PRESENTS AU G U ST 16, 2020 CO NT E ND E RS T E L E VI SI O N/ E MMY NO MI NE ES
E M M Y
®
N O M I N A T I O N S INCLUDING
OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES LEAD ACTRESS SHIRA HAAS
“AN ACHIEVEMENT OF
SEARING POWER AND GRACE. This work lives and breathes as vividly as it does thanks to its star,
Shira Haas, and her possession of that most elusive acting gift: conveying these complex and conflicting experiences in silence. Through a glance, or a gesture, or a swell of emotions seen in her eyes, we see that her Esty is proud and scared, self-assured and filled with doubt, but always defiantly and powerfully herself.”
“SHIRA HAAS IS
A PHENOMENON.”
FYC.NETFLIX.COM
Emmy® Award Nominated OUTSTANDING COMPETITION PROGRAM OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR COMPETITION PROGRAM
NICOLE BYER
“A RADICALLY KIND SHOW TO CURE WHAT AILS YOU. IT IS A WARM SUGARY BALM TO THE SOUL.” SLATE
“NICOLE BYER IS HILARIOUS.” FYC.NETFLIX.COM
DECIDER
D EAD L I NE .CO M
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T E L E VI S I O N ’S M O S T N O M I N AT E D C O M E DY !
I N C L U D I N G
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
14
ZENDAYA Euphoria’s lead actress shows a range far beyond her successful music career
24
ON MY SCREEN Wanda Sykes’ film and TV favorites, her dream role and irresistible karaoke picks
32
CAPTIVE AUDIENCE The documentary race amid a pandemic lockdown
36
THE SCHEDULE Deadline’s Contenders Television: Nominees event
40
THE SHOWS The full rundown on all our Contenders panels
54
FOR THE WIN Pete Hammond on this year’s likely winners
64
THE PARTNERSHIP Jennifer Aniston and Billy Crudup battle it out in The Morning Show
ON THIS PAGE Wanda Sykes photographed by Derek Wood
31
EMMY N O M I N AT I O N S ®
20 NOMINATIONS
INCLUDING
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES Amy Sherman-Palladino OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES Daniel Palladino
3 NOMINATIONS OUTSTANDING FANTASY/SCI-FI COSTUMES OUTSTANDING MAIN TITLE DESIGN
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Dev Patel
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MAIN TITLE THEME MUSIC
ALSO NOMINATED
OUTSTANDING SOUND EDITING FOR A COMEDY OR DRAMA SERIES (ONE HOUR)
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
EMMY NOMINATED ®
OUTSTANDING UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
“PITCH - PERFECT” ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
2 EMMY
®
NOMINATIONS INCLUDING
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
“ THE BEST WORK OF
HUGH JACKMAN’S CAREER” VARIETY
EMMY NOMINATED ®
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
“MARK
RUFFALO GIVES TWO PERFORMANCES OF A LIFETIME” TIME
26 EMMY
®
NOMINATIONS INCLUDING
OUTS TANDIN G LIMITED SERIES
“A
STANDOUT CAST” THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
OUTSTANDING LE AD AC TOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
JEREMY IRONS “JEREMY IRONS CRUSHES EVERY SECOND”
OUTSTANDING SUPP ORTING AC TOR
IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
JOVAN ADEPO “JOVAN ADEPO DELIVERS A RIVETING PERFORMANCE”
PASTE MAGAZINE
TV INSIDER
OUTSTANDING LE AD AC TRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING AC TOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
REGINA KING “REGINA KING IS NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING” INDIEWIRE
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING AC TOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
YAHYA ABDUL- MATEEN II “YAHYA ABDUL-MATEEN II IS AS QUIETLY CHARMING AS LARGER THAN LIFE” VULTURE
LOUIS GOSSETT JR. “LOUIS GOSSETT JR. IS AN ICON IN THE CRAFT” COLLIDER
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING AC TRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
JEAN SMART “JEAN SMART IS AT THE TOP OF HER EXTRAORDINARY GAME” INDIEWIRE
EDITOR’S LETT ER
There Is A Light Amid isolation and uncertainty, the Emmys celebrates a source of solace and great storytelling BY NELLIE ANDREEVA
SINCE THEIR INCEPTION IN 1949, THE PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS have taken place without fail every single year. Yes, there has been the rare occasion of postponement, for example in 2001, following 9/11, but never, ever in the history of the show have they been canceled. And now, as we face a mounting death toll in this global pandemic, and as we brave so many challenges and disappointments, the Academy soldiers on, finding a way to celebrate storytelling excellence at a time when television has meant more to us than ever. For the industry, the Emmys is a sliver of normality and hope in a year that has ground Hollywood production to a halt. Adapting to this time of social distancing and safety protocols, the Primetime Emmys are unsurprisingly going virtual, and will be spread across an unprecedented six nights of ceremonies; five Creative Arts ones, followed by the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards on September 20 on ABC, hosted and executive produced by mainstay Jimmy Kimmel. These awards shows will mark the culmination of an Emmy campaign unlike any other in history, with participants beaming into video panel discussions from around the world, including for Deadline’s signature event Contenders Television. 12
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
The coronavirus pandemic has created a world in which the majority of us work from home, grocery shop online and educate children in virtual classrooms. And while COVID-19 has shut down moviegoing for months, staying at home has allowed people to watch a lot more television, largely on digital platforms. That likely included Emmy voters who went heavy on streaming programs in their choice of nominees this year. Streaming and digital platforms account for a staggering 269 collective Emmy nominations this year, up a whopping 42% from 2019. Netflix, which has seen big subscriber and stock price gains during the pandemic, had a surge in Emmy nominations, setting a new record with 160 nominations, up from 118 last year. Three of the four new streamers that launched since last year’s Emmys, Apple TV+, Quibi and Disney+, all landed multiple nominations in their first awards season. Even one of the top basic cable Emmy contenders, FX, has gone streaming, with its most nominated program of 2020, the FX on Hulu limited series Mrs. America. In addition to the battle against COVID-19, 2020 will be remembered as a potential turning point in the struggle for racial equality following the death of George Floyd. When he announced this year’s Emmy nominations, Television Academy chairman and CEO Frank Scherma spoke of the country being in the “greatest fight for social justice”, noting that that it is the responsibility of television to amplify “voices that must be heard”. Amid a renewed effort for increased representation, there were 36 people of color nominated for acting, and six for hosting this year—an overall record. So, while it’s likely to lack some of the typical awards show glitz and glamour, the virtual 2020 Emmys will aim to celebrate diversity, inclusivity and the medium which has helped people though the pandemic by lifting their spirits, entertaining them and hopefully showing them a path to a more just society. ★
O U T S TA N D I N G L E A D A C T O R I N A C O M E D Y S E R I E S
DON CHEADLE
DY N A M I C & C L E V E R -T H E N E W YO R K T I M E S -
Fresh Face: Shira Haas
p. 18
| On My Screen: Wanda Sykes
p. 24
| Documentary mash-up p. 32
COU RT ESY OF H BO
In A Daze
Euphoria has bestowed a first Emmy nomination upon its fast-rising star, Zendaya. But it’s the way people have connected to the show that has truly inspired her BY DINO-RAY RAMOS
PHOTOGRAPH BY
Eddy Chen
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
14
O U T S TA N D I N G D I R E C T I N G F O R A D R A M A S E R I E S
L E S L I L I N K A G L AT T E R
A WORK OF GENIUS -T H E G U A R D I A N -
RETURN FROM REHAB Zendaya stars in Euphoria as Rue, a teenager grappling with drug addiction and mental health issues.
It was the show’s creator, Sam
we see on screen with the show’s central
Levinson, who called with the good
themes. For Zendaya, it is her job to bring
news on the day the nominations were
his vision and this world to life.
announced. Zendaya was woken up by
“My job is to tell stories,” she says,
his call, and knew the news must have
“and I definitely don’t think that Euphoria
been important to prompt such an early
is meant as a guide to tell people to follow
ring. Then came the flurry of texts, emails
a moral high ground of any sort, or what
and phone calls from well-wishers. “I
the right thing and the wrong thing is to
was like, ‘This is just too much for me to
do. That’s definitely not what our show is
mostly handle right now… I need to go
here for. It’s really just to tell stories, and
back to sleep.’ So, I did,” she laughs.
hopefully somebody out there can con-
Weeks later, the news still hasn’t
nect to it and see themselves within it.”
quite sunken in. “It’s like one of those
Rue’s journey on screen is crazy and
out-of-body things, where it’s like, is this
wild as it is intimate and emotional.
even really happening to me?” she mar-
Zendaya lived with Rue and the other
vels. “It still feels very, very surreal. I don’t
Euphoria characters for seven months
know if it will feel like it’s real life. ‘This
of her life and she admits that it was
Zapped and K.C. Undercover, before
isn’t happening to me. This is happening
“very strange” to step back into her own
as a kid,” Zendaya says, of the moment
graduating to an appearance on Dancing
to somebody else.’”
life after being immersed in this teen
she first felt seen through television.
with the Stars and reaching mainstream
She laughs. “I don’t know—maybe I was
audiences in Fox’s surprise megahit
critical acclaim across the board, and
destined to be on Disney Channel. But I
The Greatest Showman and Marvel’s
although it shines a light on the modern
Rue,” she says. “I feel very honored to be
did love me some Disney Channel!”
rebooted Spider-Man franchise.
teen, it leans on narratives about addic-
able to be her, because of how personal
tion and mental health. Although it is
the story is for Sam. Him trusting me
“I was a huge fan of That’s So Raven
Some seven years after That’s So
But her role as Rue in Euphoria, which
Levinson’s HBO series has garnered
hyper-reality. “I’ve learned so much from playing
Raven premiered, Zendaya was starring
has earned Zendaya her first Emmy nomi-
a teen drama, it is on HBO, so Zendaya
with that really means a lot to me. I care
as Rocky Blue in Disney Channel’s teen
nation, marks a turning point. A recovering
points out that people should know
a lot about Rue. She’s important to me.”
hit Shake It Up. It was the spark that
drug addict reckless in her life choices, Rue
what they are getting into. There’s drugs,
lit the wildfire of her career as a triple
is a representation of a narrative we sel-
sex, and storylines that are not typical
one, as a teen actress, Zendaya didn’t
threat. She went on to appear in other
dom see, and a type of role that presented
from your regular teen series. Even so,
have a typical teenage experience, nor
Disney Channel shows like Frenemies,
a different challenge for Zendaya.
Levinson balances the grittiness of what
did she attend a regular high school.
16
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
She and Rue are not exactly alike. For
E D DY CH E N /H BO
REGARDLESS OF GENRE, FILM AND TELEVISION ARE MEDIUMS DESIGNED to entertain. But they are also vehicles to create emotional engagement with stories. And it’s one thing to feel connected; another entirely to see yourself reflected in a character that doesn’t just share your physical attributes, but also your experiences, your culture and your lifestyle. No matter where it comes from, representation matters. And for Zendaya, the first time she saw herself reflected on screen was on the very network that would later launch her own successful career.
HIGH LIFE Clockwise, from top: Rue in bed with Jules (Hunter Schafer), in Episode 8’s musical number, with little sister Gia (Storm Reid).
and understanding by playing her.”
She did however see the typical high
The drama has also sparked a need
school experience through the lens of some her friends. And although the
out there maybe have, but don’t know
“I THINK THAT THAT’S WHAT’S GOOD ABOUT EUPHORIA IS IT MAKES OTHER PEOPLE FEEL LESS ALONE IN THEIR EXPERIENCES. IT MAKES THEM KNOW THAT THEY’RE NOT THE ONLY PERSON DEALING WITH WHAT THEY’RE DEALING WITH.”
how to articulate.”
—ZENDAYA
show is a teen drama, the narrative is very much an exploration of the human condition. Playing Rue gave Zendaya an understanding of addiction and an empathy for those struggling. “I think that Rue is able to make a lot of mistakes, but we still root for her,” she says. “We still want her to be okay and make the right decision because we understand her, and we hear her. We get to hear her thoughts and we get to hear about her manic-depressive episodes from a perspective that I don’t think has ever been told on television. I feel like Sam was able to articulate a lot of feelings that I think a lot of people
Zendaya doesn’t share Rue’s emo-
E D DY CH E N /H BO
tional personality, and although it was
have a conversation together and her being able to meet Hunter, even over
in Zendaya to learn more about work
the phone, it was very special and that
behind the camera. During production,
meant a lot to me. I just got to be a
she became more and more interested
piece of it.”
in cinematography. “I was always just so
Euphoria adds fuel to the fire of the
blown away by it every day,” she says.
need for diverse stories from different
“I just love to sit there and watch them
races, gender identities and other
set up the shots and do these incred-
underrepresented voices. Zendaya sees
ible things with the camera. Figure out
that there are many inclusive stories to
how everything would look.”
be told and cites the old adage, “If you
Directing appeals to her. “I just love the process. I’m so fascinated by the whole thing. I’m just lucky to be
can see it, you can achieve it,” when it comes to authentic representation. “I think that that’s what’s good
in a space where those questions are
about Euphoria is it makes other people
welcomed and invited. In this space, I
feel less alone in their experiences,” she
can learn. So, I do.”
says. “It makes them know that they’re
She’s also proud of how Euphoria
not the only person dealing with what
has advanced representation on
they’re dealing with. For example, Epi-
screen. She recalls a time when a
sode 7 is a manic-depressive episode.
trans girl approached her and praised
That’s what she’s dealing with. And
the show for its representation of
really understanding that from Sam’s
the trans community via her co-star
perspective was beautiful.”
difficult for her, she found it cathartic
rawer with your emotions. If you aren’t,
Hunter Schafer. She immediately called
to live out different emotional states.
it won’t work.”
