Daytime Emmys: Mishael Morgan First Black Woman to Win Lead Actress in a Drama

The Young and the Restless‘ Mishael Morgan made Daytime Emmys history on Friday night, as the first Black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress on a Daytime Drama, for her role as Amanda Sinclair.

Morgan originally played Hilary Curtis on the CBS sudser, but exited in 2018 due to unsuccessful contract negotiations; Hilary in turn died following a car accident. A year later, Morgan returned to Y&R as Hilary’s twin sister Amanda.

“I do not do anything in my life without first thinking God,” Morgan said at the top of her emotional Emmy acceptance speech. “I thank you so much…. This is epic.”

Morgan went on to thank her parents, her sisters, and the husband “who I dragged out here [to L.A.] and who let me work and follow my dream,” as well as the agent “who met me years ago and believed in me at times when I didn’t believe me and myself.”

Morgan then took a moment to acknowledge, “I am in shock…,” before thanking the hard-working crews of daytime dramas, and then delving into the significance of her win.

“I am so immensely proud of our generation. We are breaking glass ceilings left, right and center,” she said. “I am so honored to be a vessel and to experience this moment, and it’s because of everybody who’s out there today proving to the world that we can and we will do this thing called equality and unity together.”

In closing, she shared, “I was born on a tiny island, Trinidad and Tobago, in the Caribbean, and now I’m standing on an international stage and I am being honored regardless of the color of my skin, regardless of my passport, for being the best at what I do. And now there are little girls all around the world and they’re seeing another step forward and know that no matter the industry, no matter the vocation, no matter what, they can strive to be the best at what they do not only can achieve it, but they will be celebrated for it.”

Review our complete list of Friday’s winners here.