Lamorne Morris has been working in the television sphere for a while. The actor is best known for playing Winston Bishop in the Fox sitcom, New Girl, but he has also had various roles in Valley of the Boom and Hulu’s Woke. His most recent role in the buzzy FX anthology series, Fargo, has earned him a lot of positive attention from critics, and it was recently announced that he is among the 76th Emmy nominees for his performance. The sitcom alum took to social media to thank his audience, while also making a hilarious reference to New Girl and fellow nominee Robert Downey Jr.
When the Emmy nominations were finally revealed, there were several snubs and surprises for awards show junkies to dissect. Morris’s nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie was a welcome surprise, as the actor has yet to be recognized by Emmy voters for his previous work. This nomination feels overdue, and he even recognized his previous Emmy snubs, joking that he was nominated for his better-known work on New Girl. He said on Instagram:
Thank you to the [Television Academy] for finally recognizing all my hard work on New Girl!
Morris also shouted out another nominee in his category, Robert Downey Jr., who he believes is the favorite to win for his transformative performance in The Sympathizer. He joked about Downey’s famously controversial role in Tropic Thunder, where he played a Black actor, saying that he should've actually been the one to play the part. Morris quipped:
Although I believe it’s a lock, I do see I’m nominated alongside [Robert Downey Jr.] who stole my role in Tropic Thunder. My fellow nominees and I won’t let this slide.
This is clearly a joke and all in good fun, especially within the context of the movie. Downey has a famously great sense of humor, so I’m sure he will detect the levity in Morris’s Instagram caption. Even if the Oppenheimer actor is the favorite to win, it’s great to see Morris receive some sort of recognition for his decades of great work in television. Also, his performance as State Trooper Witt Farr is fantastic and perfect for the tone of the popular black comedy, so the nomination was well-earned.
Morris additionally thanked the cast and crew for the opportunity to star alongside the all-star Season 5 Fargo ensemble, saying:
This is a great honor and I couldn’t be more excited! Truly blessed to work with such a talented cast and crew! Special thank you Noah [Hawley] for the opportunity and trusting me to bring Witt Farr to life! Go [Fargo].
Morris has a lot to celebrate. Along with Downey, he is also nominated alongside heavy hitters like Fellow Travelers star Jonathan Bailey and True Detective’s John Hawkes. Many fans may have wished he got this recognition for his hilarious performance as the cat-loving, optimistic Winston from New Girl, but we can rest easy knowing he’s getting his flowers now.
You can see Lamorne Morris’s Emmy-nominated performance in Fargo with a Hulu subscription. Fans can also revisit the actor's performance as one of the funniest characters in New Girl by using the same streaming service.
