With an Emmy acting nomination
announced Tuesday, Mj Rodriguez becomes the first transgender actor
to be nominated for a lead acting Emmy.
Rodriguez's portrayal of Blanca on the
groundbreaking FX drama Pose earned her a nomination for
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 73rd
annual Emmy Awards.
Speaking with Variety, Rodriguez
called her nomination “a pivotal moment.”
“I do believe this is a pivotal
moment. There’s never been a trans woman who has been nominated as
a leading outstanding actress and I feel like that pushes the needle
forward so much for now the door to be knocked down for so many
people – whether they be male or trans female, gender
nonconforming, LGBTQIA+, it does not matter,” Rodriguez said. “A
moment like this extends and opens and elongates the possibilities of
what’s going to happen and I believe the Academy is definitely
making it possible and their eyes are more than open. Yes, I do
believe they’re going to continue, and I also feel like we’re
going to keep speaking and encouraging and informing and educating
people around the world. I think that’s the most important thing.”
The FX drama created by Ryan Murphy,
Brad Falchuk, and Steven Canals ended its three-season run in June.
Other Murphy properties include Glee, Nick/Tuck,
American Crime Story and American Horror Story.
Pose,
which explores New York City's vibrant ball scene of the 1980s and
early 90s, made history for its large cast of transgender
actors, including Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, Indya Moore, Hailie
Sahar, and Angelica Ross.
Actor Billy Porter, who plays Pray Tell
in Pose, received his third Emmy nomination for the role.
Porter in 2019 became the first openly gay black man to be nominated
for and win in a leading Emmy acting category.
Pose was also nominated for the
second time in the Outstanding Drama Series category.
LGBT
groups in June had called on Emmy Award voters to nominate Pose's
transgender and non-binary actors.