Scorecard Research Beacon
Search Icon
Culture September 17, 2019

Laverne Cox could make history as 1st transgender actress to win an Emmy

WATCH: 'Game of Thrones' earns record-breaking 32 Emmy nominations for its final season

Acclaimed actress Laverne Cox wants to inspire the transgender community heading into the 2019 Emmy Awards, where she might make history this weekend.

The "Orange is the New Black" star now has three nominations for her role as Sophia Burset and is looking to become the first trans actress to finally take home an award.

(MORE: Laverne Cox is a real-life lady in red emoji as she twirls at New York Fashion Week)

Burset isn't defined by the fact she's a trans woman, not in the slightest, and that's what Cox said makes the character special.

View this post on Instagram

#TransIsBeautiful #creativeartsemmys @zacposen

A post shared by laverne cox (@lavernecox) on

"Most of the ways that trans people were talked about on television or when we would go on talk shows, the questions would be very invasive and objectifying and dehumanizing, in my opinion, and sensationalized," she told E! News in a new interview.

Now, she said there's room on TV to have "different conversations about trans folks."

Despite her potential game-changing win on Sunday, Cox is still the only trans actress to be nominated, and with acclaimed shows like "Pose," she's a bit disappointed.

View this post on Instagram

Yesterday's secret shoot was 🔥🔥🔥 and fun. I am so grateful for the blessings and abundance in my life, for getting to collaborate with amazing people. Shout out to @kiyahwright1 who always slays some hair and Emmy nominee @theladydeja who beat my face for the gawds as always. More will be revealed soon. ...#TransIsBeautiful

A post shared by laverne cox (@lavernecox) on

"Five years later, three nominations later," she still stands alone, she said. "We have this incredible responsibility as artists to speak up, to speak out, to have more diverse sets, to have more diverse writers rooms, to tell stories that reflect the rich humanity of people and to speak to issues of the world around us."

(MORE: 2019 Emmy nominations list: 'Game of Thrones,' 'Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' lead)

She hopes her success and the changing landscape can result in stories on-screen that "change the conversation about transgender people."