Regina King. Uzo Aduba. Viola Davis.
Three black actresses owned the night at the 2015 Emmy Awards, winning in major categories and making history in the process. What they represented, however, was something much bigger -- hope for a more diverse Hollywood.
King notched an unexpected, but well-deserved win for supporting actress in a miniseries or a movie for her work on American Crime. Aduba landed her second Emmy for Orange is the New Black, making history by being the only actress to win in two genres (both comedy and drama) for the same role.
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And then there was Viola Davis, who became the first black actress to win the best lead actress in a drama category -- 67 years after the Emmys began. Though the win alone was historic, Davis heightened the moment by opening her speech with a quote from Harriet Tubman.
"In my mind, I see a line," she said. "And over that line I see green fields and lovely flowers and beautiful white women with their arms stretched out to me over that line. But I can't seem to get there no how."
You're over that line now, Davis.
The poetry and eerie timelessness of Tubman's quote resonated powerfully with women of color everywhere, who have long felt ignored by Hollywood -- in terms of both nominations and, as Davis pointed out, the scarcity of roles for women of color to begin with. But this year's Emmys saw the representation of black women as winners essentially triple -- likely inspiring thousands of young women and children of color who yearn to see themselves on screen.
But of course, it wouldn't be a proper awards show without some drama.
Not everyone could simply revel in the historic night. Actress Nancy Lee Grahn began trending on Twitter after sending a series of misguided tweets about Davis's win.
I wish I loved #ViolaDavis Speech, but I thought she should have let @shondarhimes write it. #Emmys— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
@kingquartermain Try being any woman in TV. Wish she'd brought every woman in the picture. I wish I'd opportunity to play roles she has gets— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
I never mean to diminish her accomplishment. I wish I could get her roles. She is a goddess. I want equality 4 ALL women, not just actors.— Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) September 21, 2015
Though Grahn, a Daytime Emmy winner for acting on General Hospital, backtracked and sent out numerous apologies following the Twitter baclkash, the damage was done. Hours later, she is still a trending Twitter topic.
Even Patricia Arquette -- who faced criticism of her own for comments she made about the wage gap shortly after winning an Oscar -- weighed in, chastising Grahn:
@NancyLeeGrahn Stop that right now. It is a venue for whatever the WINNER wants 2 say.It is her win. She is saying something that is proven— Patricia Arquette (@PattyArquette) September 21, 2015
Grahn's tweets represent the kind of twisted thinking that has kept women of color back for decades, pushed farther and farther from Tubman's metaphorical line. They sound like something that might've been said by the white woman Tubman cited -- arms outstretched, with no intention of actually helping.
In saying that she wants equality for "all women," Grahn shows a steep ignorance that assumes women of color have had the same opportunities as white actresses. For Grahn to think that way -- and to say also tweeted that Davis has "never been discriminated against") -- is not only disingenuous, but also oblivious to the obstacles actresses like Davis have had to overcome.
It's also ignorant of the smaller struggles women of color face each day -- for example, the simple defiance of wearing natural hair, or being deemed "less classically beautiful" by critics who are accustomed to seeing light-skinned faces.
And does Grahn truly wish she were being offered the same roles as Davis? The Juilliard-trained Emmy winner only recently began starring in projects worthy of her caliber. To hear Davis describe her career is to hear someone who loves acting for acting's sake -- because she certainly hasn't had an easy path.
"I’ve been in this business 35 years, and 27 years professionally," Davis told reporters backstage at the Emmys. "I’m the journeyman actor that you saw in one scene here, two scenes there. I’ve been eking out a living doing theater, Broadway, off-Broadway, film, supporting roles…I’m just excited to be part of the conversation. I’ve seen the unemployment line a lot."
And that's coming from a two-time Oscar nominee.
In addition, it's important to acknowledge that the night's big wins showed only a small margin of diversity in the grand scheme of things. Representation of Native, Asian, Latino and LGBT actors and actresses is still pitifully low. Davis, Aduba and King's wins are vessels, in this respect, breaking down barriers that stand between diverse actors and the recognition they deserve.
To sum it up, Davis perfectly nailed the lack of representation for all women of color with a sharp quote in her acceptance speech.
"The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity," she said. "You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there."