By Nelson Santana
September 24, 2019
Actor Jharrel Jerome, of Dominican descent, made history this past Sunday night at the Emmy Awards when he nabbed the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie at the 71st Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. Jerome received the award for his role in Ava DuVernay’s miniseries When They See Us a documentary series on the Central Park 5.
Not only did Jerome play Central Park Five exoneree Korey Wise in the series, but he attended the awards ceremony with Wise. Wise was the oldest of the five teenagers accused of raping a white female jogger in Central Park in a case that was flawed from the start and immediately turned into a media show that manipulated public opinion. Sixteen years of age at the time of the accusation, Wise served 12 years in prison. He and the other four men of color were exonerated in 2002 when new evidence emerged.
In the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie category, Jerome edged Mahershala Ali (True Detective), Hugh Grant (A Very English Scandal), Jared Harris (Chernobyl), Sam Rockwell (Fosse/Verdon), and Benicio del Toro (Escape at Dannemora). During his acceptance speech, Jerome said, “I feel like I should just be in the Bronx right now, chillin,’ waiting for my mom's cooking but I’m here.”
A Voice for the Those Whose Voices Were Silenced
When They See Us made national headlines as one of the must-see options on television this past summer. The Netflix original miniseries aims to tell a narrative different than the one told during and after the false imprisonment of the innocent teenagers by exploring the lives and families of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise. Central Park Five prosecutor Linda Fairstein claimed that the miniseries set out to defame her, stating it is “so full of distortions and falsehoods as to be an outright fabrication,” according to CNN. Soon after the release of When They See Us, online petitions flooded the Internet including social media, along with the hashtag #CancelLindaFairstein, calling for the boycott of Fairstein’s books and her removal from prominent boards. Although she fought back criticism, Fairsten resigned from several boards including Safe Horizon and Joyful Heart Foundation.
Days after the attack on the jogger, President Donald Trump paid full-page advertisements in several major newspapers, including The New York Times, where he advocated for the death penalty. The advertisement coupled with the role the racist, conservative media helped create hysteria and fear. Even after the exoneration of the five teenagers, Trump continued to claim they were guilty.
More About Jharrel
Jerome grew up in the Bronx to Dominican parents. A native New Yorker, he attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and went to Ithaca College for undergraduate studies. While a student at Ithaca, he was cast as bisexual teenager Kevin in the Oscar-winning film Moonglight. According to Moonlight director Barry Jenkins, “I didn’t have to direct anything. When you watch Jharrel in that movie, he’s not a guy who’s been over-rehearsing. That’s a dude learning by doing. It’s amazing.” When interviewed by the Los Angeles Times, When They See Us director DuVernay stated, “The world is his oyster… But he lives in a world that doesn’t see him in the same way it sees Ansel Elgort or Timothée Chalamet. My highest hope is that the industry rushes to his talent.”
Some Social Media Reactions
Complete List of Emmy Winners:
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Stephen Root, Barry
Henry Winkler, Barry
Anthony Carrigan, Barry
Alan Arkin, The Kominsky Method
Tony Shalhoub, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel **WINNER**
Tony Hale, Veep
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Sarah Goldberg, Barry
Sian Clifford, Fleabag
Olivia Colman, Fleabag
Betty Gilpin, GLOW
Kate McKinnon, Saturday Night Live
Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel **WINNER**
Marin Hinkle, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Anna Chlumsky, Veep
Writing for a Comedy Series
Alec Berg and Bill Hader, Barry
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag **WINNER**
Maya Erskine, Anna Konkle and Stacy Osei-Kuffour, Pen15
Leslye Headland, Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler, Russian Doll
David Mandel, Veep
Josh Siegal and Dylan Morgan, The Good Place
Allison Silverman, Russian Doll
Director for a Comedy Series
Alec Berg, Barry
Harry Bradbeer, Fleabag **WINNER**
Mark Cendrowski, The Big Bang Theory
Bill Hader, Barry
Daniel Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
Don Cheadle, Black Monday
Ted Danson, The Good Place
Michael Douglas, The Kominsky Method
Bill Hader, Barry **WINNER**
Eugene Levy, Schitt’s Creek
Lead Actress in a Comedy Series
Christina Applegate, Dead To Me
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Natasha Lyonne, Russian Doll
