Transparent actor Jeffrey Tambor spoke out after accepting an Emmy award to ask the film industry to better the representation of transgender actors on screen.

Tambor, who plays trans woman Moira Pfefferman on the show, won the award for best comedy actor for the second year running. He said: “I’m not going to say this beautifully: to you people out there… please give transgender talent a chance. Give them auditions. Give them their story.”

“I would be happy if I were the last cisgender male to play a transgender female,” Tambor continued.

Orange is the New Black’s Laverne Cox presented an award for directing on the night, and backed Tambor up onstage. Cox, who was the first openly trans actor to be nominated for an Emmy back in 2014, said: “Give trans talent a shot... I would not be here tonight if I was not given that chance.”

Two awards for male acting on the night went to men who played women. This included Tambor, as well as Louie Anderson, who won best supporting actor in comedy for his portrayal of Christine Baskets in Baskets.

Jill Soloway, the creator and writer of Transparent, also accepted an award on the night. She spoke about making changes to the narrative of marginalised people on screen.

“It’s a privilege, and it also creates privilege: when you take women, people of colour, trans people, queer people and you put them at the centre of the story, these subjects, instead of the objects, you change the world, we found out. We found out!” said Soloway.

She added: “I’ve always wanted to be part of a movement, the civil rights movement, the feminist movement. This TV show allows me to take my dreams about unlikable Jewish people, queer folk, trans folk, and make them the heroes. Thank you to the trans community for your lived lives. We need to stop violence against transgender women and topple the patriarchy! Topple the patriarchy!”