Leslie Jones Tries (and Hilariously Fails) to Tell Laverne Cox About Her Emmy Nomination
Paras Griffin/Getty; Charles Sykes/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Leslie Jones (left) and Laverne Cox
No one was more surprised (or confused!) by her Emmy nomination than Laverne Cox. Live TV got the best of !
Due to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, Leslie Jones stood solo in a studio to present the nominations for the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards on Tuesday. The comedian was joined, via video conference, by Cox, Josh Gad and Tatiana Maslany. And after announcing most of the nominees, Jones attempted to surprise Cox with the news of her own Emmy nomination.
"Laverne, I got something to tell you," said Jones, 52. "You were nominated for an Emmy in ... what category? Best drama series? Best actress. I was supposed to do that way smoother."
The Television Academy
While Cox looked confused, Jones said, "You have a nomination. You're nominated for best actress."
"Wait, really?" asked Cox, 48. "What?"
"You've been nominated," said Jones. "You've been nominated. You've been nominated."
RELATED: Emmy Nominations 2020: Full List of Nominees for TV's Big Night
Still perplexed, Cox responded, "This year?"
"Yes, girl," Jones said. "This whole thing was set up for you. Can you not hear me? You're nominated for best guest actress on a show!"
"Really?" Cox asked again.
"Yes, Laverne, do you not believe me?" Jones jokes.
Lost for words (and still extremely confused!), Cox said simply, "Thank you?"
The Television Academy
Viewers immediately reacted to the awkward moment on social media.
"Laverne Cox trying to figure out in real time what exactly she got nominated for.... a mood," one user wrote on Twitter.
Laverne Cox trying to figure out in real time what exactly she got nominated for.... a mood
— Bedder (@itgetsbedder) July 28, 2020
Leslie Jones was trying to tell Laverne Cox that she was an Emmy nominee but being that it was a live segment, she didn’t have all of the info and it just came across as an awkward yet somehow funny moment
— Rafranz ⁷ (@RafranzDavis) July 28, 2020
The energy with which Leslie Jones screamed "YOU BEEN NOMINATED" at Laverne Cox is doing more for me than my second cup of coffee
— Kat Ordiway (@KatOrdiway) July 28, 2020
I need Leslie Jones shouting “you’ve been nominated” to Laverne Cox as my morning alarm. I’ll always wake up. #Emmys2020
— Dylan MacDowell (@dylanmacdowell) July 28, 2020
Cox was nominated for outstanding guest actress in a drama series for playing Sophia Burset in Netflix's Orange Is The New Black, a role for which she was also nominated in 2014, 2017 and 2019. After seven seasons, OINTB released its final episodes back in July 2019.
Jimmy Kimmel will host the Emmys ceremony on Sep. 20 in Los Angeles, though it is unclear how exactly the coronavirus will affect TV's biggest night.
"I don't know where we will do this or how we will do this or even why we are doing this but we are doing it and I am hosting it," the comedian, 52, joked in a statement on June 16.