Schafer to connect the two girls and
“When it comes to Euphoria, it’s just
was on the verge of tears to see that
people being able to have empathy
representation does in fact matter.
for others and to take a second to
“Playing her as a character has opened
That said, playing Rue has changed
She punctuates the sentiment:
me up in a lot of different ways and
part of Zendaya. “I guess I have
exposed a lot of things and emotions,”
softened a little bit,” she confesses.
she explains. “A role like that requires
“I’m more emotionally connected. I’ve
Zendaya says. “I felt so honored to be
with battles that we could not know
you to be a lot more open and a lot
learned more about people, empathy,
able to facilitate them being able to
anything about.” ★
“For her, that meant everything,”
understand that everybody’s dealing
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
17
Fresh Face BY A N TO N IA B LYTH
WHO Shira Haas Age: 25 Hometown: Tel Aviv
WHY
WHEN & WHERE
When Shira Haas first read the script for Netflix’s
“I was really not a child actor at all,” Haas says. “I was
Haas is currently back at work
limited series Unorthodox, based on Deborah Feldman’s
very, very shy. I never thought I’d be in the center of
shooting the third season of
New York Times bestselling memoir of the same
attention.” But when Haas studied drama at school,
Shtisel, which will be available
name, she spoke no Yiddish at all. Yet, this story of
“It was definitely love at first sight.” She went on to
on Netflix. Also in the works
Esty Shapiro, a young woman trapped in an unhappy
land a role in Israeli hit television series Shtisel, and
is Tribeca Film Festival entry
arranged marriage within a Hasidic community in
was noticed by casting director Esther Kling, who
Asia, directed by Ruthy Pribar
Brooklyn, demanded that she not only speak the
would also eventually work on Unorthodox. Kling sent
and co-starring Alena Yiv.
language fluently, but that she sing in it too. Fortunately,
Haas a Facebook message asking her to audition for
Haas plays a teenager coming
Eli Rosen, who plays the Rabbi in the series, also acted
the film Princess, and Haas not only won the lead
of age with disabilities. “I really
as Yiddish consultant on the show. “We just spent
role, but was nominated for Best Actress at the Israeli
love this movie because it
days together. Hours and hours and hours. I remember
Academy Awards. Then came the part of Kira in Natalie
talks about tough subjects,
recording him and recording myself,” Haas says. “If
Portman’s directorial debut A Tale of Love and Darkness,
such as grief, death and
I went for a run or a walk, or if I washed my dishes, I
and Urszula in Jessica Chastain starrer The Zookeeper’s
sickness,” she says. “But it
listened to my Yiddish lines. It was really important for
Wife. Of this last project, Haas says, “Doing the accent
shows it from a such a poetic
me to know it so well, so on ‘action’ I’d be able to be like
there, and working with Jessica Chastain, it did help me
and beautiful point of view. It’s
Esty, so I wouldn’t even have to think about it, and I’d be
to have a lot of experience, a lot of confidence, when I
a story about life. I can’t wait
able to play with it and change the rhythm.”
approached Unorthodox.”
for people to see it.” ★
18
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
N E T FLI X /AP I M AG ES
WHAT
8 EMMY® AWARD NOMINATIONS
“BRILLIANT” “FUNNIEST SHOW ON T V TODAY”
“PHENOMENAL”
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES 3 NOMINATIONS – OUTSTANDING
WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
USE YOUR PERSONAL FX FYC CODE TO WATCH ALL EPISODES ON FXVIP.DIGITALSCREENERS.COM EXPIRES 8/31/20
OUTSTANDING
OUTSTANDING
PRODUCTION DESIGN
CASTING
OUTSTANDING
OUTSTANDING
PICTURE EDITING
SOUND EDITING
CHARTED TERRITORY
At press time, here is how Gold Derby’s experts ranked Emmy chances in the Comedy, Drama and Variety categories. Follow all the races at GoldDerby.com
Under the Sea
The Little Mermaid Live! production designer Misty Buckley takes viewers deep into the world of a Disney classic ON THE LITTLE MERMAID LIVE!, production designer Misty Buckley offered up a fresh visual take on a classic fairy tale, aiming to transport viewers into an underwater world, with sets designed for the stage. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Disney’s animated film, the live musical special intercut footage from that beloved Oscar winner with fantastical live-action sequences, filmed within a theatre in the round. To immerse audience members in the world of mermaid Ariel, Buckley decided to turn the space into a sunken theater, with cracked proscenium walls, floating jellyfish, and lighting effects to flesh it out. “The idea is that you’d stumbled into a beautiful opera house that was sunken 100 years ago,” she says, “and once you’d established that narrative, everything else fell into place.” Using the 1989 film as a starting point for her designs, and elevating them with a sense of “otherworldy theatricality”, Buckley found the special to be challenging to execute, given the level of detail required, and all of the logistics involved in pulling it off. “There were all sorts of lifts, and hidden traps for people to pop up,” she explains. “There were special effects, puppets, lighting, all hidden in the staging itself.” Then, there was the process of navigating complicated scenic transitions. “It was so busy, and we had to have the most extraordinary stage management to get everything off. I mean, it was like a French farce backstage,” she says. “But I think all that energy came across on stage.” —Matt Grobar
DARK ARTS
was a blessing in disguise, because we were able to add on a lot.”
What We Do in the Shadows production designer Kate Bunch overhauls a vampire abode for a second season
In the Gothic dwelling’s interior, the designer added a music which allowed for new narrative
new exterior for the mansion
possibilities. “We always leave
the Shadows, production designer
established in Season 1. “The
open-ended doors or hallways,
Kate Bunch expanded the Staten
property is becoming a woman’s
[because] we want it to feel like a
Island residence of a trio of vampire
shelter, so we ended up deciding
huge mansion,” says the first-time
roommates, for both logistical
to build three sides of the house
Emmy nominee. “We want to be
and creative reasons, beginning
in a parking lot,” Bunch explains.
able to expand whenever we want.”
the process by creating an entirely
“There was a lot to figure out, but it
—Matt Grobar
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
ODDS
1
Schitt’s Creek
9/2
2
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
5/1
3
The Good Place
7/1
4
Insecure
15/2
5
What We Do in the Shadows
17/2
6
Dead to Me
17/2
7
Curb Your Enthusiasm
9/1
8
The Kominsky Method
10/1
DRAMA SERIES
ODDS
1
Succession
4/1
2
Ozark
11/2
3
The Crown
13/2
4
The Mandalorian
15/2
5
Better Call Saul
8/1
6
The Handmaid’s Tale
9/1
7
Killing Eve
9/1
8
Stranger Things
10/1
VARIETY TALK
ODDS
1
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
17/5
2
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
19/5
3
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
4/1
4
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
9/2
5
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
9/2
room and a second-floor hallway,
For Season 2 of FX’s What We Do in
20
COMEDY SERIES
VARIETY SKETCH
ODDS
1
Saturday Night Live
13/10
2
A Black Lady Sketch Show
11/5
3
Drunk History
3/1
6 EMMY® AWARD NOMINATIONS
“BREATHTAKING” OUTSTANDING
PERIOD COSTUMES OUTSTANDING
PROSTHETIC MAKEUP OUTSTANDING
OUTSTANDING
PERIOD HAIRSTYLING
PERIOD MAKEUP
OUTSTANDING
SHORT FORM NONFICTION SERIES POSE: IDENTITY, FAMILY, COMMUNITY
BILLY PORTER OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
USE YOUR PERSONAL FX FYC CODE TO WATCH ALL EPISODES ON FXVIP.DIGITALSCREENERS.COM EXPIRES 8/31/20
6
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
Wanda Sykes
Having embodied a childhood hero in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the comedy veteran discusses her dreams of Marvel movies, Kelly Clarkson karaoke and what makes her cry BY STEV IE WONG PHOTOG RAPHS BY DE RE K WOOD
WITH OVER TWO DECADES OF WORK UNDER HER BELT,
Wanda Sykes has found that being a multi-hyphenate artist certainly allows for a diverse and successful career. Starting off as an award-winning writer for The Chris Rock Show, she quickly found popularity with her stand-up specials, leading to roles in Monster-In-Law and The New Adventures of Old Christine. 2020 has given Sykes four Emmy nominations this year—two under her production company Push It, one for the role of Gladys in Crank Yankers, and one for her performance as legendary vaudeville entertainer Moms Mabley in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Sykes describes this surreal pandemic year thus: “2020, for me, the glass is half-full. But it’s a dirty glass. It’s like from a crime scene with lipstick and fingerprints and smudges all on it.”
MY FIRST FILM LESSON That whole ‘camera right, camera left’ thing. It was Nutty Professor II and Eddie [Murphy] plays all those different characters. A lot of my takes, I’m talking to a tennis ball and so, they would say, “When you look at the tennis ball, look camera right, or camera left,” and I just kept getting it wrong. I finally said, “Okay, wait a minute. Just say right or left because it’s the opposite from where I stand.” And I just thought that was ridiculous, learning camera angles, because I was working with a tennis ball. THE BEST ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED It was from Chris Rock. I was shooting my first special [Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied] and I said, “Chris, okay, so give me some advice.” And he said, “Make your special, special. Don’t go do a set. Do a special.” And I was like, “Okay, that makes sense.” And I’ve always followed that, made my specials special. It has to be memorable. You want the audience to be able to at least quote something or yell a line back at you when you’re walking down the street. Just be a little risky and step outside of your comfort zone and make it sharp. Make sure everything flows and don’t waste any time. Just solid bam, bam, bam, jokes.
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
MY DREAM PROJECT I would love to get in one of those Marvel movies, but I want comfortable shoes. I don’t want to be one of those superheroes with the high-heeled boots and everything. I’d even wear the suit as long as I could get into those nice flat nurse shoes, maybe a kitten heel. It’s a practical thing. You’re saving the world, why do you need to wear heels? MY MOST ICONIC ROLE I not only know Moms Mabley, but I know her routines and her mannerisms— so, I just went back and watched more clips of her on YouTube. I always go back and listen to her albums, so I went back and did that. And then the wardrobe, hair and makeup team that they have over there at Maisel, they did the rest. I also appreciated the storyline because at the Apollo, that was Moms’ home, she was the queen there. So, for her to be bumped in her own home by a white girl, I’m sure it happened, but it reflects what was going on during that time. And you could just feel that Moms was like, “Well, okay. This is life. It’s not the first time that’s happened to me.” MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE Being on time. That’s probably the biggest challenge in life. In high school, I never made it on the bus on time. Luckily, my dad had to pass by my school on the way to work at the military base. So, I just stopped trying to make the bus. I don’t think I was ever in my homeroom class; I would just go to my first period. I don’t know what happens. I get up early and then somehow, I walk out the door, I get in my car and I go, “I forgot something.” I go back in and then... I don’t know what happens. It’s the worst. THE FILMS AND TELEVISION THAT MAKE ME CRY I’m still in menopause, sometimes commercials will make me cry now, it’s ridiculous. And also, I watch a lot of stuff with my kids, and oh my God, those things, please, it’s so sad. What was the last one? Onward. Oh my gosh. You start off with the dad is already dead and then only half the dad comes back. He’s just a pair of pants. What the hell, man?
RE X /S H U T T ERSTOC K
On My Screen:
THE PART I ALWAYS WANTED I just love Mrs. Maisel. So, just to be asked to be on the show, I was like, “Of course.” But then to play my comedy idol Moms Mabley, if it wasn’t for Moms, I probably wouldn’t even be doing stand-up. I think that’s why you don’t need a lot because it’s such a huge character I’m playing. For me, it was like, “Oh my God, not only do I get to play Moms, but I get to play her on the Apollo stage? Are you kidding me?” It was just the best. According to my mother, I’ve been preparing for that role since I was a kid because she said, “You used to walk around the house with a dust cap over your head, and you would do Moms all the time.”
MY KARAOKE PLAYLIST “Let’s Groove Tonight” by Earth, Wind & Fire. What else do I like? I mean, I destroy it, but “Since You’ve Been Gone” by Kelly Clarkson. I do a full, open throat, loud screaming, just awful. It’s so bad. So bad. And a new one I’ve been doing is Macy Gray, “I Try”. Oh boy, I croon on that one. THE MOST FUN I’VE HAD ON SET It was on the Breaking News in Yuba County set last summer. We were down in Natchez, Mississippi with [director] Tate Taylor. And man, did we have a good time. It was like camp. Most of us stayed at Tate’s house. We would hang out, have dinner together and after work, we’d all sit on the porch, drinking martinis. And everybody brought their dogs. So it was a lot of fun. THE CHARACTER THAT’S MOST LIKE ME I think maybe Ruby from Monsterin-Law. Because she was just pretty straightforward and when she got pissed, she’d let you know she was pissed. Actually, a lot of my characters are like that, huh? A lot of it is, “Hey, who’s the voice of reason? Who’s looking around, telling these people they’re nuts?” Or it’s, “Bring in the joke. Joke, coming in hot.”
