Why The Emmys Overlooking “Queen Sugar” Is Proof of Worthiness
Mild spoilers
The 2020-21 award season has officially begun with Emmy madness, following the highly-anticipated nominations that were recently announced with a record-breaking number of Black talents earning their due for stellar performances that didn’t go unnoticed.
The stunner of the bunch is actress Kerry Washington who garnered a whopping four nominations, one of them for her work on Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere. HBO hit show Insecure was also recognized with noms for stars Issa Rae (Outstanding Lead Actress) and Yvonne Orji,(Outstanding Supporting Actress), including Outstanding Comedy Series.
It was a great day for usual suspects and pleasant surprises. And while the healthy number of Black creatives being represented across the board has been hailed as solid proof of the industry’s goal to dismantle long-held adherence to inclusivity, it’s hard to ignore the troubling trend that continues to leave out a slew of worthy, even not worthier Black contenders in the cold.
There’s a handful to choose from, but for the sake of this argument, my attention is focused on the magnificent offering of OWN’s gem — Queen Sugar.
The sweeping generational one-hour drama created and executive produced by the one and only Ava DuVernay, with Oprah Winfrey also serving as executive producer was adapted for television from the novel with the same title, written by African-American writer Natalie Baszile.
The show made its epic debut in 2016 to raving reviews that were more than deserving, based on the memorable introduction to the Bordelon siblings; Charley, (Dawn-Lyen Gardner), Ralph Angel (Kofi Siriboe) and Nova (Rutina Wesley) against the backdrop of historic complexities of Louisiana.
The Bordelons are united in the endearing quest to preserve their birthright, which like most dynasties situated in locations that still sift of residue from centuries of brutality and oppression —is bitterly rooted in the inheritance of land.
Under the trusted tutelage of DuVernay, and a roster of all-women directors, who are selected to enhance progressive vibes on set, in a non-pretentious way, when you consider how organic it should be to hire women who are equipped…
