follows a group of strangers brought together in the afterlife. Jacinto's character, Jason Mendoza, is always a little behind on the group's quickly shifting plans. But the aspiring DJ and Jacksonville Jaguars fan with a gentle spirit is often the heart of this charming comedy.

But while the hapless goof is a pretty common television trope, there's one thing that sets Jason Mendoza apart from the rest — he's Filipino-American.

[rebelmouse-image 19533058 dam="1" original_size="400x225" caption="GIF via "The Good Place."" expand=1]GIF via "The Good Place."

It is truly rare to see Asian-American characters on television, let alone one who isn't high-achieving, bookish, or an otherwise model minority.

Mike Schur, the creator of "The Good Place," took this into account when developing the show's cast of characters.

"They were trying to figure out something different and one of the things that popped up was that you don’t really see a lot of dumb Asian guys on mainstream television," Jacinto said in a recent interview with Vulture. "He’s usually intelligent or the model minority. I’m not saying playing Jason is pioneering, but it’s so great for me to do because it’s not a stereotype."

Manny Jacinto after the Golden Globes. Photo by Loreen Sarkis/Getty Images.

Now, full disclosure, Jason was confused for a silent Buddhist monk from Taiwan named Jianyu for the first few episodes of the show, and it looked like we'd be right back into Asian stereotype territory. (It's a delightful reveal, and though I just revealed it, there are plenty more where that came from.)

But on the whole, "The Good Place" works hard to subvert and call out cultural stereotypes through character development and sharp writing. Even in a place as perfect as heaven, Mendoza is offered tofu instead of his favorite meal, buffalo wings. And he commiserates to main character Eleanor, played by Kristen Bell, “Everyone here thinks I’m Taiwanese. I’m Filipino. That’s racist. Heaven is so racist.”

[rebelmouse-image 19533060 dam="1" original_size="400x225" caption="GIF via "The Good Place."" expand=1]GIF via "The Good Place."

But even while calling out stereotypes and rethinking representation, Jason Mendoza's ethnicity isn't the crux of his character. And that's kind of awesome.

“His culture doesn’t make up his character,” Jacinto said in an interview with Mochi magazine. When Jason connects with other characters of color, there's no pressure to push on his background. "They’re having a normal conversation as people. It’s not something you see in mainstream media at all — usually, there’s some sort of cultural joke.”

This doesn't mean his background gets erased or ignored — just the opposite. Jason Mendoza gets to be Filipino-American, and a huge Blake Bortles stan who has a fondness for EDM. Like all of us, he's the intersection of a lot of weird and wonderful things. Why shouldn't TV show all of that?

[rebelmouse-image 19533061 dam="1" original_size="400x225" caption="GIF via "The Good Place."" expand=1]GIF via "The Good Place."

Roles like this remind us that while colorblind casting affords great opportunities to actors of color, sometimes there's beauty in specificity.

Sterling K. Brown, who won a Golden Globe for his role as Randall Pearson in the NBC drama, "This Is Us," made a point to mention this in his acceptance speech, emphasis added.

"Dan Fogelman, you wrote a role for a black man that could only be played by a black man. What I appreciate so much about this is that I’m being seen for who I am and being appreciated for who I am. And it makes it that much more difficult to dismiss me, or dismiss anybody who looks like me.”

Sterling K. Brown poses with the trophy for Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series — Drama. Photo by Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images.

What it comes down to is this: representation matters.

Seeing someone like you, with your skin color, spiritual background, age, sexual orientation, or disability is no small thing. It can inspire, change minds, and move people to act. Every role on every show gives Hollywood another chance to get it right. Not just for top talent, but for the children (and Jacksonville Jaguar-loving adults) watching and wondering if anyone sees them too.

From Your Site Articles

Kudos to his figs and bougainville solo. - Upworthy ›

41 years on-air and SNL finally hired a Latina cast member. Yeah, that matters.

"Saturday Night Live" just hired its first-ever Latina cast member, so now's the time on Sprockets when we dance!

Sprockets. GIF from "Saturday Night Live."

But seriously, folks, this is huge wonderful news that's been a LONG time coming. In its 41 years on air, SNL has only had two Latino cast members: Horatio Sanz and Fred Armisen.

The long-awaited addition of a Latina cast member shows the landscape of racial diversity on television is slowly but surely widening.

Without further ado, live from New York, it's Melissa Villaseñor!

