Known for his work in the Netflix series Master of None, Comedian Aziz Ansari has become the first South Asian actor to receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
While there have been a few actors of South Asian descent to be nominated for Emmys (Naveen Andrews for Lost and Ben Kingsly for a number of miniseries like Mrs Harris and Joseph), Ansari is the first to be nominated for a lead role.
Prior to this Emmy nomination, Ansari earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Comedy Series, also for his part on Master of None.
Ansari plays the role of Dev Shah, an actor trying to make his way around New York. The show has been appreciated for breaking down stereotypes surrounding Asian men and also for the diversity present in the series, which has earned it the right to be called progressive compared to many other shows.
