Award Shows July 13, 2021
‘Pose’ Star Mj Rodriguez on Her History-Making Emmy Nomination: ‘I Cried Something Hard’
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Mj Rodriguez just made history as the first transgender actress nominated for a Lead Actress in a Drama Series Emmy, and the first Latina nominated for dramatic acting since Rita Moreno 46 years ago!
“Extra’s” Jenn Lahmers spoke with the “Pose” star right after the nominations were announced.
Mj, who is in Cannes, said, “Oh, man... I mean it's kind of mind-boggling and surreal… I never thought a girl like me would get an opportunity to have a moment like this. It just feels so, so good. I feel so happy. I feel seen. I feel represented and I’m thankful, I’m thankful.”
She added, “I had to work real hard for what I got just to see this — it’s crazy, it’s crazy.”
Sharing how she heard the news, Rodriguez said, “I was up here with my mom and my godmother. They were eating breakfast and my boyfriend was down soaking up the sun… The moment it happened, my mom grabbed me and she just flung me around. My aunt gave me the biggest hug and I just broke down in my boyfriend’s arms. I cried something hard.”
Mj revealed, “I lost my uncle on July 4, who I had been with every single day, and I just feel like he placed his hands on me and the cast and all of us today.”
Mj went on to say, “All of my sisters have lifted me up, every single last one of my trans sister have lifted me up. All of my POC sisters have lifted me… They have sent nothing but love — the Black community, the Latina community, the LGBTQI community, and the community of women have just uplifted me.”
