Emmys spotlight: Celebrating diversity and excellence in television
A night to remember
The buzz around this year’s Emmys is all about FX’s “Shōgun”. Emmy-nominated actor and producer Hiroyuki Sanada expressed his excitement about reuniting with his cast members after nearly two years. “I’m looking forward to a reunion,” he shared at the event.
Sanada, along with co-star Anna Sawai and showrunners Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks, were among the notable attendees at Gold House’s inaugural One House Toast to the Emmys. This event, in partnership with Macro and Nissan, celebrated the 2024 multicultural nominees and their achievements in filmmaking. The celebration took place at the Maybourne Hotel in Beverly Hills, a fitting venue for such a prestigious gathering.
A diverse year for Emmy nominations
This year marked a significant milestone for diversity at the Emmys, with 30 people of color nominated across all acting categories. Notably, Lily Gladstone from “Under the Bridge” and Kali Reis from “True Detective: Night Country” became the first Indigenous women to receive acting Emmy nominations. FX’s final season of “Reservation Dogs” also earned a well-deserved nomination for outstanding comedy series, with star D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai making history as the first Indigenous lead actor to be nominated by the TV Academy.
“Shōgun” stood out by delivering the majority of AAPI acting nominees this year and breaking records with 14 wins at the Creative Arts Emmys. Showrunner Rachel Kondo was still in shock over the show’s success, stating, “We won in categories I didn’t think we’d win in.”
First Hollywood party for many
Actress Moeka Hoshi, who plays Usami Fuji in “Shōgun”, shared that the One House Toast was her first Hollywood party. She was there to have fun and enjoy the love for the show, even admitting to keeping an eye on awards prediction pages. “I’m always looking to see where ‘Shōgun’ is,” she laughed.
Gold House’s mission
The One House Toast is part of Gold House’s ongoing mission to reshape Asian Pacific and multicultural representation in the entertainment industry. Over the past year, Gold House has provided industry-defining research, cultural consultation, investments, and marketing for over 100 films and TV shows, including “Shōgun”, “Pachinko”, and Sean Wang’s coming-of-age film “Didi”.
In her opening remarks, Tiffany Chao, Vice President of Entertainment and Media at Gold House, emphasized the progress being made on television. “The stories we watch are starting to reflect the diversity of our real world. Just in this room, we have over twenty Emmy nominees from across the Asian, Indigenous, Black, Latinx, and LGBTQ+ communities.”
A room full of stars
Stacey Walker King, Chief Brand Officer of Macro, highlighted the significance of the event. “There was a time not too long ago we couldn’t build a room like this for a celebration because it didn’t exist. For anyone who played a part in that, we should be clapping for yourselves.”
The event was graced by notable guests, including “Quiz Lady” actors Awkwafina and Sandra Oh, writer Jen D’Angelo, “What We Do in the Shadows” writers Jake Bender and Zach Dunn, “True Detective: Night Country” actor Kali Reis, “Queer Eye” host Bobby Berk, and “Fargo” executive producer Warren Littlefield.
A moment of disbelief
Richard Gadd, Jessica Gunning, Nava Mau, and Tom Goodman-Hill from Netflix’s “Baby Reindeer” made a brief appearance at the event following a Q&A session. Goodman-Hill, who received an Emmy nomination in the supporting actor category, expressed his disbelief at the show’s success. “I just can’t believe I’m going to be in that room. It blows my mind. I’m thoroughly looking forward to seeing people that I’ve known for years. There’ll be people that I’ve watched my whole life, and I’m going to be in that room with them. I can’t believe it.”
When asked who he was most excited to see, Goodman-Hill replied, “Robert Downey Jr. It blows my mind that we’re even in the same category.”
Links to trailers and more
For those interested in exploring the mentioned shows and movies, here are some direct links to their trailers and information pages:
This year’s Emmys not only celebrated outstanding talent but also highlighted the importance of diversity and representation in the entertainment industry. The One House Toast was a testament to the progress being made and the bright future ahead for multicultural storytelling.