MY GUILTY PLEASURE 90 Day Fiancé. Oh, man, that’s just good trash TV. It’s so good because these are just people who are honest with themselves. They’re like, “What do I have to offer? Oh, I know, a green card.” They know that’s their selling point. So, they go to these other countries and they get these people who are way out of their league, but they know, “Hey, I got this green card for you. That makes me cute.” It’s like, “In real life, I’m like a five, but I could get you a green card, that makes me like a sevenand-a-half or an eight.”
LINES PEOPLE QUOTE AT ME I get a lot of Esther [her stomach’s name] from my special. People love Esther. From Crank Yankers, they love Gladys Murphy’s turd in the back seat. And I get some stuff from Curb Your Enthusiasm. They go, “Hey, Wanda.” And I’m like, “Hello.” They go, “I’d know that tush anywhere.” Luckily, they don’t say that while standing behind me. That’d be creepy. ★
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
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THANK YOU, TELEVISION ACADEMY! 47 NOMINATIONS, 35 CATEGORIES Disney Television Studios Proudly Congratulates Our Emmy® Nominees On Their Outstanding Work.
POSE 5 NOMINATIONS
JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! 3 NOMINATIONS
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series – Billy Porter Outstanding Period And/Or Character Hairstyling Outstanding Period And/Or Character Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Limited Series, Movie Or Special Outstanding Period Costumes
Outstanding Variety Talk Series Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control For A Series Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction For A Variety Series
POSE: IDENTITY, FAMILY, COMMUNITY 1 NOMINATION
JIMMY KIMMEL’S QUARANTINE MINILOGUES 1 NOMINATION
Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction Or Reality Series
Outstanding Short Form Variety Series
LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE 5 NOMINATIONS
MODERN FAMILY 3 NOMINATIONS
Outstanding Limited Series Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie – Kerry Washington Outstanding Directing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Dramatic Special – Lynn Shelton Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics Outstanding Music Composition For A Limited Series, Movie Or Special (Original Dramatic Score)
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series – Fred Willard Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series – Gail Mancuso Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (Half-Hour) And Animation
THE POLITICIAN 5 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series – Bette Midler Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) Outstanding Contemporary Costumes Outstanding Main Title Design
THIS IS US 5 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series – Sterling K. Brown Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series – Ron Cephas Jones Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series – Phylicia Rashad Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling
THE SIMPSONS
3 NOMINATIONS
Outstanding Animated Program Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Hank Azaria Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Nancy Cartwright
TALES FROM THE LOOP
2 NOMINATIONS
Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series (One Hour) Outstanding Special Visual Effects In A Supporting Role
BOB’S BURGERS 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Animated Program
CENTRAL PARK
1 NOMINATION
Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance – Leslie Odom Jr.
AMERICAN HORROR STORY: 1984 4 NOMINATIONS
GODFATHER OF HARLEM 1 NOMINATION
Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Limited Series Or Movie Outstanding Sound Editing For A Limited Series, Movie Or Special Outstanding Period And/Or Character Makeup (Non-Prosthetic) Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Limited Series, Movie Or Special
Outstanding Main Title Design
BLACK-ISH 4 NOMINATIONS Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series – Anthony Anderson Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series – Tracee Ellis Ross Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling Outstanding Contemporary Costumes
HOMELAND 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series – Lesli Linka Glatter
HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series – Cicely Tyson
THE ROOKIE 1 NOMINATION Outstanding Stunt Coordination For A Drama Series, Limited Series Or Movie
CHARTED TERRITORY
At press time, here is how Gold Derby’s experts ranked Emmy chances in key categories. Follow all the races at GoldDerby.com
Baptism by Fire Little Fires Everywhere composers Mark Isham and Isabella Summers on the magical product of true collaboration
IT TOOK AMPLE TRIAL AND ERROR for composers Mark Isham and Isabella Summers to get to the heart of Little Fires Everywhere. Created by Liz Tigelaar, the Hulu miniseries centers on a Shaker Heights matriarch and her family whose lives are upended when a mysterious mother and daughter come into town. The drama called for a score that would “capture the essence of these women” who had become completely entangled with one another, Summers says. “We had an intellectual description in mind. We wanted to embrace big rock drums, chamber strings. Burning piano had become a sound,” Isham adds. “I literally have a sample of a piano that’s been set on fire, which seemed apocryphal and cool.” But to translate intellectual understanding into an emotional, sonic experience, the pair first had to learn how to work as collaborators. One of the driving forces behind English indie rock band Florence and the Machine, Summers came to the project with no experience in TV scoring; Isham, on the other hand, was a veteran of the craft. Given their differing backgrounds, the duo initially had differing creative impulses, on everything from mechanisms of recording to the proper use of drums. Ultimately, though, they worked together closely, and in person, to create a product that was greater than the sum of its parts. By Episode 4, Isham said, “Shit, this is it. It’s visceral, and it’s pop. It’s accessible, but it [has] all this emotion.” —Matt Grobar
PAINTING THE TOWN
images poignant,” Knoll explains,
VFX producer Andrea Knoll channels a beloved artist’s singular aesthetic on Tales from the Loop
so that we were supporting the
“but maintain a sense of subtlety, story.” Challenged to deliver feature-quality effects on a
On Tales from the Loop, VFX
above “The Loop,” a machine built
compressed TV schedule, the VFX
producer Andrea Knoll built a
to tap into the mysteries of the
producer now considers Tales one
world around the work of Swedish
universe. In bringing this retro-
of the highlights of her career. “It’s a
artist Simon Stålenhag, working to
futuristic world to life, the Tales
daunting task to live up to Simon’s
preserve that painterly feeling in
team embraced a combination of
work,” says the first-time Emmy
every frame. Created by Nathaniel
practical and visual effects, always
nominee. “So, it was very rewarding
Halpern, the sci-fi drama explores
with an eye toward photorealistic
that we were successful.”
the lives of townspeople living
imagery. “We wanted to keep all
—Matt Grobar
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
LIMITED SERIES
ODDS
1
Watchmen
82/25
2
Mrs. America
4/1
3
Unbelievable
4/1
4
Unorthodox
9/2
5
Little Fires Everywhere
9/2
TV MOVIE
ODDS
1
Bad Education
10/3
2
El Camino
18/5
3
American Son
9/2
4
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
9/2
5
Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings
9/2
MOVIE/LIMITED ACTOR
ODDS
1
Mark Ruffalo I Know This Much Is True
69/20
2
Hugh Jackman Bad Education
37/10
3
Paul Mescal Normal People
4/1
4
Jeremy Irons Watchmen
9/2
5
Jeremy Pope Hollywood
9/2
MOVIE/LIMITED ACTRESS
ODDS
1
Regina King Watchmen
82/25
2
Cate Blanchett Mrs. America
4/1
3
Shira Haas Unorthodox
4/1
4
Kerry Washington Little Fires Everywhere
9/2
5
Octavia Spencer Self Made
9/2
6
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
“WE LOVED IT!” ESSENCE
“A SPECIAL TREAT” PEOPLE.COM
“CLEVER” INDIEWIRE
“STANDOUT” ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT
4 EMMY® NOMINATIONS
IN FRONT OF A STUDIO AUDIENCE
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
OUTSTANDING VARIETY SPECIAL (LIVE) OUTSTANDING DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL PAMELA FRYMAN, ANDY FISHER OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION DESIGN FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL DIRECTION, CAMERAWORK, VIDEO CONTROL FOR A SPECIAL
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TIGER KING
THE LAST DANCE
Tiger Beat This year’s doc race rides waves of change, and pandemic captivity’s surprise hit BY MATTHEW CAREY
WHEN DIRECTORS ERIC GOODE AND REBECCA CHAIKLIN began collaborating on a documentary series about the strange world of exotic animal breeders, they thought it might generate modest attention. “We were certainly fascinated by it,” Chaiklin recalls. “But we sort of thought it was our own little story that maybe a few people would be interested in.” Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Mad-
win in February for Best Documentary
THE CAVE
LEAH REMINI: SCIENTOLOGY AND THE AFTERMATH
the Emmys, especially from HBO, which
Director Jason Hehir says it was
has its own strong slate, including the
a small team that crafted the series,
documentary series McMillion$, recipi-
smaller even than the typical NBA
ent of five nominations.
squad of 15. “It would be really gratifying for us to
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY
be recognized and to be put in the same
OR NONFICTION SERIES
sentence as other great documenta-
This is easily the most competitive
ries,” Hehir allows. “But win or lose, it’s
nonfiction category, featuring a handful
not going to affect the pride that I have
of contenders that became notable
in them because it’s impossible for me
cultural phenomena.
to be prouder than I am.”
Tiger King premiered on Netflix just
McMillion$ hit HBO in early February,
as the coronavirus pandemic was con-
just before the pandemic lockdown,
fining people to their homes—caged like
but the series still became water cooler
the animals featured in the series. Cap-
talk (back when people worked out of
tive viewers turned it into a huge hit, and
offices). It’s the complex true crime tale
engrossing characters like Joe Exotic
of how a group of scammers pulled off
and Carole Baskin didn’t hurt either.
one of the great frauds in history, rigging
“The animal world is a very fertile
McDonald’s Monopoly game promotion
ness wound up attracting not just a “few
Feature. That film, about a Chinese
landscape of interesting people,” Goode
people”, but a stampede after it dropped
company’s fraught effort to run an auto
tells Deadline. “For whatever reason,
on Netflix in March. And when the Emmy
glass operation on the site of an old
the Tiger King series connected with the
series Hillary, about former Secretary
nominations were announced, Tiger
GM factory in Ohio, inaugurated the
right audience. It obviously went viral in
of State and Democratic presidential
King snared half a dozen of them, the
relationship between Netflix and Higher
many ways.”
candidate Hillary Clinton, and the PBS
most of any documentary.
Ground Productions, the production
Netflix earned a record 160 Emmy
Tiger King is up against a series not
over a period of years. Rounding out the category are Hulu’s
series American Masters which has been
company founded by former President
about big cats but the GOAT—Michael
nominated for Outstanding Nonfiction
nominations in all, a tidy number com-
Barack Obama and Michelle Obama.
Jordan. The Last Dance, which chronicled
Series an astonishing 15 years in a row.
ing in documentary categories, where
Three more Emmy nominations
the final championship season of Jordan
it lapped the field: Traditional docu-
accrued to Netflix with another film
and his Chicago Bulls, debuted on ESPN
OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY
mentary powerhouse HBO scored eight
from Higher Ground—Becoming,
in April, benefiting from an audience
OR NONFICTION SPECIAL
nonfiction nominations, fewer than half
which tells the story of Mrs. Obama,
starved of sports. It averaged more than
HBO and Netflix also square off in this
of what Netflix collected.
built around promotional appear-
five million viewers per episode on ESPN,
high-profile category, which honors doc-
ances she made for her bestselling
then aired on ABC, and is now among
umentary films (as opposed to series).
memoir, Becoming.
the most-watched programs on Netflix,
Netflix Emmy contenders include American Factory, which earned three nominations coming off its Oscar
32
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
But Netflix faces stiff competition at
which co-produced the series.
HBO’s draw is The Apollo, from Oscar-winning director Roger Ross
just start documenting his effort to learn this piece,” Taylor tells Deadline. “At the beginning he was doing it by himself because his teacher wouldn’t teach him. She said it was too hard. But he just kept going.” One Child Nation, from directors Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang, documents China’s one child policy, which was in effect from 1979 until 2015. The filmmakers expose the chilling reality of how Chinese
THE APOLLO
authorities enforced the policy. “If a pregnant woman gave birth to their first child, within a month they would be forced to have a sterilization. And if women resisted—let’s say if they tried to hide in a different city, in a different village—once they were discovered they would be taken to a clinic to have a forced abortion,” Wang reports. “If anybody violated the one
ONE CHILD NATION
BECOMING
child policy they faced detainment, prison time and substantial fines.”
Williams. His documentary weaves
streaming service Apple TV+. The film
worthy of nominations this year,
OUTSTANDING HOSTED
together the past and present of the
about the legendary rap group was
among them Oscar nominee The
NONFICTION SPECIAL OR SERIES
historic Apollo Theater in Harlem, a
directed by Spike Jonze, whose asso-
Cave, directed by Feras Fayyad. It’s
In some ways this is the most
venue that has showcased and nur-
ciation with the group goes back more
the story of Dr. Amani Ballour and her
intriguing documentary category,
tured African-American talent since
than 25 years.
colleagues, who tended to civilians
because it’s such a hodgepodge.
the 1930s, ranging from Ella Fitzgerald to James Brown and Lauryn Hill. “It’s not a film about a building.
wounded in Syria’s civil war, working
Among the contenders is Jerry
contends in this category—Laurel
Another music-related film
out of an underground hospital in
Seinfeld, host of Comedians in Cars
Canyon: A Place in Time, a two-part
Eastern Ghouta.
Getting Coffee, and Jeff Goldblum
This is a film about a community, the
documentary for Epix that celebrates
resilience,” Williams insists. “This film
the recording artists who turned L.A.’s
producers Kirstine Barfod and Sigrid
is, for me, really about the resilience of
Laurel Canyon neighborhood into
Dyekjær couldn’t foretell what direc-
Black people in America.”
a musical hotbed beginning in the
tion the film might ultimately take.
