"Crazy" – Naomi Osaka reacts to bagging an Emmy nomination for first project as a producer for documentary 'Mink!'

Naomi Osaka recently divulged that her short documentary film titled ‘Mink!’ has received an Emmy nomination.

In June 2022, Osaka launched her own production company, Hana Kuma, with her longtime agent and business partner Stuart Duguid. The company was launched in partnership with the SpringHill Company of NBA legend Lebron James.

The same year, Naomi Osaka released her first project as an executive producer - ‘Mink!’ – directed by Academy Award-winning director Ben Proudfoot.

‘Mink!’ is a short documentary film encapsulating the life of Patsy Takemoto Mink, a Japanese-American from Hawaii who became the first woman of color elected to the U.S. Congress.

The Democrat, known for advocating women’s rights and education, also famously co-authored the Title IX Amendment of the Higher Education Act, renamed in 2002 as ‘the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act.’

On Saturday, July 29, Naomi Osaka revealed that her project had received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Short Documentary.

“Hana Kuma is thrilled to share that MINK!, our short film in partnership with Breakwater Studios and The New York Times Op-Docs, has been nominated for Outstanding Short Documentary at the 44th Annual News and Documentary Emmy® Awards! Congrats to everyone involved in making this film, which continues to keep Patsy Takemoto Mink’s legacy alive!” her media company’s social media account announced.

The four-time Grand Slam champion expressed her gratitude about hitting the mark in her very first attempt.

“Huge congratulations to everyone on the team. Emmy nomination on our first project is kinda crazy. So grateful,” she wrote on her Instagram story.

Naomi Osaka on Instagram

Osaka’s nomination comes months after her boyfriend Cordae’s Emmy win for his contribution to the American animated television series ‘We the People,’ which has Barack and Michelle Obama as executive producers. Cordae performed a song about taxes in the series’ third episode “Taxes.”

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"It was just hard to watch everyone competing" – Naomi Osaka on missing the Australian Open due to pregnancy

The Japanese is the two-time Australian Open champion

Naomi Osaka is a newly minted mother. The former World No. 1, who revealed that she was pregnant during her 2023 Australian Open withdrawal announcement, welcomed her first child – daughter Shai – with boyfriend Cordae earlier this month.

In a recent interview with Vogue, Osaka made an honest admission about being on the sidelines. The two-time Australian Open champion stated that missing the tournament Down Under made her ‘upset.’

"I remember following the Australian Open a little bit earlier this year, and it made me upset because I’ve never missed an Australian Open," she said.

The Japanese further stated that she wouldn’t trade her journey as a mother for the world, but reiterated that being out of competition was hard for her.

"It was kind of hard to cope with those feelings of wanting to be there really badly. I wouldn’t trade this for the world, but it was just hard to watch everyone competing over there [while I was] sitting out," she added.

Osaka was reportedly captured training just days after giving birth to her daughter. She had earlier revealed that she is planning on making a comeback at the 2024 Australian Open.