Ali Wong Becomes First Asian Woman to Win an Emmy for a Lead Role

Ali Wong has made history.

The comedian continued Beef’s awards sweep with television’s highest honor, winning the Emmy for best actress in a limited series.

The win makes Wong the first woman of Asian descent ever to win an Emmy for a lead role. Sandra Oh has been nominated three times in the drama series category, and the haul of nominations for 1981’s Japan-set limited series Shōgun included one for leading lady Yôko Shimada.

In addition to her Beef collaborators and team, Wong also thanked her family in her acceptance speech. “I wouldn’t be standing here without my parents, my amazing parents, my father who I so wish was alive to share this moment with me, my hilarious father who loved me unconditionally and taught me the value of failure,” she said onstage. “To my beautiful daughters: you are my everything. Thank you for inspiring me, and this is for you.”

Wong received her first Emmy nomination last year, for writing her third comedy special, Ali Wong: Don Wong. Her three Emmy nominations this year include another one for Beef as executive producer as well as best voiceover acting for her animated comedy Tuca & Bertie (that win went to Maya Rudolph for Big Mouth).

In her cover story for The Hollywood Reporter on the eve of Beef’s premiere a year ago, Wong reflected on taking on the first dramatic lead role of her career (she previously starred in the rom-com feature Always Be My Maybe and had a number of supporting acting credits, mostly in comedic live-action or animated projects). Although Beef is a dark comedy, the role of Amy Lau, a high-strung entrepreneur whose life unravels after a road rage incident, required Wong to plumb depths of vulnerability, loathing, darkness and tenderness. Her fearless performance also has earned her a Golden Globe (in another historic first) as well as the Gotham and Critics Choice awards, with the Independent Spirit and Screen Actors Guild awards still pending.