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upworthy

lead roles

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.