Baby Reindeer’s Nava Mau makes trans history with Emmy nomination: ‘It’s an honour’

Baby Reindeer breakout star Nava Mau has made Emmy Awards history by becoming the first out trans performer to be nominated in a limited series or TV movie acting category.

Mau plays Teri in the Netflix stalker drama, the trans girlfriend of main character Donny, played by queer actor and fellow Emmy nominee Richard Gadd.

The series follows struggling comedian and barman Donny as he crosses path with the obsessive Martha, played by gay actress Jessica Gunning, another nominee. 

Martha’s fixation leads to her physically and verbally assaulting Teri, and making Donny’s life a living nightmare. Based on Gadd’s real-life experience, Baby Reindeer is one of the top 10 most-watched English-speaking shows in the streaming service’s history.

Mau’s performance as the level-headed, fearless Teri garnered global attention.

“Unfortunately, the opportunities afforded to trans people and Latinas and all under-represented people have been extremely limited,” she told Entertainment Weekly after the nominations were announced on Wednesday (17 July). 

“That has gotten in the way of us being able to grow in our craft and explore all we can be. So, it has been an honour from the very beginning, when I first read the script, to even consider that I could be a part of a story like this.”

Mau hopes the show’s success will allow more trans actors to get their time in the spotlight. “What Baby Reindeer and this moment has shown is that when we’re given the opportunity, we can grow into it and so far beyond it,” she added.

“I’m hopeful that I by no means will be the only [one] moving forward. I’m just honoured to get to celebrate this year.”

In 2021, Pose star MJ Rodriguez became the first trans actress to be nominated in a leading acting category.

Mau will go head-to-head with Baby Reindeer co-star Gunning in the supporting actress in a limited or anthology series category at the awards ceremony on 15 September.

They will be competing against fellow queer star Lily Gladstone (Under the Bridge), as well as Ripley’s Dakota Fanning, Lessons In Chemistry’s Aja Naomi King, Feud: Capote vs The Swans star Diane Lane, and True Detective: Night Country’s Kali Reis.

In total, Baby Reindeer received 11 nominations. Shōgun has the most nominations, with 25, followed by The Bear with 23.

Other queer stars and shows to be nominated include Andrew Scott for Ripley, Fellow Travelers duo Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey, Jodie Foster for her performance in True Detective: Night Country, and RuPaul’s Drag Race.

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