Emma Corrin has called for separate gender categories to be scrapped at awards shows and merged into a singular, gender-free one.
As reported by the BBC, Corrin, 26, who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, feels that the current awards system isn't inclusive enough, and needs a change.
The BBC continues that whilst gender-neutral characters are seen as progressive, it comes with a number of issues such as inequality. The current system guarantees two female and two male winners of best acting awards each year, and there are fears that a gender-neutral character would "see it skewed one way".
Another hurdle that gender-neutral categories would have to overcome is the current members of the Academy and other awards who are keen to protect traditions.
However, Corrin has opened up to the BBC about how the current structure of the awards ceremonies makes them feel. "It's difficult for me at the moment trying to justify in my head being non-binary and being nominated in female categories," they explained.
They continued: "When it comes to categories, do we need to make it specific as to whether you're being nominated for a female role or a male role?
"You can discuss awards and the representation there, but really the conversation needs to be about having more representation in the material itself, in the content that we are seeing for non-binary people, for queer people, for trans people, because then I think that will change a lot.
"When those parts come up, meaning more people and more actors are playing those roles then I think there will be more of an urgency with which these questions will be addressed."
The committees within different awards appear to be open to the idea, with a spokesperson for BAFTA stating: "[BAFTA are] engaged in proactive and thoughtful consultation on this subject". The organization behind the Oscars is also reportedly looking into making their award ceremonies more inclusive.
Corrin is about to take to the stage for an adaptation of Virginia Woolf's novel Orlando. They play a character who begins the journey as a man in the 16th century and then travels through time and gender to become a woman in the 20th century.
They have recently starred in The Crown and believe that their gender is "so much to do with how you feel and it ties into so much of how you want to be seen or are seen by people."
The star finished: "I still want to play women, my experience on this earth has been a female one - and now it's sort of a very fluid one."
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