Nigerian-American actress Uzo Aduba has won the Emmy for best supporting actress in a drama, for her performance as Susan “Crazy Eyes” Warren on Orange is the New Black.
She immediately thanked the show’s creator Jenji Kohan during her acceptance speech.
“I love you so much,” she said, fighting back tears. “I appreciate you for putting belief back in my heart.”
It’s the second Emmy award for the actress, who previously won an Emmy in 2014 for the same role. However, this win is significant because last year, OITNB competed in the comedy category and Aduba was nominated as a guest actress. She is only the second actor in history to win an Emmy for playing the same role in two different genres, after actor Ed Asner.
The actress is one of the breakout stars of the hit Netflix series about a women’s prison.
She beat out Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey), Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Christine Baranski (The Good Wife) and Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) for the win.
Toward the end of her speech, an emotional Aduba tearfully thanked her sister, Chi-Chi.
“I am humbled to call myself your sister,” she said.