Laverne Cox and Nava Mau Shared an Emotional Embrace on the Emmys 2024 Red Carpet
The strong and connective tissue that a shared historyâand shared making-of-historyâcan provide was on full display on the Emmys 2024 red carpet in an emotional moment between Laverne Cox and Nava Mau.
Cox, anchoring E!âs red carpet coverage for the night, couldnât get more than a word out, nor could Mau, nominated in the best supporting actress in a limited series category for Baby Reindeer, before bursting into tears when they greeted one another for an interview.
âTen years ago I became the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an acting Emmy, and 10 years later Iâm not the last,â Cox told Mau. âYouâre the fourth, and youâre the first in this category.â
The 2014 nomination was in the outstanding guest actress in a comedy series category for Coxâs turn as Sophia on Orange Is the New Black, a role sheâd be nominated for three more times during the showâs run.
When the two met on the red carpet Sunday evening, they each got out a âhiâ before wrapping one another in a tight, prolonged hug, swaying side to side, both visibly emotional.
âIâm supposed to keep it together, Iâm the host,â Cox reminded, seemingly, herself.
âMe too!â Mau said.
The two discussed being part of history, transgender representation onscreen, and the fact that Baby Reindeer is just a really good show.
âThatâs what I think the best thing to celebrate about Baby Reindeer, that yes, itâs an LGBTQ show; itâs a show that has a trans character on it, and itâs also a really good show, and itâs something Iâm very proud of,â Mau said. âAnd ultimately, I hope that we continue to get to be all that we are as trans people on screen.â
Mau also thanked Cox for helping her feel seen in the industry thanks to the 2020 Netflix documentary Disclosure, which looked at the representation of transgender people in pop culture over time. Cox was featured in the doc, and Mau worked on it as well.
âI saw trans people in positions of leadership,â Mau said of working on the set. âI got to see you walking in all of your grace and all of your power and I saw that I could be dream bigger than what I had dreamt for myself.â
Cox left Mau with words of encouragement and an affirmation of their mutual admiration.
âYouâre making history and youâre making us all so very proud,â Cox said.
Though Mau didnât win her category, Baby Reindeer scooped up other accolades throughout the night, and Mauâs emotional moment with Cox was one of the most indelible of the evening.
Follow along with everything Emmys 2024 on Vanity Fair. We have you covered with all the winners in real time, an exhaustive list of every single look your favorite stars wore, and, of course, a best dressed list curated by our editors. Stay tuned to VF for all the Emmy moments you need to know about.
