Amy Poehler may not have won an Emmy Sunday night, but she definitely won the Internet with her #SmartGirlsAsk campaign, a joint initiative between Twitter, the Television Academy and Amy’s Smart Girls, an organization “dedicated to helping young people cultivate their authentic selves.”
The campaign asked people to submit intelligent questions for celebrities — a refreshing twist to the often mind-numbing “who are you wearing” questions that have become a red carpet staple. Hundreds of thought-provoking questions were tweeted out, at times from some pretty big names.
In another victory, Viola Davis became the first woman of colour to claim top drama series acting honours at Sunday’s Emmy Awards.
An emotional Davis, who won for her portrayal of a ruthless lawyer in How to Get Away With Murder, invoked the words and spirit of 19th-century African-American abolitionist Harriet Tubman.
“I can’t seem to get over that line,” she quoted Tubman as saying.
“The only thing that separates women of colour from anyone else is opportunity,” Davis added. “You cannot win Emmys with roles that are simply not there.”
WATCH: ‘It doesn’t end here,’ says Viola Davis after historic Emmy win
READ MORE: Natalie Portman sounds off on challenges facing women in Hollywood
Comments made by Matt Damon recently sparked a debate on diversity in the industry. And during a Toronto International Film Festival panel, female leaders agreed there’s still a long way to go to reach gender equality.
With files from The Associated Press
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