Emmys 2018: Sandra Oh Becomes the First Asian Actress to be Lead in a Drama Series

The Koren-Canadian star, Sandra Oh, made Emmy history as the first ever Asian actress to ever be nominated for an Emmy for lead actress in a drama series.

Oh received a nomination for playing MI-5 Eve Polastri, who is hunting down an assassin played by Jodie Comer, in the critically acclaimed BBC thriller Killing Eve. This isn’t the first time the 46-year old actress has been nominated for an Emmy. From 2005-2009, Oh was nominated five times for best-supporting actress in her most known role in Grey’s Anatomy playing Dr. Cristine Yang.

Oh’s role in Killing Eve was looked as a comeback for the actress after she left Grey’s Anatomy in 2014. In an interview with ET, Oh expressed the responsibility and weight of being an Asian actress in Hollywood. “I feel acutely aware of how important it is an I absolutely want to be a part of it in the best way possible. The best way possible that I know how is to find the most interesting material and to do my best work for it. It’s too important to not care about it or to not try and be out of the box in some sort of way.”