‘Insecure’ Star Yvonne Orji to Host 2021 International Emmys

Insecure star Yvonne Orji will host this year’s International Emmy Awards, organizers announced Friday.

The Nigerian-American actress and comedian, a Primetime Emmy nominee herself for her performance as Molly in the hit HBO series, will present the 49th International Emmy Awards in front of a crowd of international and U.S. industry guests at the Great Hall of Casa Cipriani in New York on Monday, Nov. 22.

Orji’s recent one-hour stand-up special, Momma, I Made It, which she shot in Washington, D.C., and Nigeria, premiered on HBO last year. Prior to the taping, she toured the U.S. with her act, playing to sold-out shows in New York and Los Angeles. She has opened for the likes of Chris Rock in such venues as Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center. Orji published her first book, Bamboozled by Jesus: How God Tricked Me Into the Life of My Dreams, in early 2020. She is currently in development on the autobiographical comedy project First Gen at Disney+, which she will executive produce. 

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Orji also hosted the second edition of Amazon Prime Video’s Yearly Departed comedy special, which this year brings together a roster of all-female comics to roast. Yearly Departed premieres worldwide on Amazon in December.

Joining Orji on the International Emmy stage this year will be a cast of presenters including Vanessa Williams, Aidan Quinn, Brian d’Arcy James, Method Man, Piper Perabo, Emeraude Toubia, Wilson Cruz, Felipe Santana and Angélica.

NBA star Dirk Nowitzki will present this year’s International Emmy Directorate Award to Thomas Bellut, director-general of German public broadcaster ZDF.

A record of 24 countries are represented across the 44 nominees for this year’s International Emmys, which honor excellence in television programming worldwide. Prominent contenders include AppleTV+’s Mid-East espionage series Tehran, the French showbiz satire Call My Agent! and the ITV limited series Des, featuring Scottish star David Tennant as real-life serial killer Dennis Nilsen.

The 2021 International Emmys will be an in-person event following COVID-19 safety protocols and will be carried live on the International Emmy Academy’s website on iemmy.tv from 7 p.m. ET on Nov. 22.