Los Angeles, Sep 21 (IANS): Actor Jeffrey Tambor dedicated his Emmy win to the transgender community, thanking them for their courage and for sharing their experiences with him as he sought to bring the character of Maura Pfefferman to life.

Besides thanking the transgender community, the actor who had been waiting for 23 years to win an Emmy, broke down. He even thanked his wife while collecting his award on Sunday at the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Tambor, who won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, said: "Thank you to my lovely wife, Kasia. The reason, I wouldn't even be standing here (without her)."

The 71-year-old married Kasia Ostlun in 2001, and was previously married to Katie Mitchell from 1991 until 2000.

He then went on to explain the gratitude he owes to the community for helping him understand how to play a retired college professor who has finally opened up to her family about always identifying as a woman.

"I’d like to dedicate my performance and this award to the transgender community,” he said.

Tambor was first nominated in 1993 for a supporting role of Hank Kingsley in “The Larry Sanders Show”, which garnered three more nominations, but no win. He was also nominated twice, in 2004 and 2005, for his role as George Bluth Sr on “Arrested Development”, reports dailymail.co.uk.

He has also lent his voice for movies and Tv shows like, “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie”, “Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo”, “A Merry Friggin' Christmas”, “Pinky and the Brain” and “Johnny Bravo”.