The Apollo goes up against not one but two Netflix documentaries—
mid-1960s. Laurel Canyon scored three
The unpredictability of war meant
“We didn’t know if Dr. Amani was going to survive,” Dyekjær tells
for his globetrotting series The World According to Jeff Goldblum. “I follow my own actual curiosity,” Goldblum says of the show’s wideranging explorations. “I know nothing— that’s the premise.”
the aforementioned Becoming,
nominations, including two for sound
Deadline. “And we didn’t know
directed by Nadia Hallgren, and The
editing and mixing.
what was going to happen with our
ing Leah Remini: Scientology and the
characters or our cinematographers,
Aftermath, a subject about which she
for that matter.”
knows quite a bit, having grown up in
Great Hack, directed by Karim Amer
“Awards are great and fun and excit-
Leah Remini is nominated for host-
and Jehane Noujaim. The Great
ing, but I don’t do things for awards,”
Hack investigates how Cambridge
comments Laurel Canyon director
Analytica, the now-defunct data
Allison Ellwood. “If it happens, that’ll be
ers include Chasing the Moon, directed
analysis firm, leveraged Facebook
great. And if it doesn’t, I still love the film
by Robert Stone, one of two films with
VICE, the Showtime series which
user information to influence the
and that’s the best thing.”
Emmy nominations that track NASA’s
has no credited host listed in the Emmy
historic mission to land humans on the
nominations, is represented in the
outcome of the 2016 presidential
Fellow Exceptional Merit contend-
the Church of Scientology before leaving it in 2013.
election. It offers a harsh indictment
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT IN
lunar surface (the other is Apollo 11,
category, as is Ugly Delicious, the Netflix
of Facebook, which the directors see
DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
which garnered five nominations).
foodie show which definitely does have
as undermining democracy.
This is a special juried award recogniz-
“Facebook’s business model is
Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three
a host—restaurateur David Chang.
ing documentaries that demonstrate
Movements, directed by Irene Taylor,
incentivizing divisiveness,” Amer
“profound social impact, significant
revolves around her son Jonas, whose
the documentary categories will be
asserts, calling the social media plat-
innovation of form, [and/or] remark-
limited hearing at birth progressed
presented, are set for five nights,
form a “crime scene that is polluting
able mastery of filmmaking technique.”
to total deafness when he was very
September 14 through 19. This
our information highway and stifling
Hopefuls are required to submit a
young. He studied piano and became
year, because of the coronavirus,
democratic civil discourse.”
written statement explaining why their
determined to master the Moonlight
the ceremony is foregoing its usual
film ought to be considered for this
Sonata, written by Beethoven as the
trappings and instead, according to
rare honor.
composer lost his hearing.
the Television Academy, will be an
Joining those films is Beastie Boys Story, which accounted for five of the 18 Emmy nominations nabbed by new
Only four films were deemed
“I basically asked [Jonas] if I could
The Creative Arts Emmys, where
“innovative virtual event”. ★
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
33
HBO 8:03AM - 8:35AM
NAT GEO 8:35AM - 9:06AM
SHOWTIME 9:06AM - 9:35AM
AMAZON PRIME 9:35AM - 10:05AM
NETFLIX 10:05AM - 10:34AM
Bad Education
Hugh Jackman (Actor)
We’re Here
Bob The Drag Queen (Performer) D.J. “Shangela” Pierce (Performer)
The Cave
Feras Fayyad (Director/Writer)
Life Below Zero
Michael Cheeseman (Cinematographer) Danny Day (Cinematographer) Jennifer Nelson (Editor)
Black Monday
Don Cheadle (EP/Actor)
Homeland
Lesli Linka Glatter (Director/EP)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Panel 1)
Alex Borstein (Actor) Rachel Brosnahan (Actor) Daniel Palladino (EP) Tony Shalhoub (Actor)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Panel 2)
Amy Sherman-Palladino (Creator/EP) Alex Borstein (Actor) Rachel Brosnahan (Actor) Marin Hinkle (Actor) Wanda Sykes (Guest Actor)
Unorthodox
Shira Haas (Actor) Anna Winger (Showrunner/Writer)
Nailed It!
Nicole Byer (Host)
Normal People
Lenny Abrahamson (Director/EP) Paul Mescal (Actor)
The Handmaid’s Tale
Alexis Bledel (Actor) Bradley Whitford (Actor) Samira Wiley (Actor)
Most Dangerous Game
Nick Santora (Creator/EP/Writer) Christoph Waltz (Actor)
#FreeRayshawn
Jasmine Cephas Jones (Actor) Laurence Fishburne (Actor) Stephan James (Actor)
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Michelle Visage (Judge/Producer) Mandy Salangsang (EP) Michele Mills (EP) Jamie Martin (Lead Editor) Kendra Pasker (Lead Editor) Ashlei Dabney (Field Producer)
B RE A K( 10 MIN) HULU 10:45AM - 11:18AM
QUIBI 11:18AM - 11:48AM
VH1 11:48AM - 12:16PM
SCHEDULE AND PRESENTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
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Schitt’s Creek
Daniel Levy (Co-Creator/EP/Actor) Eugene Levy (Co-Creator/EP/Actor) Annie Murphy (Actor) Catherine O’Hara (Actor)
Pose
Billy Porter (Actor)
What We Do in the Shadows
Matt Berry (Actor) Paul Simms (EP) Stefani Robinson (EP)
DISNEY TELEVISION STUDIOS 1:47PM - 2:17PM
This is Us
Sterling K. Brown (Actor) Ron Cephas Jones (Guest Actor) Phylicia Rashad (Guest Actor)
DISNEY+ 2:17PM - 2:48PM
The Mandalorian
Jon Favreau (Creator/EP) Dave Filoni (EP) Ludwig Göransson (Composer)
SONY PICTURES TV 2:48PM - 3:19PM
Better Call Saul
Peter Gould (Co-Creator/Showrunner/EP/Writer/Director)
Live in Front of a Studio Audience
Norman Lear (EP) Brent Miller (EP) Kerry Washington (EP)
CBS ALL ACCESS 3:29PM - 3:59PM COMEDY CENTRAL 3:59PM - 4:29PM
Star Trek: Short Treks
Alex Kurtzman (EP)
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Jen Flanz (EP/Showrunner) David Kibuuka (Supervising Producer/Writer) Zhubin Parang (Supervising Producer/Writer)
HBO 4:29PM - 5:00PM
I Know This Much Is True
Derek Cianfrance (EP/Director/Writer) Mark Ruffalo (EP/Actor)
Watchmen
Regina King (Actor)
Black-ish
Anthony Anderson (EP/Actor) Tracee Ellis Ross (Actor)
Shark Tank
Barbara Corcoran (Shark/EP) Daymond John (Shark/EP) Kevin O’Leary (Shark/EP)
The Morning Show
Jennifer Aniston (EP/Actor) Billy Crudup (Actor) Mark Duplass (Actor) Mimi Leder (EP/Director) Martin Short (Guest Actor)
POP TV 12:16PM - 12:46PM
LU NCH ( 3 0 MIN) FX 1:16PM - 1:47PM
B RE A K( 10 MIN)
ABC 5:00PM - 5:29PM
APPLE TV+ 5:29PM - 5:59PM
SCHEDULE AND PRESENTERS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
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THE
SHOWS ABC ENTERTAINMENT Black-ish A boon for ABC since its 2014 debut, Kenya Barris’ sitcom has earned 19 Emmy nominations to date, as well as a Golden Globe for star Tracee Ellis Ross. The comedy centers on Andre ‘Dre’ Johnson (executive producer Anthony Anderson) and his wife, Rainbow (Ross), an African-American couple struggling to imbue their kids with a sense of cultural identity, while raising them in a mostly-white neighborhood. Also starring Marcus Scribner, Miles Brown, Marsai Martin, Deon Cole, Jenifer Lewis, Jeff Meacham and Peter Mackenzie, the series wrapped its sixth season in May. Shark Tank Long a flagship show for ABC, this acclaimed program has won the Emmy for Outstanding Structured Reality Program four times over, earning 13 other nominations throughout its run. Created by Mark Burnett, the reality series spotlights entrepreneurs as they make business presentations to a panel of highprofile investors, or “sharks,” who then decide whether they’d like to personally invest in the entrepreneurs’ companies. Wrapping its 11th season in May, the series’ veteran sharks include Kevin O’Leary, Barbara Corcoran, Daymond John, Robert Herjavec, Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban. AMAZON PRIME VIDEO The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, and executive produced by Daniel Palladino, this period comedy amassed 16 Emmys and three Golden Globes in its first two seasons. Set in New York City during the late ’50s and early ’60s, it centers on Midge Maisel (Rachel 40
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Brosnahan), a housewife who goes against the wishes of her family, and the expectations of society at large, in her pursuit of a career in stand-up. Boasting an all-star cast that includes Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle and Tony Shalhoub, the series returned for its third season last December, and has been renewed for a fourth. APPLE TV+ The Morning Show Jennifer Aniston makes a triumphant return to the small screen in this workplace drama, based on a book by Brian Stelter. Aniston plays Alex, an anchor on a popular breakfast news program, whose life is turned upside down when her co-anchor (Steve Carell) is ousted, due to accusations of sexual misconduct. Finding friction in her relationship with her new on-air partner (Reese Witherspoon), Alex must navigate a chaotic situation at the network, while fighting to keep her job. Executive produced by Kerry Ehrin, Mimi Leder and Michael Ellenberg, the series’ all-star cast includes Billy Crudup and Mark Duplass. CBS ALL ACCESS Star Trek: Short Treks Created by Bryan Fuller and Alex Kurtzman, this short-form series is the latest extension of the Star Trek universe—an anthology, consisting of both animated and liveaction episodes. Comprised of standalone pieces, featuring characters and settings from the broader Star Trek universe, it’s offered the opportunity for a deeper dive into stories that hadn’t been previously explored. Nominated this year for the Emmy for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or
The full rundown of Deadline’s Contenders Emmys event, where showrunners, stars and other key creatives will gather to discuss the year’s standout television
Drama Series, the show features turns from Rebecca Romijn, Aldis Hodge, Doug Jones, Rainn Wilson and more. COMEDY CENTRAL The Daily Show with Trevor Noah South African comedian Trevor Noah executive produces, writes and hosts the third iteration of this iconic late-night series—the longest-running program on Comedy Central. Nominated this year for five Emmys, the comedic news program sees Noah lampooning current events, both in and outside of politics, while engaging in interviews with an ever-growing list of A-list celebrities. Like all late-night shows, Noah’s was threatened when the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered production across the world. But the host quickly adapted. Devising The Social Distancing Show—a remote version of the series—in March, Noah has continued airing shows almost every week since. DISNEY+ The Mandalorian Created by Jon Favreau, the Star Wars franchise’s first live-action series made a splash at the Emmys in this, its first goround, breaking into the highly competitive Drama Series category. Set five years after the events of Return of the Jedi, and 25 years prior to The Force Awakens, the space Western centers on Din Djarin, a lone Mandalorian bounty hunter, who chases down criminals in the outer reaches of the galaxy. Directed by Deborah Chow and EP Dave Filoni, the series includes a score from Oscar winner Ludwig Göransson. Among the cast are Pedro Pascal, Carl Weathers and Werner Herzog.
Black-ish
The Morning Show
The Mandalorian
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Shark Tank
Star Trek: Short Treks
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
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FO R YOU R EM MY ® CO N S ID E R AT I O N
ANTHONY ANDERSON OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
TRACEE ELLIS ROSS OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
MICHELLE R. COLE OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY COSTUMES
ARAXI LINDSEY ROBERT C. MATHEWS III ENOCH WILLIAMS OUTSTANDING CONTEMPORARY HAIRSTYLING
FOR YOUR EMMY ® CONSIDERATION
OUTSTANDING STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM OUTSTANDING HOST FOR A REALITY OR COMPETITION PROGRAM
DAYMOND JOHN, BARBARA CORCORAN, MARK CUBAN, LORI GREINER, KEVIN O’LEARY and ROBERT HERJAVEC
© 2020 Sony Pictures Television Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Pose
The Cave
Watchmen
The Handmaid’s Tale
DISNEY TELEVISION STUDIOS This Is Us Proudly representing network television in the Emmys race since 2016, with three wins and 32 nominations, Dan Fogelman’s singular family drama tells the heartfelt, emotional story of a unique set of triplets and their loving parents, examining the highs and lows of their current-day lives, as well as defining moments in their past. Returning for its fourth season this past fall, with at least two more seasons on the way, the critically acclaimed drama’s ensemble includes Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Ron Cephas Jones, Phylicia Rashad and many more. FX Pose Winning Billy Porter his first Emmy, this series set in the late ’80s and early ’90s takes a look at three of New York’s unique spheres: the downtown social scene, the world of African American and Latino ball culture, and that of the emerging elite. Created by Steven Canals, Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy, the LGBTQ+ drama boasts an all-star cast, featuring 44
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Bad Education
more trans actors than any scripted series in history, and is scheduled to return for its third season next year. What We Do in the Shadows Based on the 2014 film of the same name written by Taika Waititi and Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement, this comedy broke into the Emmys’ highly competitive race for Outstanding Comedy Series in its second go-round. Framed as a mockumentary, Clement’s series follows the day-to-day lives of three vampire roommates in Staten Island, exploring the ways in which these centuriesold, supernatural beings interact with the modern world. Starring Kayvan Novak, Matt Berry, Natasia Demetriou, Harvey Guillén and Mark Proksch, the comedy was renewed for a third season in May. HBO Bad Education Emmy winners Hugh Jackman and Allison Janney star in this comedic crime drama, adapted from a New York magazine article by Robert Kolker. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall, and
competing this Emmy season for Outstanding Television Movie, this timely film is based on the true story of the largest public school embezzlement scandal in American history, following two officials within Long Island’s Roslyn Union Free School District, as they steal millions from the institution they have also tried to make the best in the United States. Cory Finley directs, from a script by Mike Makowsky. We’re Here Debuting in April, this acclaimed series will contend at this year’s Emmys for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program. Created by Johnnie Ingram and Steve Warren, it follows Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O’Hara and Shangela Laquifa Wadley—three former contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race—as they travel across the United States to recruit residents of small towns for a series of one-night-only drag shows. Traveling in its first season from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to Spartanburg, South Carolina, the show serves as a celebration of individuality, and of drag queens everywhere, and was renewed for a second season in June.
