Regina King was a breath of fresh air at the 72nd Emmys. The actress and director took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series for her role in Watchmen. A visibly shocked King proceeded to give her thank yous, but made sure to use the moment to make a few statements.
“Gotta vote. I would be remiss not to mention that,” King said. “Have a voting plan. Go to Ballotpedia.com, vote up the ballot, please.”
King also used the moment to bring attention to Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black woman who was fatally shot by police officers during a “no-knock search” while she was laying in her bed. In honor of her life and in protest of racial injustice, King wore a shirt with an image of Taylor’s face.
Although Taylor’s family has since received a settlement for the unjustified shooting, justice has yet to be fully served as the police officers responsible for her death remain free of charges.
King’s Emmy marked the first of the night for Watchmen, which won a total of 11 Emmys over the four-day Creative Arts Emmy Awards ceremony that started on Monday (sept. 4). In the series, the actress plays detective Angela Abar, also known as Sister Night. As the show delves into an alternate history that stems out of the breeding grounds of “Black Wall Street” in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the level of cultural awareness has translated well to viewers across races and backgrounds.
Created by Damon Lindelof, the HBO series is based on the graphic novel of the same name. Watchmen Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson won in the category of Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or Movie. Yahhya Abdul-Mateen II received the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie. Then, the series snagged the Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series.
The wins are a true testament of the impact of the DC Comics based series.
