Jenna Ortega has made Emmy history. Nominations for the 75th Annual Emmy Awards were announced Wednesday morning (July 12). Ortega was among the actors nominated for her portrayal of Wednesday Addams in the Netflix record-breaking series Wednesday — which marked a notable moment for Latina representation.
Ortega landed her first-ever Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress (Comedy), becoming the third — and youngest — Latina to receive the nod. This achievement follows America Ferrera for “Betty Suarez” in Ugly Betty in 2007 and Rita Moreno for “Violet Newstead” in 9 to 5 in 1983. Ferrera made history that evening, becoming the first Latina to win the award.
Many were hopeful that Ortega would make history in more ways than one. If the 20-year-old received a nomination for Best Comedy Guest Actress for her appearance as the host of Saturday Night Live, she would’ve been the youngest actress to earn multiple Emmy nominations in the same year. She is the second youngest actress to be nominated in this category. Still, her major nomination in the lead actress category is an incredible achievement and marks a significant start to her soaring career.
The series Wednesday earned 12 total nominations total. Already set to release a second season., Wednesday became the second most-watched English-language series in Netflix history when it debuted last November.
Ortega wasn’t the only Latine to make history. The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal received three nods for this year’s ceremony, the first Emmy nominations of his career. More Latine nominations include Plaza in Outstanding Supporting Actress (Drama), Camila Morrone in Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie, and Nathalie Emmanuel in the Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series category.
The nominations dropped on the same day that a deadline will expire between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the Writers Guild of America (WGA) to reach an agreement on the WGA’s strike demands.
For a full rundown of the 2023 Emmy nominations, visit emmys.com. The 75th Emmy Awards will air on September 18, 2023, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.