As more nonbinary actors have been leading major television and movie projects in recent years, there has been an ongoing discussion within Hollywood regarding if award shows should forgo gendered awards categories (i.e. Best Actress and Best Actor) for gender neutral categories instead. House of the Dragon’s Emma D’Arcy is one of the notable actors who have spoken out about the topic, as they are nonbinary themselves, but recently got honest about the fatigue that comes with it coming up so much.
Emma D’Arcy currently leads Season 2 of Game of Thrones spinoff House of the Dragon, and therefore could be in the running again for the Emmys and more awards in the future. While speaking to GQ, D’Arcy was asked about whether talking about de-gendering award categories has become a tiresome topic for them:
On the one hand, obviously, it becomes quite dull. But simultaneously, I take the responsibility for trying to carve out a little bit more space for people to live in really seriously. I broadly have quite complex feelings about having a public profile, it’s not something I ever expected. But carving out a bit more space, a bit more wriggle room, for people to exist in, sounds like a job I’d like to do.
D’Arcy has taken up the mantle of being one of the few nonbinary actors in Hollywood with a lot of grace and responsibility over the years. The star started being asked about the topic after they were nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Television Actress - Drama Series category despite being gender nonconforming. At the time of their nomination, Emma D’Arcy called the nomination “beautifully ironic” along with sharing feeling “very privileged” and taking it as a step forward for for LGBTQ+ community. As D’Arcy continued in their recent remarks on the subject:
I get tired of being asked to be an expert on categories, when it comes to awards season. It’s quite funny to sort of state in some way that you forgo the categorization, and then be endlessly asked about how one might navigate categories. But I do take it as part of the job.
There does seem to be a burden that comes with being among "the first" for growing representation in Hollywood. They feel they are constantly being named an “expert” on their community and asked what is right, when they don’t necessarily have all the answers to such a complex industry question. D’Arcy recently went viral for being named a nonbinary icon, but that doesn’t mean they asked to be a spokesperson for all nonbinary people. Even so, D’Arcy is very much embracing their place in Hollywood right now.
During the interview, D’Arcy also spoke about Bella Ramsey as another nonbinary actor who leads their own HBO series. The Last of Us actor has gone through a similar experience of being asked these same questions, and dealing with the awkwardness of being nominated as an “actress” when they are gender nonconforming. D’Arcy said this of Ramsey:
I just have to credit Bella’s courage, because I feel like they express themselves bravely without hesitation. And I endeavour to be able to be a spokesperson like that.
Perhaps someday these conversations will be a thing of the past, but for now the conversation remains an ongoing one in Hollywood, as it has yet to be fully addressed and solved. You can see Emma D’Arcy’s incredible performance now on House of the Dragon with a Max subscription.
