Rachel Brosnahan gets political with Emmy speech

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Rachel Brosnahan used her Primetime Emmy Awards acceptance speech to urge people to vote.

The 27-year-old actress picked up the Lead Actress in a Comedy Series prize for her role as Midge in 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' on Monday (17.09.18) and she urged her "captive" audience at Los Angeles' Microsoft Theatre, as well as viewers at home, to use their voice in an "important" way by staying engaged with politics.

After thanking cast, crew, producers and creators Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, she said: "One of the things I love the most about this show while I have you captive for another two seconds, it's about a woman who is finding her voice anew.

"It's something that's happening all over the country right now. One of the most important ways that we can find and use our voices is to vote. So if you haven't already registered, do it on your cell phone right now. Vote, show up, and bring a friend to the polls. Thank you so much."

Rachel beat out 'Mom's Allison Janney, Issa Rae from 'Insecure', 'Better Things' star Pamela Adlon, 'Black-ish' actress Tracee Ellis Ross, and 'Grace and Frankie's Lily Tomlin to take the award, and was the first new winner in the category since 2012, the year 'Veep's Julia Louis-Dreyfus began her successful streak at the ceremony.

Her win added to the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series win for her co-star Alex Borstein, and both Writing and Directing in a Comedy Series for creator Amy, who made history as the first woman to win the awards.

Meanwhile, 'Barry' actor Bill Hader was stunned to be named Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

Thanking co-stars including Henry Winkler - who won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role on the show - and Sarah Goldberg, he quipped: "I did not think this would happen.

"I took classes at Second City LA. I was taught there that you should always make the other people look good so I hired other great actors who made me look good."

Bill was shortlisted for the accolade alongside Larry David for 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', Anthony Anderson for 'Black-ish', 'Shameless' star William H. Macy, 'The Good Place' actor Ted Danson and Donald Glover for 'Atlanta'.