New “Emmys So White” controversy: no star of color won last night

For the second time in the recent history of the Emmys, the ceremony finds itself confronted with a controversy over diversity: no actor of color won an award in the main acting categories this year.

The winners of the 2026 Emmy Awards made people cringe on social networks last night.

As noted by Variety, no actor of color won one of the major acting awards presented at the ceremony: the awards for lead and supporting performance in drama and comedy, as well as the two awards for actor and actress in a mini-series or an anthology. Of the twelve categories concerned, the twelve winners come from non-minority communities.

A situation which revives the memory of the #EmmysSoWhite movement, which already appeared during the 2021 ceremony. That year, the lack of diversity among the winners also sparked numerous reactions.

The hashtag #EmmysSoWhite therefore reappeared last night on the networks. It must be said that the figures speak for themselves: the representation of actors of color among the nominees is in clear decline: 17 performers from minorities were nominated this year in the main and secondary categories, compared to 28 in 2025, a drop of 39%. In 2021, there were 49.

However, the situation is slightly different if we look at all the 2026 trophies.

Two artists of color won trophies for acting or storytelling at the Creative Arts Emmys: Ernest Harden Jr., awarded for his guest role in The Pitt, and Octavia Spencer, crowned for the narration of the documentary Lost Women of Alaska. These two prizes were awarded before the main ceremony.

An Asian director makes history

Furthermore, it should be noted that Hiro Murai, American director of Japanese origin, won the Emmy for best direction for a comedy for Widow’s Bay. He became the first Asian director to win this trophy in the 78-year history of the Emmy Awards.

But this result is not enough to make the question asked by Variety disappear. Because behind the trophies there is also a complex electoral mechanism. The Academy has more than 20,000 members, divided into around thirty professional groups, and it is these different professions which participate in the selection and voting. This organization, combined with the ever-increasing number of series to watch, can help shape a ranking where certain communities remain under-represented.

This year, 110 drama series, 71 comedies and 31 mini-series were in the running in the different categories. A considerable volume which also raises the question of the time voters have to discover all the programs and performances in competition.

The Emmy Awards are therefore not their first diversity controversy. But with only 17 actors of color nominated in the main acting categories, compared to 28 the previous year, the 2026 vintage once again gives food for thought to those who denounce insufficient representation of diversity in Hollywood.