THE 2017 MTV Movie and TV Awards took place in Los Angeles last night – and it was the first awards show of its kind to have non-gendered acting categories.

So the ‘Best Actor in a Movie’ award saw Emma Watson, Daniel Kaluuya, Hailee Steinfeld, Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy and Taraji P Henson compete for the gong.

And it was Watson that won out for her portrayal of Belle in Beauty and the Beast

Source: Chris Pizzello

Collecting the award from actor Asia Kate Dillon, Watson took the opportunity to point out the importance of MTV’s decision to make the acting categories genderless

Source: SIPA USA/PA Images

She began:

Firstly I feel I have to say something about the award itself—the first acting award in history that doesn’t separate nominees based on their sex. It says something about how we perceive the human experience.

MTV’s move to create a genderless award for acting will mean something different for everyone. But to me it indicates that acting is about the ability to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and that doesn’t need to be separated into two different categories.

Source: SIPA USA/PA Images

The speech is being shared widely this morning, as Watson touched on the main themes that had people praising MTV's inclusive decision in the first place:

Empathy and the ability to use your imagination should have no limits. This is very meaningful for me both to be winning the award and to be receiving it from you, Asia. Thank you for educating me in such an inclusive, patient and loving way.

And the speech finished on a lovely note about the film itself

Thank you for your beautiful Best Actor in a Movie acceptance speech at the #MTVAwards, @EmmaWatson 💖 pic.twitter.com/iGN3nQQylL

— MTV (@MTV) May 8, 2017

If you can't see the video, click here.  

Beautifully delivered.

You can see all the winners from the night here.

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