Sandra Oh Keeps Making History and We’re Here For It
January 7, 2019It's official, Sandra Oh has made history again by becoming the first woman of Asian descent to win more than one Golden Globe. Tonight, she won best actress in a television drama for her role as Eve Polastri in BBC America's killer new show Killing Eve. Oh's previous Golden Globe win was nearly 15 years ago—in 2005, she won best supporting actress in a series or television film for her role as Cristina Yang in Grey's Anatomy. Oh was visibly emotional this evening as she addressed her parents in Korean—"umma, appa," she began—before telling them she loved them.
This has been a whirlwind awards season for Oh, whose other achievements include being the first Asian woman to be nominated for an Emmy as a lead actress in a drama, and the first Asian person to be a Golden Globes host. Oh's hosting went beautifully—she swapped roasts for uplifting jokes like "Hey, Bradley Cooper—you are hot" delivered in the tone of a roast. And she expressed hope for continuing diversification of an industry that has taken till now to choose an Asian actor or actress as a Golden Globes host.
“I said yes to the fear of being on this stage tonight because I wanted to be here to look out into this audience and witness this moment of change,” Oh said. “Right now, this moment is real."
One of Oh's call-outs even got Emma Stone to apologize for portraying an Asian American woman on screen. "Crazy Rich Asians is nominated tonight for best picture—musical or comedy," Oh said. "It's the first studio film with an Asian American lead since Ghost in the Shell and Aloha." Emma Stone audibly called out "I'm sorry!" after the audience quieted down. (No word on ScarJo, but we're not holding our breath).
Oh's wins are well deserved and hard earned in a media environment that regularly denies actors of Asian descent lead roles. 2018 was a hallmark year for Asian actors in the American entertainment industry, and 2019 is already looking bright.
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