What We Do in the Shadows
I Know This Much Is True Mark Ruffalo earned his third Emmy nomination for his portrayal of twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey in this limited series, based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Wally Lamb. Written and directed by Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines), the drama examines Dominick’s troubled relationship with Thomas—who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia—and his fervent efforts to get his brother released from a psychiatric facility. Premiering in May, the series’ starry ensemble includes Rosie O’Donnell, Melissa Leo, Kathryn Hahn, Rob Huebel, Archie Panjabi, Michael Greyeyes and Imogen Poots. Watchmen Based on a DC Comics series created by Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore, this timely drama earned 26 Emmy nominations, the most of any show this year. Set in an alternate version of the 20th Century, in which vigilantes—once celebrated as heroes—have been outlawed, it examines systemic racism in America, as violence erupts between the police and a white supremacist group known as the
This Is Us
I Know This Much Is True
Normal People
We’re Here
Seventh Kavalry. Created by Damon Lindelof, the ensemble includes Regina King, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jovan Adepo, Louis Gossett Jr., Jeremy Irons and Jean Smart. HULU Normal People Executive produced by Ed Guiney and Oscar-nominated director Lenny Abrahamson (Room), this Irish drama adapts Sally Rooney’s 2018 novel of the same name. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal, it charts the romance between Marianne and Connell, two young adults from the same small town, and very different backgrounds, as they come in and out of each other’s lives. Streaming on Hulu and BBC Three, the pop culture phenomenon earned four Emmy nominations this year, for Directing, Writing, Casting and Lead Actor in a Limited Series. Abrahamson and Hettie Macdonald direct, from scripts by Rooney and Alice Birch. The Handmaid’s Tale This acclaimed, dystopian drama adapts Margaret Atwood’s portentous 1985 novel. Created by Bruce Miller, it centers
on Elisabeth Moss’s June, a woman living in a dark age who sees her family and her former life stripped away. Forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocreatric dictatorship, June quickly begins plotting to topple the totalitarian state, along with an escape to Canada with her child. Earning 14 Emmys and 54 noms in its first three seasons, the series also stars Bradley Whitford, Samira Wiley and Alexis Bledel. NAT GEO The Cave Directed by Feras Fayyad, this Oscar-nominated documentary sheds light on the daily trials faced by female doctors in Ghouta, who work in an underground hospital known as The Cave, confronting sexism on a regular basis as they perform heroic acts. Its focus is Dr. Amani Ballour, a physician who saved the lives of countless men, women and children in recent years, even as bombs dropped overhead, and The Cave was hit with terrifying chemical attacks. Immersing viewers in the horrors of the Syrian Civil War, the doc premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall. D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
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“A
TRIFECTA OF ELEGANT WRITING, DIRECTING AND ACTING.”
Life Below Zero Executive produced by Joseph Litzinger, this reality series chronicles the everyday challenges faced by subsistence hunters living in remote areas of Alaska—individuals who habitually endure below-zero conditions, have only themselves to rely on, and like it that way. Produced by BBC Worldwide, the series has made celebrities out of the likes of Sue Aikens—owner of the Kavik River Camp— and Ricko DeWilde, an Athabaskan teaching his children about subsistence living, winning four Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Cinematography and Picture Editing since its 2013 debut. NETFLIX Unorthodox Based on a memoir by Deborah Feldman, and boasting a breakout performance by Shira Haas, this miniseries centers on Esty, a 19-year-old Jewish woman who has tired of her arranged marriage, and the ultra-Orthodox community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in which she was raised. After running away to Berlin, Esty discovers a whole new world she never knew existed, rejecting her family’s beliefs and attempting to start a new life. Directed by Maria Schrader, from scripts by Anna Winger and Alexa Karolinski, the drama will contend in September for eight Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series. Nailed It! Hosted by comedian Nicole Byer, this reality series celebrates imperfection within the culinary world. Each episode follows amateur bakers with questionable track records, as they attempt to recreate daunting cakes and confections, to hilarious ends. The prize on the line is $10,000, along with the coveted “Nailed It” trophy. Spurring spinoffs in Mexico, Germany, France and Spain, the incredibly popular series broke into the competitive category of Outstanding Competition Program just last year. This time around, Byer has also earned a nomination as host, becoming the first Black woman to be recognized in her category. POP TV Schitt’s Creek Created by the father-son duo of Eugene and Daniel Levy, this sitcom has only continued to grow in popularity since its 2015 debut, racking up 19 Emmy nominations in the last two years. The first Canadian series to be nominated for a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Comedy, it focuses on the incredibly rich Rose family, who are forced to move to the town they once bought as a 48
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joke, when funds dry up. Coming to a close in April, the series’ cast features the two Levys, along with Annie Murphy and Chris Elliott. QUIBI Most Dangerous Game Christoph Waltz earned his first Emmy nomination for his turn in this action thriller from Scott Elder, Josh Harmon and Nick Santora. Based on a classic short story by Richard Connell, the short-form series centers on Dodge (Liam Hemsworth), a Detroit everyman consumed by debt, who is looking to secure the financial future of his wife and unborn child, before he succumbs to terminal brain cancer. After meeting a mysterious businessman named Miles (Waltz), Dodge finds the opportunity to do just that—by agreeing to participate in a 24-hour game, in which he’ll be hunted for sport. #FreeRayshawn In this short-form series, Stephan James stars as Rayshawn, a young, Black veteran of the Iraq War, who finds himself in a standoff with a SWAT team, after an incident with undercover cops results in unintended, fatal consequences. Trapped in his apartment with his wife and child, Rayshawn looks to social media and a sympathetic police lieutenant, in an effort to clear his name, before he becomes yet another victim of a corrupt justice system. Created by Marc Maurino, the drama’s ensemble also includes Laurence Fishburne and Jasmine Cephas Jones. All three actors earned Emmy nominations for their work. SHOWTIME Black Monday Created by Jordan Cahan and David Caspe, this ’80s comedy has earned Don Cheadle two consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Executive producing the project, alongside Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the actor stars as Mo Monroe, a veteran stockbroker involved with the infamous stock market crash of 1987. Also starring Andrew Rannells, Regina Hall and Paul Scheer, the series tells the story of a band of outsiders who took on the old-boys club of Wall Street, to unexpected results. Homeland Directed and executive produced by Lesli Linka Glatter, this international spy thriller has thus far earned eight Emmys and 40 nominations. Claire Danes stars as Carrie Mathison, a former CIA case officer in the Counterterrorism Center who suffers from
bipolar disorder. When the series returned for its eighth and final season in February, Mathison was struggling to recover from a brutal experience in a Russian gulag. Called upon by her mentor, Saul (Mandy Patinkin), Carrie must then head to Afghanistan to aid the U.S. government in peace negotiations with the Taliban. SONY PICTURES TV Better Call Saul This spin-off to the iconic Breaking Bad has proudly carried forth the crime drama’s legacy, garnering 39 Emmy nominations since 2015. Bob Odenkirk stars as Jimmy McGill, a beaten down con man and small-time lawyer who has now adopted the persona of Saul Goodman, making his downward spiral toward crime and corruption nearly complete. Wrapping its fifth season in April, the series created by Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould will take its final bow when Season 6 airs next year. Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian, Michael Mando, Giancarlo Esposito, Tony Dalton and Mark Margolis also star. Live in Front of a Studio Audience Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and Norman Lear, this Emmy-winning series of television specials presents live recreations of some of Lear’s iconic sitcom episodes that originally aired in the 1970s, from shows including All in the Family, Good Times and The Jeffersons. Executive produced by Brent Miller and Kerry Washington, the specials have brought together A-list stars, including Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei, Anthony Anderson, Viola Davis and Tiffany Haddish, to celebrate writing that resonates far beyond the moment in which it was conceived, tackling topics like poverty, social class, and racism within America, which remain as relevant as ever. VH1 RuPaul’s Drag Race One of the greatest stars of the drag community, RuPaul has won four consecutive Emmys as host of this beloved reality competition series, which wrapped its 12th season in May. The show follows RuPaul as he guides his drag daughters through a number of challenges focused on performance and fashion design, in search of America’s next drag superstar, judging their work alongside Michelle Visage and an exceptional series of guests. Executive produced by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, it’s won the Emmy for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program in each of the last two years, along with various other accolades. ★
#FreeRayshawn
Schitt’s Creek
Live in Front of a Studio Audience
Nailed It!
Life Below Zero
Homeland
Black Monday
Unorthodox
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Most Dangerous Game
Better Call Saul
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F L AW L E S S THE GUARDIAN
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS
JENNIFER ANISTON OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
STEVE CARELL
B I L LY C R U D U P
MARK DUPLASS
OUTSTANDING GUEST ACTOR
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING
MARTIN SHORT
M I M I L E DE R
O U T S TA N DI N G PR O DUCTI O N DE S I GN
O UTS TA N DI N G MA I N TI TLE D ESIGN
EMMY HANDICAPS 34 54
Another year, another Emmys.
PETE HAMMOND TAKES A LOOK AT THE RUNNERS AND RIDERS OF A UNIQUE YEAR IN EMMY HISTORY
Well, maybe it’s not that simple this time around, because this 72nd annual celebration of television’s best is destined to be anything but just another Emmys. The worldwide coronavirus pandemic has turned everything upside down. We’ve seen civil unrest in major cities, plus a wild Presidential election season, economic turmoil and who knows what else is yet to come? But throughout all this, television has been a great unifier, and this year the variety of options for Emmy voters is bigger, better and more diverse than ever before. In fact, for the first year the marquee categories of Outstanding Drama and Comedy Series have both gone to a set of eight nominees each—and, considering the breadth of possibilities, they could have even gone wider. With last year’s winners in both categories—Game of Thrones and Fleabag respectively—having completed their runs, 2020 promises an open race, and one that will be difficult to call, since the recent nationwide lockdown makes it likely that Television Academy members will have seen more of the contenders than ever before—which means that the final winners are anybody’s guess and sure to be unpredictable. My annual attempt to gaze into my crystal ball, then, could wind up being an exercise in futility, but I’m game if you are, on the understanding that none of this year’s predictions are necessarily my personal choices, but rather the result of careful analysis. Also, because of magazine deadlines, much of this work was done before voting actually started, and about six weeks ahead of the Emmy show itself—look out for updates in my online versions of these predictions closer to the show, which takes place on Sunday, September 20 on ABC.
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EMM Y 2 02 0 H AN DICAPS / BY P ETE H A M M O N D
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES Better Call Saul
The Crown
This spinoff of two-time winner Breaking Bad has been nominated in this category in every year of its eligibility since its 2015 debut. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, after 32 nominations, it still has yet to win. Now in its fifth, penultimate season, the show has seven shots this time, but with overlooked star Bob Odenkirk (WTF!), the glorious never-nominated Rhea Seehorn (double WTF!), and snake-bit Jonathan Banks (triple WTF!), I don’t hold much hope for any Emmy wins until it’s in its final year.
This is the kind of series Emmy voters traditionally used to honor, and in its first three years this upscale royal saga racked up 13 nominations each time out. With eight Emmy wins, it is certainly better off than poor Saul, but still has yet to bag the big one, something Netflix would like more than anything else for one of its shows. If 2020 doesn’t turn out to be its year, Netflix announced recently that the show would be going to a sixth season, so there’s still plenty of time for that.
AMC
Perhaps Emmy’s most prestigious category, this year’s lineup is the biggest in history and includes the return of a former winner after a year off, plus five previously nominated contenders looking to enter the winner’s circle for the first time. Additionally, two shows have broken through for the first time, including one from a brand-new streamer which managed to put its first drama series in the category in a very big way.
The Handmaid’s Tale Hulu
In its first year, it became the first Drama Series from a streamer to snag the big prize, with eight wins overall. It was short-lived, however— while the second season brought 20 nominations, it garnered only three wins and was overlooked in the major categories. Last year it wasn’t eligible here, but quirky Academy rules allowed for 11 nominations and three wins, so there is clearly still love left. But can it come all the way back in 2020, with no acting nod for star Elisabeth Moss?
Netflix
Killing Eve
The Mandalorian
Ozark
Stranger Things
Succession
Some pundits thought maybe this cultishly popular BBC America series wouldn’t make it into this category for a second consecutive year, but, after a surprise win that I predicted for co-star Jodie Comer last season, it and she are back and the show has eight nods overall. So, it’s still in the game, but a definite dark horse, considering the stiff competition.
