Laverne Cox cries as she celebrates Nava Mau's historic 2024 Emmy nomination

Laverne Cox is proud of the 2024 Emmys.

Cox, 52, who interviews many of the evening’s nominees for E!’s red carpet coverage, took a moment to Baby reindeer Star Nava Mau, who is nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a mini-series or anthology series or a movie at Sunday's ceremony.

When Mau, 32, first spoke to Cox, Orange is the new black The actress became emotional as the two hugged.

“I have to pull myself together, I’m the hostess,” said Cox, fanning herself.

“I'm so proud of you,” she continued. “I'm so proud of you. This show is so incredible and the work you do is so amazing.”

At the 2015 ceremony, Cox acknowledged the milestone she herself had achieved when she became the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy for Best Actress.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“And 10 years later, I'm not the last,” she said with a smile. “You are the fourth and the first in this category.”

“I think we've fought as a community to be able to tell stories that are heartfelt and grounded in humanity, because that's who we are as transgender people,” Mau said when asked how it feels to be nominated. “We're human first and foremost and I think that's the best thing we can celebrate. Baby reindeer.”

“Yes, it's an LGBT show, a show with a trans character and it's also a really good show and something I'm very proud of and ultimately I hope we can continue to be all that we are as trans people on screen.”

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword puzzle is here! How fast can you solve it? Play now!

The two then remembered their collaboration four years ago at Cox's notice Documentary that Mau says “changed my life.”

“I walked onto the set. It was my first time on a set of that magnitude. Before that, I had only been on a micro-budget short film set in Oakland. And I saw trans people in leadership roles,” Mau said. “I sat there and watched interviews with trans people talking about their lives, their stories, their studies, their craft. I saw them walking with all their grace and all their strength. I saw that I can dream bigger than I had dreamed before. And that changed me forever.”

In 2014, Cox became the first openly transgender person to be nominated in an acting category at the Emmys, thanks to her portrayal of Sophia Burset in Orange is the new blackThe award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series ultimately went to her co-star Uzo Aduba.

This year, Mau is known for her portrayal of Teri in Netflix’s Baby reindeer alongside fellow actors Dakota Fanning (Ripley), Lily Gladstone (Under the bridge), Jessica Gunning (Baby reindeer), Aja Naomi King (Chemistry lessons), Diane Lane (Feud: Capote vs. The Swans) and Kali Rice (True Detective: Nightland).

Watch PEOPLE's full coverage of the 76th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, broadcast live from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on ABC.