While the 2017 Emmy Awards provided a load of winning moments for people of color within and outside the entertainment world, there was still room for valid critiques regarding the underrepresented. This time, instead of women or people of color, it was children who received the cold shoulder.
Despite its popular status and vocal fan base, Netflix top show Stranger Things did not take home any major Emmy awards of the evening (best drama, best supporting actor, best supporting actress). The awards it did win were for sound editing, title design and casting, rather than performances from the show’s young stars (Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp).
Actor Jaleel White, who played Steve Urkel from the beloved ’90s TV show Family Matters, was visibly bothered by the young cast’s lack of accolades.
He further explained his frustrations with not honoring youth actors to Entertainment Weekly. “Sometimes our awards process can be very political, in terms of just driving personal agendas, and I think we forget,” he said. “It’s just a simple message that I was trying to get across: You don’t get good and become great at anything without starting at a young age and having tremendous consistency. Somehow our youth doesn’t get honored; our youth just gets hazed.”
He continued by saying adult actors have to deflate their egos enough to let the newer generation get their shine at the present time. “They feel so entitled to the accolade they’ve probably worked for their entire career, that it’s offensive to them almost that someone so young, who hasn’t been through [their] journey, beat [them] for that award,” he continues. “And I just think that’s the wrong attitude to look at it. For directors and producers, you’re not going to get competent performers on your set if they didn’t start at a young age and understand professionalism.”