Sci-fi isn’t a staple in this category—it usually gets all its Emmy love for Special Effects and not much else. But in its first year, with strong Star Wars roots, this upstart has The Force with it, much like the original Star Wars did at the 1978 Oscars. Having debuted to near-universal critical acclaim, with 15 nominations, this is the category’s only first-season entry this year. It could follow in The Handmaid’s Tale’s footsteps by knocking it out of the park first time out, while making history as the first sci-fi series to do it.
A winner last year for stars Jason Bateman (Outstanding Directing) and Julia Garner (Supporting Actress, Drama), Ozark was perhaps the year’s biggest beneficiary from the pandemic lockdown— housebound viewers finally discovered the series and turned it into a word-of-mouth phenomenon. It didn’t hurt that Season 3 was also the best so far, but will the fact that Netflix has announced that Season 4 will be its last mean that voters might wait until then to give it the big prize?
For this fan favorite, it has been a lesson in diminishing returns. With Season 1, it came roaring into the Emmys with 18 nominations and five wins. For Season 2, that dropped down to 12 nominations and one win. Last year it was not eligible, and now, after that hiatus, it’s back with just eight nominations. As was the case with its previous seasons, it’s a rare genre contender in this category, and momentum does not seem to be on the cards for this one.
Now in its second season, this show has been building a steady fanbase since it premiered two years ago. It pulled off a couple of wins in its first season, including Outstanding Writing, but this year it is probably perennial Emmy champ HBO’s best shot after the exit of three-time winner Game of Thrones. A quick snapshot says Ozark or Succession will prevail, and both come into the race with 18 nominations. It will be a photo finish.
BBC America
Disney+
Netflix
Netflix
HBO
PETE’S
WINNER PICK
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EMMY 2 019 H AN DICAPS / BY P ETE H A M M O N D
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR
IN A DRAMA SERIES A returning champ vs. another past winner sets up the possibility of a repeat victor here, but there are a couple of veterans in the mix who have 13 acting Emmy nods between them and no win, so sentiment could be a factor. There’s also a brilliant Scottish-born star whose time may have come after being Golden Globed—but he has a co-star first-timer to contend with. Who will it be?
Brian Cox
Billy Porter
Jeremy Strong
Coming off a Golden Globe win, having not seen Emmy glory since the miniseries Nuremberg nearly two decades ago, Cox is riding a late wave of newfound success as a Rupert Murdoch-type mogul in this critically acclaimed show. The only drawback is that he is pitted against an equally talented co-star (Jeremy Strong) playing one of his sons. The gravitas of the part, though, and Cox’s veteran status, could potentially help him overcome that.
No one scored a more popular, and, to some, surprising victory at the Emmys last year than this Tony-winning star who came in and immediately conquered TV with a groundbreaking role in Pose that clearly channeled the zeitgeist. He could repeat the win here if only because voters might want to see what he’s wearing, no matter how virtual the show may be.
Strong is riveting as the ambitious and duplicitous son of Brian Cox’s formidable patriarch in this water-cooler smash. This is Strong’s first nomination, and he has always been memorable in a number of movie roles, but this means he has to compete directly with Cox. I suggest you look back to what Jodie Comer achieved last year in her shocker win for Killing Eve— there is a solid chance of that dynamic repeating here.
Succession
Pose
Succession
PETE’S
WINNER PICK
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Jason Bateman
Sterling K. Brown
Steve Carell
Between this series and Arrested Development, Bateman has had five Lead Actor nominations, and last year won the Emmy for directing with his Ozark episode “The Toll”. This year he is not in the running in the directing category but has two acting nods, one for Ozark and another for Guest Actor in a Drama Series for newbie The Outsider. Because Ozark has been so widely sampled this year, and due to his exposure on the other series, Bateman is clearly respected by his peers, so don’t count him out.
Brown won for this series, in the same category in 2017, after taking a Supporting Actor Emmy the year before for The People v. O.J. Simpson. This represents his fourth consecutive nomination in this category for This Is Us, and, like Jason Bateman, Brown is a double nominee this year—he is also being recognized for his Supporting role in a Comedy Series for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Another win here seems unlikely, though, as the Emmy heat for This Is Us appears to be dwindling.
The big shocker in this category was the omission of Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk, and that snub may be down to Carell, who landed his first bid in the Drama Series race for his predatory anchor in The Morning Show. Let’s face it, after losing six times as Comedy Lead Actor in The Office, Emmy voters owe him one, but his character here was pretty despicable. Actors, however, might recognize the mean feat of going so far against type for this likeable and talented funnyman.
Ozark
This Is Us
The Morning Show
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES A crowded field—eight nominees—could cause a massive pileup on the Emmy highway, since three of them are from Succession and two are from The Morning Show. There’s a reasonable chance for each of that Succession trio (Nicholas Braun’s Cousin Greg, Matthew Macfadyen’s Tom Wambsgans, and perhaps most notably Kieran Culkin’s Roman Roy), but will they just cancel each other out? Three’s a crowd, buddy. The pair from The Morning Show—Billy Crudup and Mark Duplass— also could crash and burn due to the competition from each other. That leaves three contenders with a clearer path to victory, including Westworld vet Jeffrey Wright, Bradley Whitford for The Handmaid’s Tale, and Giancarlo Esposito—inexplicably repping the sole acting nod for Better Call Saul this year. Esposito, though, is also Guest Actor nommed for The Mandalorian, and might stand a better chance there. If Westworld was more buzzed this season, I might say it was Wright’s time for the win, but Whitford—a three-time winner for three different shows—seems to have Emmy’s number.
The Winner: Bradley Whitford, The Handmaid’s Tale
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS
IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jennifer Aniston
Olivia Colman
Jodie Comer
This may be the toughest overall competition of any Emmy category this year. In fact, in a year where Elisabeth Moss, Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Mandy Moore, and many others weren’t nominated, you might be right to get the feeling that this one is going to be brutal. We have an Oscar queen trying to become an Emmy queen, an Emmy-winning sitcom queen going dramatic, a first-timer better known on the Disney Channel, last year’s surprise winner matched again against her 10-time Emmy-losing co-star, plus a veteran four-time winner looking to add a fifth.
Aniston seemed to shock even herself when she won this year’s SAG award for her role as news anchor Alex Levy in the just-debuted Apple+ series The Morning Show. She beat out some very stiff competition in the category, so it was absolutely no surprise that the beloved star would land an Emmy nomination for the same role. She seems to be riding a lot of momentum towards a win, which would only be her second since her Lead Comedy Actress statuette in 2002 for Friends.
Colman would probably rate a nomination here as Queen Elizabeth even if she was lousy. She isn’t, of course, and she continues on a career roll since winning the Oscar as a very different queen in The Favourite a little over a year ago. Of course, she still has another season in the role before it changes hands once again, so voters may feel they can wait a year.
Coming off her surprise win last year against more favored co-star Sandra Oh, Comer can’t be counted out to repeat. Her role as Villanelle is one for the ages, as loopy as it gets, and voters love to watch this kind of all-stopsout performance. The competition here is just lethal though, so a repeat might be asking for too much.
Laura Linney
Sandra Oh
Zendaya
I don’t have to explain to you that Emmy voters love Laura Linney—her four goldwinged ladies for four different shows proves it better than I could. But she just may be topping herself in Ozark as Wendy Byrde, taking on devilish Shakespearean shades. As always, she is riveting to watch, and the writers of the series clearly know it as they keep giving her so many choice scenes to play.
Oh is now an 11-time Emmy nominee, and so far zero for 10. That has to change, surely, but it probably won’t happen this year as she seems overshadowed by her co-star. That said, Emmy has been known to spread the wealth sometimes between series stars, and she’s awfully good as the title character— would it kill voters to give Eve a shot?
Virtually no one predicted that Zendaya would break into this race for a series that aired almost a year ago, and for which buzz had faded. To their credit, voters saw things differently and decided to crown this former Disney Channel star with a key nomination in a category that left many bigger names at the starting gate. The nomination for this daring series is the only win here: the race is between Linney and Aniston, and it’s a close call.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Like its male counterpart, this category is jam-packed with contenders—another eight-pack, to be specific. Among the group are four past Emmy winners, including two who have Oscars on their mantel. The frontrunner is the feisty upstart who pulled off the win on her first nomination last year. However, a British princess played by a former queen might just grab the crown from her and the queen of the Academy Awards as well. Of course, the latter would be Meryl Streep, as the conniving mother-in-law in Big Little Lies, but this year she has to compete directly with another Oscar and Emmy winner in Laura Dern, who is looking to make bookends for Renata in the same show. Both may be eclipsed, however, by last year’s winner, Julia Garner in Ozark, or four-time Emmy nominee Helena Bonham Carter as Princess Margaret in The Crown. Otherwise, Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve), Samira Wiley (The Handmaid’s Tale), and past winner Thandie Newton (Westworld) are back, while first-timer Sarah Snook (Succession) might be a dark horse…
The Winner: Julia Garner, Ozark
The Morning Show
Ozark
The Crown
Killing Eve
Killing Eve
Euphoria
PETE’S
WINNER PICK
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OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES Curb Your Enthusiasm
Dead to Me Netflix
HBO
Previous winners of this category in just about the entirety of the past decade—Fleabag, Veep, Modern Family—aren’t a factor this year, so there’s a chance for new blood to take over. Only 2018 winner The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is back in the race, and in a very big way, with 20 nominations indicating strong across-the-board industry support. But past nominees like Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Good Place, The Kominsky Method and Schitt’s Creek—the latter three nominated for the second year in a row—are looking for an opening, as are a trio of first-timers in the category.
The Good Place
Insecure
This four-season show has been steadily building its Emmy cred year by year, going from zero in its first season to an overall six this year. Still no wins, but the Ted Dansonstarring sitcom has a unique distinction among nominees in all the key Emmy program categories of Drama, Comedy, and Limited Series in that it is the only broadcast network show to receive a nomination. That ought to be reward enough for this critical favorite.
Finally, this HBO gem has been noticed by the TV Academy voters, and it only took four years to do it. After being regularly passed over somehow, the Issa Rae-starring show has managed to snag eight nominations— including its first in this category, where it remains a long shot, but maybe the timing is perfect.
NBC
HBO
The Kominsky Method Netflix
A deeply personal project for TV comedy mogul Chuck Lorre, with a killer cast led by Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin, this Netflix series has announced that it will end after one more season—which means Emmy voters could wait to give it this prize. But competition is tight and the show hasn’t shown much improvement this time on the nomination front, receiving the same three nods it got last year when it came home empty.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Amazon
Winner of a historic eight Emmys from 14 nominations—including this one in only its first season—Maisel was beaten last year by Amazon stablemate Fleabag, but its performance was still impressive, landing eight more wins in other categories from a whopping 20 nods. It maintains that number of nominations again this year, and the love seems to be coming from across the board, so, clearly, this one has momentum all over again, especially after a colorful season that took its players out on the road.
Now an eight-time nominee in this category with 47 lifetime nominations overall, Curb Your Enthusiasm is still looking for its first win here, and maybe this is the year—the show is coming off a well-received tenth season in which Larry opens a coffee shop and starts a rivalry with the business next door. It’s always been one of the funniest shows on TV since its 2001 debut, and truly, it’s about time some real voter enthusiasm came forth.
Schitt’s Creek Pop TV
If ever there was a conundrum it is this series, up for 15 Emmys in its sixth and final year—not many shows can say that after being completely ignored in their first four seasons. When the Pop TV series finally hit Netflix, though, Emmy voters discovered it, and it was nominated here for the first time in its fifth year. There is a lot of sentiment for it now and it seems very likely, just like Fleabag last year, that its time has really come.
Improving its nomination haul from one for star Christina Applegate in its first season to four in its second, this mystery comedy series has a growing legion of fans and a promise of a third and final season still to come. However, it lacks the all-important writing and directing nods, which makes it a bit of a long shot to pull off an upset. It’s probably just happy to be included, now that there are eight slots in the category.
What We Do in the Shadows FX
Here’s another show really coming to life after getting barely noticed in its first season last year, jumping from just two nods in 2019 to eight in 2020, including a first bid as Comedy Series and a whopping three nominations in the writing category. The horror spoof is really taking off, so its newfound Emmy cult of admirers could just push it over the top.
PETE’S
WINNER PICK
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OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Michael Douglas
Eugene Levy
Ramy Youssef
Douglas won an Emmy for playing Liberace in the TV movie Behind the Candelabra in 2013, and this is his second nomination, as the acting teacher Sandy in the Chuck Lorre dramedy. Despite being a movie star, Douglas is certainly no stranger to Emmys— early in his career, he had three consecutive nominations for his role in The Streets of San Francisco. He won a Golden Globe for Kominsky in its first season but missed out on the Emmy. Maybe this time?
The beloved Levy has really hit his stride with this series. Previously a two-time Emmy winner for his writing work on SCTV, Levy’s nominations here last year and again this year are—believe it or not—his first ever for acting roles. He is definitely the favorite to take this, especially since voters won’t get another chance.
The star of the selftitled series won the Golden Globe earlier this year on his first time out, and now he is not only a first-time nominee in this category, he’s also a nominee in the comedy directing category as well. Youssef is the only contender here who’s a true-blue first timer, and if this distinguished group of nominees should manage to cancel themselves out, Ramy can expect a big night.
