Regina King took home the award for outstanding lead actress for her performance in Watchmen, HBO's action-fiction TV series during the recently concluded virtual ceremony. The 49-year-old actress was nominated alongside Shira Haas (Unorthodox), Octavia Spencer (Self Made: Inspired By The Life Of Madam C.J. Walker), Cate Blanchett (Mrs. America), and Kerry Washington (Little Fires Everywhere).
King's acceptance speech comprised a tribute to late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who succumbed to complications of metastatic cancer on Friday at the age of 87. "Gotta vote," she said, urging Americans to vote in the impending presidential election.
King said she would be thoughtless if despite being a part of a show as foresighted as Watchmen, she doesn't encourage American people to go out and vote in the Nov. election. Advising them to visit ballotpedia.com, she told voters to have a voting plan, and vote up the ballot.
She said by going to ballotpedia.com, voters will be able to find out who they are voting for in their municipal elections, adding that it is very important. She told them to be a good human, before concluding her message by saying, "Rest in power, RBG."
Aside from that, she gave a shoutout to her fellow nominees and "sisters." Speaking of the at-home proceedings, King said it was "freaking weird," but said it was an honor to be nominated in the category with them. She went on to admit that she loves being a thespian.
She expressed her gratitude towards the Television Academy for choosing her to represent the thespian community. This is the fourth win for King, who previously picked up Emmy's for her work in Netflix's Seven Seconds and ABC's American Crime.
In her acceptance speech after winning her third Emmy in 2018, King remarked, "Really? Say word." She confessed that she did not prepare an acceptance speech because she did not expect to win another Emmy.
She thanked her friends, peers, and the Television Academy at the time. In addition to four Emmys, King has an Oscar under her belt. In an interview with PEOPLE, the actress said she feels like people in Hollywood have started to take notice of her work.
King said maybe now that she is in her 40s, those in positions of power are finally recognizing her work, adding that whatever she has ever approached, she has approached powerfully. The Jimmy Kimmel hosted 72nd Emmy Awards will be airing live on ABC from 8 pm to 11 pm ET.