Charles Melton says his history-making Emmy nomination for Beef is 'something I don’t take lightly'

Charles Melton is reflecting on his history-making Emmy nomination for Beef, saying the recognition means a great deal to him while stressing that the achievement belongs to the hundreds of people who helped bring the Netflix series to life.

Melton, 35, received his first-ever Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for his role as Austin in the second season of Beef. He also made history as the first mixed-race Korean American nominated in the category.

"It's very cool, as an artist, to represent a lot of different things [for] people that look close to me or like me," Melton told PEOPLE.

The actor was in Paris with his wife, Camille Summers-Valli, and their daughter when the Emmy nominations were announced. Because the family was eight or nine hours ahead of Los Angeles, Melton said he initially tried not to watch the nominations live. About a minute before the announcement, however, he asked his wife whether they should turn it on.

"It takes a second to hit," Melton recalled of learning about his nomination. "But it's amazing to me when anybody gets recognized for their work."

Rather than focusing solely on his own achievement, Melton said he immediately thought about the people behind the series.

"I'm just one of 600 artists that came together to make that show what it was," he said. "So to be recognized and celebrated, it's something I don't take lightly."

In Beef season 2, Melton plays Austin, a personal trainer and country club employee whose life begins to unravel after he and his fiancée, Ashley, played by Cailee Spaeny, witness a violent confrontation involving their bosses, Josh and Lindsay, played by Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan.

For Melton, the series also carried a personal significance because part of the season was filmed in Korea. The actor grew up there for five years, and his family was able to visit him on set while he was filming in Seoul.

"I could never imagine them coming to a film set, and they came, so it was very special," he said.

Melton compared his experiences on his two major television projects by describing Riverdale, where he played Reggie Mantle for seven seasons, as his "Juilliard". He called Beef "me coming home", reflecting both his professional growth and his personal connection to Korea.

His former Riverdale costars were also among the first people to congratulate him after the Emmy nominations were announced. Melton said KJ Apa and other members of what he calls his "Riverdale family" reached out, along with series creator Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa.

The nomination comes two years after Melton earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance opposite Julianne Moore in May December. He said he is approaching the upcoming Emmy ceremony differently from someone trying to use the event to find their next project.

"I'm not going to these award shows looking for my next job. I already am doing my next job," he said. "I'm there to celebrate and give thanks. It's hard to celebrate yourself sometimes."

The 78th Emmy Awards will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles on September 14. Melton said he is not overthinking the ceremony or preparing a potential acceptance speech, preferring to wait until the night itself.

"I think to be recognized is enough for me," he said.