28-year-old Egyptian-American actor Ramy Youssef accepted his first Golden Globe last night.

He was named as the Best Actor in a Musical Comedy Series for his Hulu series, Ramy, beating contenders such as Bill Hader for HBO’s Barry, Paul Rudd for Netflix’s Living With Yourself, and Michael Douglas for The Kominsky Method. “My mom was also rooting for Michael Douglas,” Youssef joked in the press room. “Egyptians love Michael Douglas, I don’t know if you know this.”

Upon accepting his award, Youssef began, “I would like to thank my God. Allahu akbar. Thank you, God.” Self-aware as ever, he added, “Look, I know you guys haven’t seen my show.” Amid laughter, he briefly explained, “We made a very specific show about an Arab-Muslim family living in New Jersey, and this means a lot to be recognized on this level. I do want to thank everyone that is involved–my co-creators, producers, my family, my mom and dad.”

Ramy Youssef: Best Actor, TV Musical or Comedy – 2020 Golden Globesyoutu.be

A stand-up comedian and writer from Rutherford, New Jersey, Youssef has had an impressive year with his distinct and sharply complex look at millennial Muslim-American experience. His self-aware commentary includes introductions to his comedy sets like, “I’m Muslim. Like from the news. Have you guys seen our show?”

Ramy succeeds in lending insight into the particular experience of being Egyptian-American while speaking to the larger facets of life in America: the absurdity, the search for identity, and the awkwardness of living in a multicultural society. As The New York Times praised, “Ramy is proof why better representation makes for better TV.” Similarly, Slate‘s Aymann Ismail expressed his gratitude as an Egyptian American that Youssef took the Golden Globes stage and said “Allahu Akbar.” “I usually avoid praising God in Arabic when I’m in places too public,” Ismail wrote. “If it’s a regular sight at the Golden Globes, maybe that could change. That’s what assimilation truly looks like for Muslims in America.”

After a year when hate crimes reached a 16-year high in America, better representation doesn’t just make for better TV, but hope for a better future.