Catherine O’Hara, Schitt’s Creek
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Fleabag **WINNER**
Outstanding Reality Competition Series
Amazing Race
American Ninja Warrior
Nailed It
RuPaul’s Drag Race **WINNER**
Top Chef
The Voice
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Emily Watson, Chernobyl
Margaret Qualley, Fosse/Verdon
Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects
Patricia Arquette, The Act **WINNER**
Marsha Stephanie Blake, When They See Us
Vera Farmiga, When They See Us
Directing for a Limited Series
Ava DuVernay, When They See Us
Thomas Kail, Fosse/Verdon
Stephen Frears, A Very English Scandal
Johan Renck, Chernobyl **WINNER**
Ben Stiller, Escape at Dannemora
Jessica Yu, Fosse/Verdon
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal **WINNER**
Stellan Skarsgård, Chernobyl
Paul Dano, Escape at Dannemora
John Leguizamo, When They See Us
Michael K. Williams, When They See Us
Asante Blackk, When They See Us
Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Drama
Russell T Davies, A Very English Scandal
Ava DuVernay and Michael Starrbury, When They See Us
Brett Johnson and Michael Tolkin, Escape at Dannemora
Brett Johnson, Michael Tolkin and Jerry Stahl, Escape at Dannemora
Steven Levenson and Joel Fields, Fosse/Verdon
Craig Mazin, Chernobyl **WINNER**
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Mahershala Ali, True Detective
Benicio Del Toro, Escape at Dannemora
Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal
Jared Harris, Chernobyl
Jharrel Jerome, When They See Us **WINNER**
Sam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon
Outstanding Television Movie
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch **WINNER**
Brexit
Deadwood
King Lear
My Dinner with Hervé
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Amy Adams, Sharp Objects
Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora
Aunjanue Ellis, When They See us
Joey King, The Act
Niecy Nash, When They See Us
Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon **WINNER**
Outstanding Limited Series
Chernobyl **WINNER**
Escape at Dannemora
Fosse/Verdon
Sharp Objects
When They See Us
Writing for a Variety Series
Documentary Now!
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver **WINNER**
Late Night With Seth Meyers
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Saturday Night Live
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
At Home With Amy Sedaris
Documentary Now!
Drunk History
I Love You, America With Sarah Silverman
Saturday Night Live **WINNER**
Who Is America?
Director for a Variety Series
Alex Buono and Rhys Thomas Documentary Now!
Derek Waters, Drunk History
Paul Pennolino, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Jim Hoskinson, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live **WINNER**
Sacha Baron Cohen, Nathan Fielder, Daniel Gray Longino and Dan Mazer, Who Is America?
Outstanding Variety Talk Series
The Daily Show
Full Frontal
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver **WINNER**
The Late Late Show With James Corden
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jonathan Banks, Better Call Saul
Giancarlo Esposito, Better Call Saul
Alfie Allen, Game of Thrones
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Game of Thrones
Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones **WINNER**
Michael Kelly, House of Cards
Chris Sullivan, This Is Us
Writing for a Drama Series
Jesse Armstrong, Succession **WINNER**
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones
Emerald Fennell, Killing Eve
Peter Gould and Thomas Schnauz, Better Call Saul
Jed Mercurio, Bodyguard
Bruce Miller and Kira Snyder, The Handmaid’s Tale
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Gwendoline Christie, Game of Thrones
Lena Headey, Game of Thrones
Sophie Turner, Game of Thrones
Maisie Williams, Game of Thrones
Fiona Shaw, Killing Eve
Julia Garner, Ozark **WINNER**
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, Ozark
Sterling K. Brown, This Is Us
Kit Harington, Game of Thrones
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Billy Porter, Pose **WINNER**
Milo Ventimiglia, This Is Us
Directing for a Drama Series
Jason Bateman, Ozark **WINNER**
Lisa Brühlmann, Killing Eve
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Game of Thrones
Adam McKay, Succession
David Nutter, Game of Thrones
Daina Reid, The Handmaid’s Tale
Miguel Sapochnik, Game of Thrones
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones
Jodie Comer, Killing Eve **WINNER**
Viola Davis, How to Get Away with Murder
Laura Linney, Ozark
Mandy Moore, This Is Us
Sandra Oh, Killing Eve
Robin Wright, House of Cards
Outstanding Comedy Series
Barry
Fleabag **WINNER**
The Good Place
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Russian Doll
Schitt’s Creek
Veep
Outstanding Drama Series
Better Call Saul
Bodyguard
Game of Thrones **WINNER**
Killing Eve
____