Schitt’s Creek
PETE’S
WINNER PICK
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DDEEAADDLLIINNEE. .CCOOM M//AAW WAARRDDSSLLIINNEE
Don Cheadle
Ted Danson
This is the sixth season for the hit ABC sitcom, and the sixth consecutive nomination for Anderson, a perpetual nominee but never a winner. If he wants to take heart, though, he should get advice from a fellow nominee, Ted Danson, who only won his first Emmy on his eighth nomination for Cheers. He proved you don’t have to be eternally overlooked, and, hopefully, that will be the case for Anderson, who’s so good it’s easy to pass him by.
Talking about being passed by—look no further than Don Cheadle, now on his 10th Emmy nomination but still looking for a first win. This is his second consecutive nomination for the Showtime series, but previously he had four more for another comedy series, House of Lies, so he is no stranger to this particular category. A well-liked actor, Cheadle could win for that reason alone.
This is Danson’s 18th Emmy nomination since first being recognized in this category for Cheers in 1983. As mentioned earlier, it took him seven more times before finally winning the gold in 1990, and then another three nods before gaining a second Emmy in 1993, but it has been nearly 30 years since a victory and Danson could certaintly be sentimental favorite.
Black-ish
Aside from Ramy Youssef, this category is loaded with veteran names. Anderson, Cheadle, Danson, Douglas and Levy are a formidable quintet, who have all been in this category before, but only one of them has previously prevailed—and not for the show they currently star in. The winner here for the past two years was Bill Hader, but his show took this season off, leaving a ripe opportunity…
The Kominsky Method
Anthony Anderson
Ramy
Black Monday
The Good Place
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES Oscar winners, acting veterans, multiple Emmy champs, past drama series nominees, an SNL cast member, and a chip off the old block make up the list of contenders here. Starting with the latter, Daniel Levy—son of Eugene, and co-creator of Schitt’s Creek—is the man of the hour at the Emmys, as this is just one of his four nominations this year for the show. Given that he has several chances to win, maybe he’ll give a break to someone else. Keep an eye on Oscar winner Mahershala Ali, so drolly fine in Ramy, although, personally, I would love to see Alan Arkin take it for his touching and funny turn on The Kominsky Method. Previous multiple Emmy winners Andre Braugher (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) and Sterling K. Brown (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) obviously have their fans too, as does four-time winner and reigning champ Tony Shalhoub, also for Maisel. William Jackson Harper (The Good Place), and the ever-talented Kenan Thompson (Saturday Night Live) round out the category.
The Winner: Daniel Levy, Schitt’s Creek
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
After Phoebe Waller-Bridge crushed the Emmys last year, robbing Julia Louis-Dreyfus of a seventh statuette for Veep in her final year and also depriving Rachel Brosnahan of a second win in a row for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the category seems to be a bit of a toss-up this year. There are a lot of TV favorites in the mix, plus another shot for Brosnahan, and a sentimental pick that could easily upset the apple cart.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES Annie Murphy of Schitt’s Creek, Yvonne Orji of Insecure, D’Arcy Carden of The Good Place, and the surprisingly never-nominated SNL staple Cecily Strong are first-time Emmy nominees this year. Now they have to contend with somehow besting threetime winner and clear favorite here Alex Borstein of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, not to mention two-time winner and eight-time nominee Kate McKinnon, another SNL face in the crowd. Maisel’s wonderful Marin Hinkle and GLOW’s terrific Betty Gilpin have joined this club for a few rounds as well. It’s a talented bunch, and Murphy could make it four-for-four for the key cast of Schitt’s Creek. But there can only be one winner, and the Academy does have a tendency to reward those who have already been rewarded.
The Winner: Alex Borstein, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Christina Applegate
Rachel Brosnahan
Linda Cardellini
Brosnahan was terrific this season, in which Midge hit the road. Right from the first of the season’s episodes, when she played a USO show, the character was never more appealing or conflicted. It’s easy to see how she won in the show’s Emmy debut year in 2018, and it would be easy to predict a repeat two years later, but it’s not such an simple path.
What we said about Applegate applies to Cardellini too—both stars look like they’ve worked together for years, and that’s clearly why they are both in contention. The likelihood is that they will cancel each other out here, but the Emmys don’t always do the obvious thing and there are many instances (see Jodie Comer) where one co-star does indeed prevail. If so, which one will it be?
Catherine O’Hara
Issa Rae
Tracee Ellis Ross
Here’s the reason Brosnahan may not have so easy a path to that second Emmy. Like Eugene Levy, O’Hara is beloved and way overdue for recognition of this kind from her peers. Like Levy, she has a writing Emmy all those years ago for SCTV, and in 2010, she was nominated for a dramatic role in the movie Temple Grandin. But the character of Moira is a classic, no doubt about it, and this is the only chance voters will have to recognize that.
If there’s anyone in this category who could really pull off an upset, it’s this second-time nominee for HBO’s Insecure. Issa Rae’s time has come, and she had a great season on this show, which finally is getting the kind of acrossthe-board recognition that it has long deserved. But you can say that about Schitt’s Creek too…
After inexplicably passing her over last year, following three consecutive nominations in this category, Emmy voters have brought the versatile star and Golden Globe winner back for more with her fourth nomination in this category in six seasons. Like her co-star Anthony Anderson, she is becoming a perennial, but will she always be the bridesmaid? Emmy can be mean that way. Ross is fabulous, no matter what happens.
Dead to Me
Last year this TV comedy veteran nabbed the newbie series’ sole Emmy nomination, but this year she is back with new competition—her co-star, Linda Cardellini. Both are so accomplished and, in the second season, so easily in sync that it seems hard to separate them (at the Deadline Contenders event I told them that they are the new Lucy and Ethel, albeit in a much darker show). Applegate is always welcome on television and at the Emmys, since she won on her first time out in 2003 for her guest role in Friends.
Schitt’s Creek
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Insecure
Dead to Me
Black-ish
PETE’S
WINNER PICK
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OUTSTANDING LIMITED SERIES Little Fires Everywhere Hulu
HBO has been familiar in this circle, last year winning overwhelmingly with Chernobyl, even though Netflix gave them a run for their money with When They See Us. This year the two will go head to head again, but HBO seems to have the magic touch here, and, if not them, it has been FX in past seasons, with Ryan Murphy fare, such as The People v. O.J. Simpson and The Assassination of Gianni Versace. This year FX is back with another formidable contender just to mix things up. Let’s look at the landscape.
The Winner: Hugh Jackman, Bad Education
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE
Unbelievable
Unorthodox
Watchmen
This FX entry is a strong and timely one that looks at the feminist movement through the eyes of conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly, who did everything she could to stop it despite the intense efforts of women who made history in the battle for equality. With Cate Blanchett as Schlafly and an all-star cast including Margo Martindale, Uzo Aduba, and Tracey Ullman (all four Emmy nominated), and Rose Byrne (as Gloria Steinem), Elizabeth Banks and Sarah Paulson, this show has a good shot.
One of two Netflix entries, this powerful drama about the rape of a young woman and its aftermath is so compelling that it would be a contender in any year. Despite some superb performances, the show racked up only four nominations and, oddly, just one acting nod for Toni Collette over co-stars Merritt Weaver and the excellent Kaitlyn Dever, who played the victim in this tragic true story. Lack of any more love from the Academy, and the fact it came out almost a year ago, probably lessens its chances of winning.
Fronted by a stunning performance from Shira Haas as a young ultra-orthodox woman who flees her marriage to start a new life abroad, this show has been a bit of a sleeper in terms of the Emmy race. Still, it has been steadily gaining momentum for Netflix after gaining eight nominations, including the important writing and directing nods that could make this one to watch out for.
With 26 nominations, more than any other show this year, the favorite in the race has to be this highly-acclaimed entry adapted from Alan Moore’s infamous graphic novel, which charts a course of its own, defies genre, features some brilliant performances and offers a great deal of food for thought. The amount of nominations means it dwarfs the category, but I wouldn’t count out Mrs. America, despite the numbers.
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Netflix
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
Netflix
In recent years it has been rare to see this category feature any serious contenders from the standalone TV Movie side of eligibility. However, this year Hugh Jackman has emerged as the favorite to win as scandal-ridden superintendent of schools Frank Tassone in Bad Education, a movie he thought was being made for the big screen, but which sold to HBO at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Competition might come from Mark Ruffalo’s dynamic dual turn in HBO’s I Know This Much Is True, since it always helps to play two roles for the price of one. Otherwise, Oscar winner Jeremy Irons lends gravitas to Watchmen, and Paul Mescal and Jeremy Pope are worthy nominees for Normal People and Hollywood respectively.
Yet another streamer invades this space with the female-driven limited series based on Celeste Ng’s 2017 bestseller. With Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington battling it out on screen as well as producing, it certainly doesn’t lack for star power, landing five nominations, including a bittersweet one for its late director Lynn Shelton. As a book, it was a real page-turner, and the series ratchets that aspect up while also dealing with themes from race to motherhood. It could be a popular choice.
Mrs. America FX
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR TELEVISION MOVIE
HBO
PETE’S
WINNER PICK
First off, watch out any time Regina King is nominated for an award. Does she ever lose? She could rack up another win as a key part of the success of this year’s most nominated show, Watchmen. You simply can never count her out. Both Octavia Spencer in Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker and Kerry Washington in Little Fires Everywhere will have supporters, with the latter perhaps given a boost by her excellent work in TV Movie nominee American Son. Shira Haas could upset in Unorthodox against her better known competition, but this category probably belongs to Cate Blanchett for her richly layered performance as Phyllis Schlafly in Mrs. America, a well regarded entry into TV for the two-time Oscar winner.
The Winner: Cate Blanchett, Mrs. America
WHAT SHOULD WIN?
OUTSTANDING
TELEVISION MOVIE American Son Netflix
This once-proud category fell on hard times when the networks abandoned the format, and increasingly cable outlets did too. HBO and Netflix have kept it alive, the latter finding safe harbor here the past three years with an anthology series of ‘movies’ from its Black Mirror franchise, which was finally ruled ineligible here. This year’s lineup is a bit of a comeback for the category, at least in the case of its top three contenders, and the Black Mirror snub doesn’t seem to have hurt Netflix too much since the streamer has four of the five nominees.
Bad Education HBO
Originally intended to be a big-screen theatrical release, HBO swooped in at TIFF and snapped it up for a reported $20 million. With a big movie star like Hugh Jackman in an offbeat character turn, and a cast that includes Allison Janney and Ray Romano, this movie won huge acclaim when it premiered at TIFF. Upon its debut on HBO, viewers were stuck at home looking for something special to watch. They found it.
PETE’S
WINNER PICK
Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings: These Old Bones Netflix
The first in a new series of films for Netflix based on Parton’s vast song catalogue. Like all the others in this series of movies, it delivers exactly what you might expect from the title, and it would probably take a miracle for it to win against more important and pressing competition. But who doesn’t love Dolly?
El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie Netflix
Creator and director Vince Gilligan knocked it out of the park with this exciting and worthy sequel to one of television’s greatest shows. Following Jesse Pinkman’s checkered journey post-BB, it sports some riveting scenes that offer great acting opportunities to a cast that includes triple Emmy winner Aaron Paul, as well as brilliant work from Bryan Cranston and the late Robert Forster, the latter providing a beautiful coda to a brilliant career. Emmy love for Breaking Bad could spread to this splendid follow-up.
A powerful adaptation of the Broadway play, in which an estranged couple deal with a family crisis when their son gets into trouble with the police. There follows 90 minutes of nail-biting, superbly acted drama with Kerry Washington reprising her stage role in a thrilling turn. The fact that all the action is confined to a single set might hamper its chances, as some of the other contenders are on a much bigger scale, but in the wake of the George Floyd scandal, this film has taken on more resonance and relevance than ever.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend Netflix
An interactive ‘movie’ follow-up to the Netflix sitcom, this is a nice romp for creators Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, but it pales in comparison to the other films here, which at least have some semblance of cinematic intent. Still, the Academy has shown they loved the series, so maybe they want to make it up and finally give it an Emmy? Don’t bet on it.
It’s always hard to pick a winner, and I have some favorites in what has turned out to be an exceptional year for television. A number of people didn’t get nominations who should have, for example, Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery, so good in Defending Jacob; Joe Mantello, so heartbreakingly good in Hollywood; the great Patti LuPone in the same Limited Series; Reese Witherspoon in everything this year; Allison Janney opposite her nominated co-star Hugh Jackman in Bad Education; Daisy Edgar-Jones opposite her nominated co-star Paul Mescal in Normal People; and Nicole Kidman (I know—she won before) managing to be great again in the Big Little Lies sequel. And where is Rita Moreno in One Day at a Time? I could go on and on and on, but I won’t, except to say that I am sad there was no posthumous recognition for Robert Forster, who showed what the art of acting really is in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. You had your chance, Academy, and you blew it. But here’s where they didn’t blow it. I would love to see Holland Taylor triumph in Hollywood, and, as good as the competition is, I wouldn’t mind it at all if Schitt’s Creek swept the board and won all 15 of its nominations—there’s no funnier show on TV, and now it’s over. If I didn’t know Curb Your Enthusiasm would be coming back for another season, I would add that too. How can the Emmys keep overlooking this show? It is an impossible task, this awards thing. Let’s just call it all a tie.
