Cox is nominated for Guest Actress in a Drama Series for 'Orange Is the New Black.'
Laverne Cox almost didn't believe she was an Emmy nominee. On Tuesday morning, the 48-year-old actress joined Josh Gad, Tatiana Maslany and host Leslie Jones to announce the nominations for the 2020 Emmy Awards, but reacted with uncertainty and disbelief when Jones told her that she nabbed a nomination herself.
As Jones repeatedly yelled, "You've been nominated!" Cox questioned, "Really?," which led the host to hilariously exclaim, "Do you not believe me?!"
"I was still trying to process it," Cox explained to ET's Nischelle Turner of the interaction. "I'm like, 'What was I nominated for?'... I [was] confused [and was] trying to hold it together."
The nomination, it turns out, is for Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her role on Orange Is the New Black. "I was in one episode in the last season of Orange, so this is why I'm shocked," she added. "I was in one episode and like this is crazy."
Once she wrapped her head around the news, Cox called it "beautiful" but "very overwhelming."
"Can I just shout-out everybody at Orange Is the New Black? Jenji Kohan, the entire cast and crew," she said. "I'm so grateful. I always share this with every single one of my fellow actors of Orange Is the New Black. We are an ensemble, we are a team, this is for all of us. So shout-out to everybody in Orange. I love you so much. For our last season, that means a lot."
Cox also recognized the series' "incredible" fans, saying, "They still want a spinoff, they're still posting memes and videos and they love it so much," she acknowledged.
While Cox has yet to consider whether the annual awards show will be held in person or virtually this year, she did dole out some advice to this year's first-time nominees, including Zendaya (Euphoria), Paul Mescal (Normal People) and Jeremy Strong (Succession).
"I remember the first time I was nominated. It was for Orange," she recalled of her 2014 nomination. "We had a ceremony that year that was in person. If you can, soak in every moment and enjoy it. I was in such awe of all of it and it was so beautiful. It's gonna be different this year, but if you can, soak in every moment, 'cause you only have your first time once."
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