Emmys Night Stays White: No Lead Acting Wins for Actors of Color

At the 78th Primetime Emmys, no actors of color won major lead or supporting acting prizes on the main show, with 17 performers of color nominated this year (down from 28 last year); Ernest Harden Jr. and Octavia Spencer were the only winners of color in Creative Arts, while Matthew Rhys made Emmys history by winning two lead acting trophies in one night and Hiro Murai became the first Asian director to win Comedy Directing for Widow’s Bay; Jean Smart added a fifth lead comedy actress Emmy, underscoring both milestones and the ongoing diversity challenges tied to voting structures and the vast TV landscape voters must navigate.