Zendaya becomes youngest winner in Emmy category

The 72nd Emmy Awards took place Sunday night with nominated actors accepting their awards virtually and an at-home audience tuning in remotely.

Host Jimmy Kimmel announced award winners of the best prime time TV shows and films from June 2019 through May 2020.

HBO’s “Watchmen” garnered 26 nominations, the most of any program, and sitcom “Schitt’s Creek” earned its share of awards with nine wins.

HBO’s “Euphoria” earned six nominations across all categories, with the show’s lead actress, Zendaya, clinching the honor in the only category for which the show’s actors were nominated.

The 24-year-old became the youngest person to win Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Rue Bennett, a high school drug addict exploring love and friendship amid trauma and social media scandal in a dark and detailed portrayal of teenage life in the modern world.

Zendaya beat more seasoned actresses including Jennifer Aniston, Olivia Colman, Jodie Comer, Laura Linney and Sandra Oh.

“Thank you to all of the other incredible women in this category,” Zendaya said. “I admire you so much.”

“This feels like a really weird time to be celebrating, but I just want to say there is hope in the young people — I know our TV show doesn’t always feel like a great example of that — but there is hope in the young people, and I just want to say to all my peers out there in the streets doing the work, I see you, I admire you, I thank you,” she said.

Zendaya has also appeared in “The Greatest Showman” and two movies in the “Spiderman” franchise. She first rose to prominence for her portrayal of Rocky Blue in Disney’s “Shake It Up" sitcom, which she starred in alongside Bella Thorne.

HBO announced last year “Euphoria" had been renewed for a second season. A release date has not yet been announced.

See a full list of Emmy winners here.

Cox Media Group