Actresses Indya Moore and Angelica Ross have criticized the Emmy Nominations, just one day after their announcement. The two trans performers have attacked the Television Academy for ignoring the trans performers on the show, and lashed out at the show’s network, FX, for a lack of promotion.
Related: 2020 Emmy Noms: Queer stars and stories vie for gold
Pose received only one acting nomination for its second season: Billy Porter in the Best Actor in a Drama category. Porter took home the golden statuette last year, becoming the first openly-gay African-American to win in the category. At the time, the Academy was also criticized for overlooking the rest of the cast of Pose, comprised mainly of transgender women of color. With the Emmy Nominations repeating the same pattern this year, Moore and Ross have decided to speak out.
Something abt trans ppl not being honored on a show abt trans ppl who created a culture to honor ourselves bc the world doesn't.
— ? (@IndyaMoore) July 28, 2020
“Something about trans people not being honored on a show about trans people who created a culture to honour ourselves because the world doesn’t,” Moore wrote on Twitter. “But also, look at the weak ass promotion. Most of us have never been on any talk shows except MJ, here and there. And they still ignored her work. ‘they’ Dont trust us on live TV. Esp. Me lol.”
Ross retweeted Moore’s remarks, and added to them in a teary-eyed Instagram video. “I want you to know from the jump that these tears are not about an award or a nomination,” she said as she wept. “Ultimately, I need y’all to understand that I’m so tired – those of you who know me know I’m not just working on screen or behind screen but I’m working around the clock to get our society to value trans lives and Black trans lives. I feel what I feel because I feel there is nothing we can do.”
Laverne Cox, one of only two transgender performers nominated for an Emmy this year (the other being actress Rain Valdez, who received a nomination for a short-form series), also expressed her frustration over the trans cast of Pose getting shut out.
“You should have been nominated with us. Love u @angelicaross,” Cox tweeted.
Cam
I thought Ross was great in American Horror Story 1984.
Also, the problem with the Emmy’s is that they settle on somebody as a “Representation” and then just keep nominating that person and then pat themselves on the back for being so inclusive.
For YEARS they would talk about how inclusive they were because they nominated Modern Family. Billy Porter deserved a nomination, but the thing is, so many Emmy voters look at that and then say “We nominated a minority, now we don’t have to worry about voting for any other”.
Kevan1
I agree these women have broken barriers for Trans people. They deserve to be recognized for there acting abilities.
Donston
Laverne Cox is a terrible actress. But she’s become the go-to representation because she appealed on a more Emmy friendly show back in the day. Pose has quickly become a not very good series (like most Ryan Murphy productions). So, it’s hard to claim that it’s not getting enough recognition. While MJ Rodriguez is the best actress and has the best character.
Guidosdaddy
The thing is, though, they are REALLY bad actors! I love this show but only Billy Porter, Sandra B, and MJ can act. Doesn’t mean I don’t love the characters but they are just awful actors. My favorite is Dominique Jackson but she’s the worst of the lot when it comes to acting!
judysdad
Maybe they just weren’t considered deserving.
KiwiJello
Sounds to me like they are saying they should be nominated for being trans. They can’t act. Maybe if you deserved it, but you do NOT deserve recognition of your acting abilities simply because you are trans. It’s this kind of thing that makes mainstream balk at trans issues. They often act like they are owed something, even when it’s very clear they do not deserve it.
Learn to act, and then come bitch about not getting nominated. Not everything has to do with being trans.
nm4047
what category would they be aiming for? They’re not exactly the greatest actors in the room. Being in a show that has very limited appeal isn’t a nomination category.
LumpyPillows
Alas, everything isn’t about you. While I enjoyed the show, I can’t say the acting warrants the whining.
RiBrad
It’s great that this show exists but I couldn’t watch more than one episode because the acting was so average. This is pure and simple a case of an actor feeling shocked to be overlooked for an award when all their friends/supporters have been telling them they will definitely be nominated. I’m an actor and this happened to me recently with a (much less important) theatre award. I understand the personal pain but it definitely ain’t about your identity – it’s just how the award show cookie crumbles.
Paulie P
Just because you are on a show doesn’t mean you will get a nomination. Take Matthew Perry for instance. Usually, Emmy awards are presented for brilliant acting in particular episodes and even though Matthew Perry was brilliant throughout, the committee could not find a single brilliant episode to compete with others. He did NOT win an award, but he sure won our hearts and a legacy.
jjose712
I’m not going to defend the Emmy’s (an award that tends to nominate the same people and the same shows year after year) but awards are not about honoring trans people, they are about good acting.
Every year there are actors and actresses, whites, blacks, latinos and asians, gays and straights, who are snubbed at this type of awards.
I remember Awkwafina reaction after not getting an oscar nomination this year. That’s exactly the way you react, because no matter how you cover this as activism (and these type of awards are about acting and not activism, and over everything else they are popularity contests) this is about their hurted egos
Wolfie
The Best Supporting Actress Emmy Nominees:
Laura Dern, Big Little Lies
Meryl Streep, Big Little Lies
Helena Bonham Carter, The Crown
Samira Wiley, The Handmaid’s Tale
Fiona Shaw , Killing Eve
Julia Garner, Ozark
Sarah Snook, Succession
Thandie Newton, Westworld
The ladies of POSE do not even come close to the having tha acting chops of the weakest nominee.
Rock-N-RollHS
wah wah wah.
Oh pleeze. Be happy you are working. Awards in Hollywood are political BS. Although I disagree with above commenter: I think L. Cox is fantastic. But lots of talent gets ignored in the fame game. The work is all that matters, and paying the bills. No one promised you a rose garden, biatches.
Patrick
I get so tired of this, that or the other person claiming that they were “snubbed” by this, that or the other awards competition. In point of fact, there usually only so many slots in each category & perhaps every deserving person does not receive a nomination. They were not “snubbed” – they just did not receive enough votes from the voting members to be nominated.
Jazz
Maybe they just weren’t as good as those who were nominated. The woe is me act is all a bit tiring sometimes.