The Crown star calls for gender-neutral awards

“It’s about everyone being able to feel acknowledged and represented," says Emma Corrin.

“It’s about everyone being able to feel acknowledged and represented," says Emma Corrin.

The Crown actor Emma Corrin, who portrayed Princess Diana in Season 4 of the Netflix drama, has called for genderless categories at major entertainment awards.

In an interview with BBC News, Corrin, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, said “I don’t think the categories are inclusive enough at the moment,” and called for the best actor and best actress categories to be merged into a single, gender-free one. 

"I hope for a future in which that happens," Corrin said.

“It’s about everyone being able to feel acknowledged and represented.” 

In 2021, Corrin won the best drama series actress statue at the Golden Globe awards for their portrayal of Princess Diana. At the time, Corrin was still accepting she/her pronouns.

Josh O'Conner as Prince Charles and Emma Corrin as Princess Diana in The Crown season 4.

​​"It's difficult for me at the moment trying to justify in my head being non-binary and being nominated in female categories," Corrin said. 

“When it comes to categories, do we need to make it specific as to whether you’re being nominated for a female role or a male role?”

Corrin notes that “you can discuss awards and the representation there, but really the conversation needs to be about having more representation in the material itself.” 

“In the content that we are seeing for non-binary people, for queer people, for trans people, because then I think that will change a lot,” Corrin continued.

“When those parts come up, meaning more people and more actors are playing those roles, then I think there will be more of an urgency with which these questions will be addressed.”

Emma Corrin as Diana, Princess of Wales in The Crown season 4.

Some music awards shows have made the switch towards gender-inclusive award programming. The Grammys became gender-neutral in 2012; the Brit Awards also merged the best male and female solo artist into one category for the 2022 ceremony. 

In Australia, The Aria awards — Australia’s biggest music industry ceremony — went gender neutral in 2021, scrapping the ceremony’s best male and best female awards. Instead, the Arias introduced an award for “best artist”, expanding the nominees from five to 10. 

Chrishell Stause and her partner G Flip, who identifies as non-binary, attend the 2022 ARIA Awards. Photo by Getty.

“The time for separating artists based on gendered categories that exclude non-binary artists altogether has passed,” Aria’s chief executive, Annabelle Herd, said in a statement. Noting that the decision to dissolve gendered categories would better reflect the diversity of the Australian music industry.  

“The music industry is demanding a more equal, inclusive, safe and supportive space for everyone and Aria is working hard to achieve that across the Aria Awards and everything we do.”