The stars behind two of television’s most memorable guest characters, Suzanne aka “Crazy Eyes” from Orange is the New Black, and the powerful monologue-delivering father from Scandal, have finally earned their first Emmys.
Scandal star Joe Morton and Orange is the New Black actress Uzo Aduba made their Emmy victory debuts on Sunday night.
In the realm of social media and fan favorites Morton’s portrayal of Olivia Pope’s father should have already earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama a long time ago.
Morton’s ability to deliver flawless monologues on the show may be a huge part of what finally catapulted him to the top of the nominations list for this category.
Social media went into an all-out frenzy during the latest season of ABC’s Scandal after Morton’s character, Rowan, unleashed a brutally honest rant on his daughter Olivia in which he declared himself the “hand of God.”
While fans have been singing the actor’s praises, he admitted that he didn’t think he would be taking home the Emmy this time around.
“When my category came up, I looked for a door marked exit,” Morton joked while he was on the stage.
After making his way backstage, he said the Emmy victory was “an incredible feeling,” especially considering the length of his career.
“This is the first time I’ve been up for one of these things – and given who I was quote unquote up against, it’s terrific,” he said before adding. “My head is in the clouds somewhere, and my feet are trying to touch the ground.”
Other stars nominated for the same category were Robert Morse from Mad Men, Dylan Baker from The Good Wife, Beau Bridges from Masters of Sex, Reg E. Cathey from House of Cards and Paul Giamatti from Downton Abbey.
Meanwhile, Aduba’s Emmy victory also marks the first Emmy for the frequently praised acting in the Netflix original series.
Aduba took home the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy, beating out her Orange is the New Black co-stars Laverne Cox and Natasha Lyonne.
The “Crazy Eyes” actress was emotional on stage as she accepted the award, saying she was “speechless.”
“I don’t know how to say how incredibly impressed I am to be a part of this show,” she said with a firm grip on her golden trophy.
After she accepted her award she opened up about her Nigerian mother and the reason her mother named her “Uzoamaka.”
She explained that her full name means “the road is good.”
“That’s all I could really think about,” she told reporters. “Her road which is significantly longer than my own.”
Before she was announced as the winner, she snapped a selfie with her two Emmy-nominated co-stars.
Lyonne joined Aduba in making a silly facial expression, while Cox settled for a sassy side smirk as she sat behind the other actors.
