On Monday, Zendaya won her second Emmy Award for best actress in a drama series for her portrayal as Rue in “Euphoria.” Her win made history – she is the only Black woman to win two Emmys in this category.
Her character Rue Bennett is a teen who is recovering from drug addiction. In her acceptance speech, Zendaya, who is also an executive producer on the show, said she hopes it can help heal people. “I want you to know that anyone who has loved a Rue, or feels like you are a Rue, I’m so grateful for your stories and I carry them with me and carry them with her. Thank you so much,” she said.
The star first won the award in 2020 for the same role. That time, she also made history, becoming the youngest person to win the Emmy for best actress in a drama at 24 years old.
There are only two other Emmy winners who took home their awards at a younger age. Roxana Zal won a supporting actress Emmy in 1984 at the age of 14 for her role in “Something About Amelia.” Kristy McNichol won an Emmy for supporting actress in 1977 at age 15 and again in 1979 at 17 for her role in “Family.”
However, because Zendaya’s wins were in the lead actress category, she holds the record as the youngest to win two Emmys in this category.
Other actresses have won multiple Emmys in various categories. Maya Rudolph won two for guest actress on “Saturday Night Live” in 2020 and 2021 and two for her voice-over work in “Big Mouth,” also in 2020 and 2021.
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However, few others have won multiple Emmys for best actress in a drama series like Zendaya has. Notably, Edie Falco won three Emmys for best actress in a drama series for her portrayal of Carmela Soprano in “The Sopranos.” She also won an Emmy in that category for “Nurse Jackie.”
Another standout: Tyne Daly won four best actress awards at the Emmys – three of them consecutively – for her role in “Cagney & Lacey” in the 1980s.
And while several other women have won two in the category, Zendaya is the first Black woman to do so.
Other notable winners at this year’s Emmy’s include “Squid Game” actor Lee Jung-jae, who made history as the first Asian actor to take home the award for best actor in a drama. His co-star, Lee You-mi, won the Emmy for guest actress in a drama series, becoming the first Korean actress to win in that category. “Squid Games” Hwang Dong-hyuk won best directing for a drama series.
Quinta Brunson won best writing for the comedy series “Abbott Elementary.” Brunson is the second Black woman to win in this category, after Lena Waithe won in 2017 for “Master of None.”
Her co-star, Sheryl Lee Ralph, became only the second black woman to win the award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series. Jackée Harry was the first, winning for “227” in 1987.
Barack Obama won an Emmy for his narration of the documentary “Our Great National Parks.”
Chadwick Boseman posthumously won an Emmy for his voice acting in “What If…?” a Marvel animated series in which he plays Black Panther, the titular character he brought to life in the Marvel movie.
Find the full list of nominees and winners at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards here.
