A Black Lady Sketch Show‘s Dime Davis has made history by becoming the first Black woman nominated for an Emmy for directing a variety show.
This is yet another nom for the groundbreaking HBO series featuring Black female comedians, led by creator Robin Thede. Monday, the series earned nominations for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series and Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series (Angela Bassett).
Davis joins Debbie Allen in breaking barriers for Black female directors. Even though Allen was nominated for directing in 1989, her nomination was for her own special, and the category was Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program. Davis’ nomination pushes the needle even further by opening the door to more Black women directing series to be seen and recognized by the industry.
This year, the Emmys have nominated the most Black talent yet, topping 2018’s record number of Black nominees. Thirty-three Black actors have been nominated, with at least one Black actor in nearly every category. On top of that, Reginald Hudlin has been tapped as the first Black executive producer of the Emmys telecast.
Source: Shadow & Act
