Why Laverne Cox Is Both "Overjoyed" and "Disappointed" With the 2019 Emmy Nominations

Cox picked up her third nomination, but was hoping to see some Pose stars nominated

By Chris Harnick Jul 29, 2019 2:01 PMTags
Laverne Cox, Orange Is the New BlackNetflix

If Laverne Cox has her way, the 2019 Emmy nominations would be different. Cox, who is up for her third Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actress in Orange Is the New Black, was on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen when she said she was both "overjoyed" and "disappointed" with the recent Emmy nominations.

Cox was asked about Pose—yes, she'd guest star if asked—and said, "I am obsessed with Pose. I love the show so much. I have so many friends on Pose and I was overjoyed. I was disappointed, though, because at this point I am still the only transgender actor to ever be nominated for an acting Emmy," Cox said.

FX's Pose received several Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Billy Porter for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, but none of its transgender cast members were singled out.

"I said to Mj, I said, ‘I don't think I'm going to be the only one anymore,'" Cox said about series lead Mj Rodriguez. "I'm so grateful for my third nomination…but there are so many trans actors on TV now who are killing it, which is brilliant, and so many on that show are killing it. I'm excited the show is excited, but I'm like, ‘more!'"

Rodriguez was shut out of the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category, which instead includes Emilia Clarke, Sandra Oh, Laura Linney, Viola Davis, Mandy Moore, Robin Wright and Jodie Comer.

Pose made history by having the most transgender cast members in series regular roles on American TV. In addition to Rodriguez, the show also stars Indya Moore, Dominique Jackson, Angelica Ross, Hallie Sahar. Ross in turn made TV history this year, having a series regular role on Pose and in the upcoming season of American Horror Story: 1984.

"It's sort of the best and worst of times for trans people, ‘cause, like, there's so much unprecedented representation on television and then in the world with this administration, there's, like, all these attacks on us, so," Cox said.

Look for Cox in the final season of Orange Is the New Black streaming now. Find out what happened to her character in our final season guide. For the record, Cox said where they leave Sophia is "really quite beautiful."

Watch What Happens Live airs Sundays-Thursday at 11 p.m. on Bravo.

(E! and Bravo are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)