Nigerian-American Uzo Aduba has won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a limited series for her role in Mrs America, the miniseries that originally aired on US pay network FX.
The nine-part historical drama centres on the political movement to pass the Equal Rights Amendment in 1970s America. Aduba plays real-life politician Shirley Chisholm, who battled against discrimination on the grounds of both sex and race.
Accepting her award, Aduba paid homage to Chisholm, who became the first black candidate to receive a presidential nomination from a major party in 1968.
“I want to say thank you for Shirley Chisholm for her championship work for all the people who have been forgotten and marginalised who she represented. Winning means a lot, particularly for the character that I was able to play. It feels especially touching to bring her story to light, and the stories of those who have not been heard,” Aduba said.
Aduba is also known for starring in Netflix prison series Orange is the New Black, for which won an Emmy for outstanding guest actress in a comedy series in 2014, an Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series in 2015 and two Screen Actors Guild awards for outstanding performance by a female actor in a comedy series in 2014 and 2015.