Thank you @tylerossity for this capture of my roach man impression. @meltdowncomics
A photo posted by Melissa Villaseñor (@melissavcomedy) on May 8, 2016 at 7:55pm PDT

Villaseñor's journey onto the SNL stage has been a long time coming. She auditioned once before when she was only 21 (she's now 28), and she made it a ritual of sending the show a tape of her new stuff every summer — just in case.

"I’m starting to understand that when I visualize something happening and believe in it, I start seeing results. So I put myself out there," she said in an interview with Bird.

That's exactly what happened in 2011, when she killed it on "America's Got Talent" with two minutes of ridiculously good impressions.

Image via "America's Got Talent"/YouTube.

Her spot-on impression of Kathy Griffin alone is worthy of a spot on SNL. Villaseñor's dream of joining the NBC Saturday night staple came closer when she began work on an impression show "Daily Itineraries" for Más Mejor, a Latino-focusd studio that falls under the umbrella of SNL executive producer Lorne Michaels’ company, Broadway Video.

Villaseñor does an impression of Jennifer Lopez that rivals Maya Rudolph's, and it's even better because Villaseñor is actually Latina.

Get ready for J Lo! @masmejor "Daily ItinerAries" @jonshefsky @kamellowtail @carastyle @missvint
A photo posted by Melissa Villaseñor (@melissavcomedy) on May 18, 2016 at 8:56pm PDT

Villaseñor's been more than ready to take SNL by storm for years, but the show's much-discussed lack of diversity in casting likely got in her way.

According to Splitsider, since SNL's inception in 1975, only 15 black performers have been cast, and only four of them have been women. Currently, with the addition of Villaseñor, there are only five cast members of color on the show. So while it's great there are steps being taken in the right direction, it's still an agonizingly slow uphill battle, especially for women.

Leslie Jones at the "Ghostbusters" premiere. Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images.

SNL's producers keep their reasons for maintaining a predominantly white cast closely guarded, for obvious reasons, though when asked about it by WNPR in December 2015, Lorne Michaels defended the show's casting decisions, saying, "It didn't come from any place of intent or meanness; it came from looking every year for the best people we can find."

As diversity in media has become part of a more mainstream conversation, however, the show's noticeable lack of it has created more and more controversy and raised questions among viewers and cast members. On Twitter, people even joked that SNL stood for #StillNoLatinos and it became a popular hashtag in recent years.

Bringing Villaseñor into the SNL family is a huge win for Latinas in the entertainment industry — and viewers at home.

Headlining Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank tonight and tomorrow night. 8 and 10pm shows! 😏🎄🎅🏽🤓 tix here: https://bit.ly/1NCjX9K
A photo posted by Melissa Villaseñor (@melissavcomedy) on Dec 18, 2015 at 10:32am PST

According to a 2014 study, Latinas only make up 4% of female characters on television. Of that small percentage, many end up playing hyper-stereotypical Latina characters like Sofía Vergara's Gloria on "Modern Family."

Based on Villaseñor's wide spectrum of awesome impressions, however, she will likely open the floodgates for a wider variety of roles for Latina comedians and actresses on screens big and small.

**This is an important milestone because representation in media matters. It has an impact in the real world, beyond the screen.**

For example, Whoopi Goldberg credits Nichelle Nichols' portrayal of Uhura on "Star Trek" for inspiring her to pursue a career in entertainment. When Goldberg was little, she was so excited to see someone like her on TV that she immediately jumped up calling for her family, shouting, "Everybody come quick, come quick, there's a black lady on television, and she ain't no maid!"

Earlier this year, SNL and "Ghostbusters" star Leslie Jones appeared on "The View" where she personally thanked Whoopi, saying, "I love you for what you've done for black women. I love you for what you'd done for black comedians, and I love you."

Leslie Watching a clip of Whoopi. Photo via The View/YouTube.

Jones told Goldberg that seeing her on TV was an eye-opening experience. Like Goldberg reacting to Nichols before her, Jones said she immediately jumped up, calling for her dad to come see, "There's somebody on TV who looks like me! She looks like me! Daddy! I can be on TV."

There have been even fewer Latino performers on SNL and even fewer opportunities for young Latino kids to see themselves reflected in the media. Villaseñor's addition to the SNL cast in the upcoming season is a huge opportunity for her and for all the young viewers who will see her beaming onto their screens every Saturday night. It won't be long before an up-and-coming Latina comedian tells Villaseñor what her historic start on the show meant to her.

After all, a dream can be born out of five little words: "Hey, I can do that."