Yellowjackets' Liv Hewson Pulls Out Of Emmys Over Gendered Categories

Liv Hewson, the nonbinary star of Showtime's hit TV series Yellowjackets, has pulled themselves out of the running for an Emmy because of the Academy's gendered categories.

The 27-year-old plays the teenage version of Vanessa "Van" Palmer on the critically acclaimed drama and is among a slew of powerhouses gearing up to be considered for the upcoming Emmy Awards. But because Hewson would have to be categorized in Best Supporting Actress, they have pulled out of the running entirely.

“There’s not a place for me in the acting categories,” Hewson told Variety. “It would be inaccurate for me to submit myself as an actress. It neither makes sense for me to be lumped in with the boys. It’s quite straightforward and not that loaded. I can’t submit myself for this because there’s no space for me.”

Varietyconfirms that Showtime did indeed have plans to submit Hewson among the supporting actress contenders.

Hewson isn't the first to call out the Emmys for the gendered categories. In 2017, Asia Kate Dillon became the first nonbinary performer to play a nonbinary character on a major TV show, Billions, and asked the TV Academy to clarify its gender classifications. The Grammys have been completely gender-neutral for a decade. But as Variety points out, many people worry that if the Emmys and Oscars do eliminate gendered categories, "cisgender white men will be the biggest beneficiaries."

Hewson isn't quite sure of the correct answer but is happy to call attention to the problem. “It’s worth talking about,” Hewson said. “And I very gently and respectfully ask that people get their gears turning a little.”

They would rather not shrug their shoulders and say that's the way that it is. “There is an implied fatalism there, which suggests that we’ve all agreed that equality is impossible. And that’s sad," Hewson went on. “We’re not going to start awarding best female and male director, or female or male cinematographer because we all understand that implicitly would be insulting. You can keep things as they are right now — I just won’t be participating.”

Another nonbinary actor is also in the running this year. J. Harrison Ghee played a drag queen on Fox’s anthology crime series Accused and has consented to be submitted under Best Actor.

“It’s not a gendered profession to me, and I was grateful to be asked for consideration on where I wanted to be viewed,” Ghee explained. “Making that decision wasn’t hard on my spirit. It was just to be confident and intentional about my work and meeting the moment.”