The MTV TV and Movie Awards have always been known for being a bit more cutting edge than their Oscar and Golden Globe counterparts.
This year it’s more obvious than ever.
For the first time, the ceremony has scrapped the traditional “Best Actor” and “Best Actress” categories for a single, inclusive award.
Watch: All the times women have kicked ass at the MTV Awards today.
Emma Watson just made history as the first recipient of the genderless award, beating out other nominees including Hugh Jackman for Logan, Taraji P. Henson for Hidden Figures and Daniel Kaluuya for Get Out.
As someone who has spent much so time advocating for feminism and gender equality, it was surely a fitting result.
Accepting the award for her portrayal of Belle in Beauty and the Beast, the significance was not lost on her.
“The first acting award in history that doesn’t separate nominees based on their sex says something about how we perceive the human experience,” she said in her speech.
"MTV's move to create a genderless award for acting will mean something different to everyone. The ability to put yourself in someone else's shoes doesn't need to be separated into two different categories. Empathy and the ability to use your imagination should have no limits."
She also used her acceptance speech to make a point about her win being so much more than just a personal victory.
"I think I'm being given this award for a performance as an actor, but it doesn't feel like that's what it's really for," she said.
"More seriously, I think I'm being given this award because of who Belle is and what she represented. The village in our fairytale wanted to make Belle believe that our world was smaller than the way she saw it—that her curiosity and her passion for knowledge were grounds for alienation.
"I loved playing someone who didn't listen to any of that. I'm so proud to be a part of a film that celebrates diversity, literacy, inclusion, joy, and love the way that this one does."
It was a historic victory in the TV category too, with 13 year old Millie Bobby Brown winning Best Actor in a show for her role in Netflix's Stranger Things.
Here's hoping other awards ceremonies sit up, take notice and follow suit ASAP.
Top Comments
Awesome, here's to women getting less award recognition for their acting. Because that's what this will do.
I thought this myself ... In a few years time we'll be bitching about the "lack of diversity" in genders again, as well as the lack of diversity in enthnicities that comes up each and every year.
I have no issue with the new gender-neutral award category but Emma Watson shouldn't have won it for that film. Her acting was terrible!