Zendaya Becomes Youngest Ever To Win Emmy For Lead Actress In A Drama Series

Amanda N'Duka
·2 min read

Zendaya made history tonight, not only taking home her first Emmy Award win for HBO’s Euphoria but also becoming the youngest to ever do so in this category at age 24. Facing stiff competition, Zendaya bested last year’s winner Jodie Comer, who until today, held the title for the youngest to receive this award, as well as Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Colman, Laura Linney, and Sandra Oh.

Zendaya, who becomes the second Black woman to win in this category following Viola Davis, was bestowed with the award for her performance as Rue, a troubled teen who struggles with drug addiction.

After thanking the TV Academy, her cast members, and show creator and EP Sam Levinson, she made sure to acknowledge the youth.

“This is a really weird time to be celebrating but I just want to say that there is hope in the young people out there, she said while accepting the award remotely joined by her “family” and team.”

“I know that our tv show doesn’t always feel like a great example of that but there is hope in young people. To my peers out there doing work in the streets, I see you, I admire you, I thank you.”

Season 2 of Euphoria is currently in the works but production was placed on hold when the pandemic hit. Zendaya recently teased on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to guest host Ben Platt that “the producers are working on a bridge episode that can be done with a limited crew,” in order to “have something to live on until we are able to go into season two.”

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