At the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards this week, actress Rachel Brosnahan had a loud and clear message for all women: Using your voice is incredibly important and one of the most impactful ways to do that is to vote.
Brosnahan, 27, took home the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy for her role in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Brosnahan plays Midge Maisel in the critically acclaimed Amazon comedy, which took home six awards on Monday night. The show – set in New York City during the 1950s – centers on Midge, a wealthy housewife whose husband suddenly leaves her. After her world is upended, Midge discovers she has quite a knack for standup comedy.
When Brosnahan appeared on stage to accept the award, she tearfully thanked her family and friends along with the cast and crew of the show, but made it clear that she had a bigger point to drive home.
“One thing I love about this show is it’s about a woman who is finding her voice anew,” she said. “It’s something happening all over the country right now. And one of the best ways to find our voice is to vote.”
This isn’t the first time Brosnahan has praised the power of women using their voices. When she took home the Golden Globe for the same role back in January, Brosnahan opened up about her passion for playing Midge. “This is a story about a bold and brilliant and complicated woman, and I am endlessly proud to be a part of it,” she said. “There are so many women’s stories out there that still need and deserve to be told… Let’s continue to hold each other accountable and invest in and make and champion these stories.”
After the Emmys, Brosnahan explained why she used her on-stage moment to encourage viewers to vote. “A stranger on a plane actually said to me, ‘You have a hostage audience of millions of people for 30 seconds. What do you want to say?’” she told E! News. “And the idea of using that platform for something that can make our world better in some way ... it feels important.”
More than 11 million viewers tuned into the Emmys last year, so here’s to hoping that Brosnahan’s call to action encourages fans to go to the ballot box.