‘Watchmen’ Stars Regina King And Yahya Abdul-Mateen Dedicate Emmys Speeches To Black Women
Watchmen dominated on Sunday night (September 20) at the 2020 Emmy Awards!
The HBO series, which premiered in October 2019, received hardware in numerous limited series categories after entering the night nominated 26 times, the most of any program at the 72nd Primetime Emmys.
Regina King, who stars as Angela Abar on the show, won outstanding lead actress in a limited series. In accepting her award she took the opportunity to raise awareness for Breonna Taylor and honored her by wearing a T-shirt baring her face. She also shouted out the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
"Gotta vote. I would be remiss not to mention that, being a part of a show as prescient as Watchmen," said King. "Have a voting plan, go to ballotpedia.com, vote up the ballot, please. ... it is very important. Be a good human. Rest in power RBG. Thank you."
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II won an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a limited series for his pivotal role as Cal Abar. During his speech he wanted to raise awareness about a more hidden plot in the show.
"It was a story about the lasting scars of white domestic violence — white domestic terrorism, pardon me. It was a story about police corruption and brutality," he said. "But in the midst of all that, it was also a story about a guy who came down to earth to reciprocate to a Black woman all the love that she deserved."
He added: "He offers her sacrifices and support. Passion. Protection. And he did all that in the body of a Black man. I'm so proud that I was able to walk into those shoes, so I dedicate this award to all the Black women in my life."
Writers Damon Lindelof and Cord Jefferson called attention to the plot of Watchmen, which revolves around the Tulsa Massacre of 1921.
"I would be remiss if we didn’t recognize all the men and women who died in the Tulsa Massacre in 1921, the original sin of our show," Jefferson said. "This country neglects and forgets its own history at its own peril often and we should never forget that.”
Starring King, Jeremy Irons, Jean Smart and Don Johnson, Watchmen was inspired by the 1987 graphic novel of the same name and explores an alternate reality where masked vigilantes are hunted as criminals. It takes on issues of terrorism, police brutality and racism.
Watchmen also won awards for Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special and the overall Limited Series category.
