We Dare You Not to Cry While Listening to Niecy Nash-Betts' Emotional Emmy Awards Acceptance Speech

"And you know who I want to thank? I want to thank me."

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iecy Nash-Betts accepts the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie award for “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” onstage during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Niecy Nash-Betts gave a moving speech during the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Dec. 15.

After winning for Best Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her work in the Netflix show Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, Nash-Betts took the Emmy stage and gave what many believe to be one of the best acceptance speeches of all-time.

“I’m a winner, baby!" Nash-Betts shouted while hoisting her Emmy trophy triumphantly in the air. "Thank you to the most high for this divine moment. Thank you Ryan Murphy for seeing me. Evan Peters, I love you. Netflix. Every single person who voted for me, thank you. My better half who picked me up when I was gutted from this work, thank you."

Niecy Nash and her wife singer Jessica Betts arrive for the 75th Emmy Awards

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Nash-Betts then thanked the person most responsible for her success: Herself.

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"And you know who I want to thank? I want to thank me," she said, fighting back tears. "For believing in me and doing what they said I could not do and I want to say to myself in front of all of you beautiful people: 'Go on girl with your bad self, you did that.'"

The crowd erupted in applause, some celebrities going so far as to give Nash-Betts a standing ovation for taking the time to celebrate herself and show herself some much-deserved self-love.

The award-winning actress also made a strong political statement in defense and in honor of Black and brown women.

"Finally, I accept this award on behalf of every Black and brown woman who has gone unheard yet over-policed, like Glenda Cleveland; like Sandra Bland; like Breonna Taylor," she said, the crowd once again erupting in applause. "As an artist, my job is to speak truth to power and baby Imma doing it til the day I die. Mama, I won!” 

Nash-Betts won for her portrayal of Glenda Cleveland, who lived next to convicted murderer and serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and who tried to alert the police of his behavior in 1991. Unfortunately, the police ignored Cleveland and Dahmer was not caught until much later.

Danielle Campoamor
Danielle Campoamor
Weekend Editor

Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.