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The
Partnership No. 5
JENNIFER ANISTON & BILLY CRUDUP
p
In The Morning Show, Jennifer Aniston plays a kind of angel to Billy Crudup’s devil. Aniston’s Alex Levy, an utterly dedicated and focused television news anchor, holds tight to a good-person identity, so she’s floored when co-anchor Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell) is outed for sexual misconduct, and she’s forced to question her own failure to see what was hidden in plain sight. Meanwhile, Crudup’s news exec, Cory Ellison, embraces his inner Machiavelli as he attempts to edge Alex out of her job. Then the magic happens: Alex bares her teeth, appointing surprise new co-anchor Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon) and telling a post-#MeToo, all-male boardroom, “You don’t have the power anymore.” An impressed Cory then turns his disruptive instincts into a force for good as he helps Alex tear the lid off the network’s culture of complicity. In conversation with Antonia Blyth, Crudup and Aniston, who also executive produces, discuss the terror of performing a Sondheim duet, the “witchy” powers of the show’s creator Kerry Ehrin, and how 2020’s “system update” is set to be explored in Season 2. Jen, you wanted Billy to be on the show after
professional attention that Jen and Reese bring to it.
you saw him in the one-man play Harry Clarke?
So, you bet that I came up with a lot of ideas of how
Jennifer Aniston: Yes. 100%. It was 80 minutes
I should play Cory.
of something I’d never seen in my entire life, and it was just incredible. And I’ve known Billy a long time
Neither Cory nor Alex is an easily defined char-
and I’ve seen him be brilliant numerous times, so it
acter. What were your conversations about
wasn’t a shock to me, but whatever happened dur-
their dynamics as you went into shooting?
ing these 80 minutes was a shock to me. I definitely
Crudup: Some of the scenes that we shot, I feel
was impressed on a level that I didn’t know that
like—and I was thinking in particular, Jen, the scene
there was more room for.
where you take control of the network, essentially,
Billy Crudup: I’m so happy I got on this call, you
and the night when you announce that Bradley’s go-
have no idea.
ing to be a part of the team—what I found so excit-
Aniston: Just sit back and relax. So, I remember
ing about the experience of working on this, was our
turning to Kristin Hahn, my producing partner, and
real-time negotiation about how these characters
one of our producers on the show, and I just said,
were figuring it out. So, there is a kind of immediacy
“I don’t care what we do, or how, or who has to
to that scene that I think comes from the discovery
make it happen. He has got to be on The Morning
of what we both were bringing to it. You’re watching
Show. And that was that. The original version of
the conversation. These are people who are discov-
Cory in the show was a 30-year-old young punk/
ering themselves in real time.
turk kind of dude. And that just took a little bit of
Aniston: It’s literally like flying by the seat of their
re-imagining.
pants, in real time. And making really crazy, on-the-
Crudup: And a little bit of work on my part. I had to
spot decisions, not thinking everything through
work at it.
100%, but it’s a fun dance to watch them outsmart
Aniston: You did, but it was worth all of it. For
each other.
Kerry, she really saw it very specifically as this one thing, and Billy just came in and basically had such
Billy, your face in that scene where Alex publicly
a take on Cory and who he was. He had created an
announces Bradley as her new co-anchor.
entire biography of him, and he basically just nailed
There’s rage, but Cory also seems almost
it, sealed the deal. That’s a wrap, drop the mic.
thrilled to find a worthy adversary.
Crudup: There was no chance I was going to let
Crudup: Yeah, precisely.
this opportunity slip by without arguing a major,
Aniston: Cory is absolutely like, “Whoa.” And then
major case in front of the court of our producers,
also, “Well played.” He’s totally enamored with that
creators, and fellow co-stars that I should be a part
because it’s such a Cory move as well.
of it. But it was only because what was on the page
Crudup: It’s a great conceit for this story as well,
to me is exactly the kind of thing that I have strived
which is that people who have enormous gifts, not
to be a part of my entire career—an ambition
just their talent, their intellect, and their capability
about creating a piece of entertainment that had a
in the workplace, but who have enormous gifts for
cultural investment. And it intends to be a part of a
navigating the social structure of powerful hierar-
real-time conversation in a sophisticated and nu-
chy—so many people who are in that place imagine
anced way that reaches audiences with the level of
that the only people who can also operate the same D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
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way look exactly like them. So, Cory doesn’t take
just taken place, and we went to black, and we’re
complicity she may have had. They both want-
that for granted. Cory accepts that anybody who
out. Now what?
ed the same thing in the end. Did you see it that
is capable of playing a complex chess game in a
It’s really interesting to see the direction that this
way, that you were two sides of the same coin?
power struggle for something with billions of dollars
pandemic has taken her with Season 2, because
Aniston : Yes. Absolutely.
at stake, could be anybody at any time. And he is
I believe what we all have taken away from these
Crudup: Definitely. I think Cory has, oddly, a very
thrilled to find people who he didn’t expect to be on
months in quarantine, and the state of the world
clear sense of right is right. He doesn’t mind play-
the top of their game in charge of everything. That
as it exists right now, is a lot of contemplation, and
ing the game in a world of people who are playing
makes him reorganize his entire social calculus. So,
a lot of excavation, and a lot of inward work. And,
games. But when it comes down to whether or not
when she does that, it’s an exciting moment for him.
what’s excess? And the covers are being pulled on
we are denying people opportunities for no good
our government—that entire shitshow—and just
reason, simply because we want to stay in power
He is weirdly not at all sexist. You expect him to
everything that’s getting exposed. It feels like there’s
because we look the way that we do, he, I think,
be and then he just isn’t.
an upgrade that’s taking place. So, I believe that
recoils at that.
Aniston: Right.
that’s what we couldn’t put our finger on that we
You should see the way I’m gesturing right now.
Crudup: Early on, Kerry just said, “Hey, I just want
were missing in these first couple shows, was that
Aniston: I can, Billy. I feel it through the phone, babe.
you to think he had a great relationship with his
humanity, it was that level of what’s happening cur-
I’m not kidding. I’m right there, it’s not lost on me. I
mother who was a badass.” And so, to my mind,
rently in our society. If there’s a silver lining of COVID,
know it.
what that meant creatively is don’t take anything for
it is the level of awareness that I think has been tak-
Crudup: I should have worn a workout outfit, be-
granted and don’t worry about the people who do
ing place with people.
cause I’m sweating.
People like [network president] Fred, who have been
In a way, Season 1 was about the building of
Let’s talk about that musical theater duet
allowed to survive for so long based upon their own
what has become a tsunami of much-needed
scene. That was amazing.
superficial understanding of how it works.
change.
Aniston: Well, Billy and I, our next stop is the Tonys.
Aniston: God, I can’t wait to get back to work. Just
Aniston: Exactly. And now we’re in that change. So,
That was terrifying, let’s be clear. But then, how ex-
talking about it, it gets me. And Season 2, it’s getting
it’s sort of profound, and it felt like that’s what was
citing? Because I mean, one of my favorites as a kid
so good.
missing. That was the piece, that was it. Kerry, our
was Sweeney Todd. I mean, Sondheim, for Christ’s
witchy writer, we call her ‘witch’ because she pre-
sake. Give us a harder song. I thought she was trying
Mark Duplass told me Season 2 is in rewrites
dicts things. When we did the fire episode, that was
to test us to see if we could do it. It’s like, “Just you
right now, and he reminded me how this first
[about] the fire from the year prior. Fires happened
watch, Kerry.” I mean, Kerry’s like the master, right?
season was also rewritten to keep it super cur-
again, and then our show airs two weeks later, and
Like, that little dance, that sparring of the two of
rent. Can you say anything about Season 2?
it’s got fires. And then in the finale, I don’t know if
them in that moment, was I think his version of, “I
Aniston: Well, here’s what I think we can say: There
you remember Reese [as Bradley, reading the news]
appreciate you, and you and me, we’re very much
is something about how the show works and it’s
saying about a cruise ship?
the same. I like crazy. We sort of have the same
now been made very clear, at least for the first
Crudup: Yeah. I remember. There were 5,000 pas-
amount of that, and nothing’s going to harm you. I
two seasons. We had a good portion of Season 1
sengers contained.
got you.” And can she, or can she not trust him? It’s
outlined-ish. And you know, we were still dealing
Aniston: Yep. A virus had taken over.
so infuriating. I don’t know.
with the human ills, racism, inequality, ageism, and
Crudup: They were being quarantined; it was a
the feuds that go on behind the scenes of these
mysterious virus.
take it for granted because they’re not real players.
I don’t know either. Aniston: We still don’t know, to be honest. And
mom and pops that we see every morning, but then
I like the idea that you said about an upgrade—
#MeToo happened. So, then that was another layer
and this is not just because of Apple—but it made
that’s the fun of it.
to the cake that had to be added into the whole sto-
me think of a system update, that there is this idea
Crudup: You have to watch your back when there’s
ry, and it just made it that much more exciting and
of a revolution that’s introduced throughout the
anybody in the room who thrives on conditions of
current. So, for Season 2, the same thing. We had a
entire season, that there are any number of socio-
chaos. There are any number of people in very pow-
good six or maybe seven outlines already done, and
political revolutions that need to take place, not just
erful positions in our country right now that thrive
we were in the middle of shooting [Episodes] 1 and
philosophically, but materially. We need them to
on chaos for no good reason other than they don’t
2. And then there was just this feeling, and I couldn’t
happen now.
mind navigating it. And whether they’re proving their
put my finger on it, and the producers couldn’t put
It’s one thing to have a majority of people in a
point for selfish reasons or they’re proving their point
their finger on it, but it was like something’s missing
democracy understand that. It’s another thing to
for some ethical center, one never really knows, I
and I don’t know what it is. And then the COVID
get that instituted. And then it’s a third thing to see
suppose, until you count all the chips at the end. But
crisis happened.
the institution of that reformation made manifest.
that’s one moment when you see a human connec-
And that’s the part that I feel like Season 2 can really
tion between the two of them, that all of a sudden
and we are incorporating COVID in a way that is
explore. There are so many system upgrades that
becomes disconcerting in an exciting way. Are they
so exciting. I mean, I’m not calling COVID exciting
are required in the country that we live in right now,
both going to the same thing, or is somebody really
by any stretch of the imagination, but in terms of
that the opportunity for exploring that in a narra-
exploiting the other for their own personal gain?
where Season 1 ended, because the covers were
tive format, they’re ripe, and they’re necessary, and
being pulled on the network. Alex has a breakdown/
it makes this show, to me, even more vital for its
I recoil from anything that I can’t do. And Sondheim
breakthrough on live television, and for whatever
audience.
in particular is way too exotic for me. In fact, I saw
reason, it’s like complete awareness, like she just
Aniston: 100%.
a production of Sweeney Todd that was so expertly
Now, again, Kerry is back to the drawing board,
popped into reality and was like, “What the fuck?”
I mean, I know very little about musicals because
executed that I thought, “I should never go see a
And this vomit of guilt and everything, this confes-
When Cory helps Alex stay on air in the finale,
musical again. This is horrifying, what these people
sion on live television happens. So, we’re entering
so she can speak the truth, he really seems
can do.”
Season 2 with, okay, this enormous seismic shift has
redeemable, just as Alex is redeemed for any
Aniston: Well, don’t go see Hamilton, by the way, if
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
life back from there, fair enough. But if you put in as much work as Mitch did at undermining people and oppressing people and traumatizing people because you just didn’t have the time to give a damn, you’ve got a shit ton of work to do. Aniston: Yeah. I think there are different levels. There are varying degrees, as we know, in all situations. But that was very conscious. Crudup: Yeah, exactly. He was a manifest predator who has absolutely no real understanding of the depths of destruction in his wake. Aniston: Just an ignorant narcissist. He’s completely oblivious. Crudup: How long must it take for him to come to that realization first, and then how long must it take for him to do years of good work, exposing the depth of that understanding, to then be back in a conversation of whether or not people want to hear from you. It’s so brilliantly written, that scene where he tries to set himself apart from his director friend Dick (Martin Short), who he decides truly is a pervert, while he himself cannot be. Aniston: Two predators basically sharing stories, and then all of a sudden, one saying, “Well, I’m not you.” He’s comparing their predatory behavior. It’s so amazing, really. Jen, you have the Friends reunion special coming up soon, although it’s been delayed again due to COVID. What are you looking forward to most about that show, and Billy, are you a Friends fan? Aniston: I’m not going to put Billy on the spot. Here’s what I’m going to say about that and I’m going to talk so long that it’s going to take up all the IN THE RING Aniston’s morning show anchor Alex is a perfectly matched adversary to Crudup’s network exec Cory.
time and Billy won’t have to answer that. Crudup: Don’t you dare. If I don’t get my time… Aniston: So yes. Unfortunately, it’s very sad that we had to move it again. But this is not a safe time,
you haven’t.
Bayou”, or whatever, that kind of a song, if that starts
period. And so that’s the bottom line. What we are
Crudup: Oh, trust me, I did, and I had the same
going then...
going to be excited about is doing it. I’m supposed
reaction. But then I had to take my son back to it,
to renew my driver’s license and I don’t want it to
because it was just too good.
In the end, Mitch is unmasked as what Kerry
say 2020 on it. I just don’t. I want 2020 to get out
Aniston: I’ve seen it four times.
has called “the monster”. He has to just sit with
and behind us.
Crudup: The actual manufacturing of it, making the
it. I know Steve Carell is not yet officially con-
Crudup: How could that also be the number for
sausage in that moment of it was just hard work. It
firmed for Season 2, but if we see Mitch again,
perfect vision? That seems impossible to me right
was just like going to every resource I could so that
what do we think about the notion of second
now. Somehow, shit has come into focus.
I could stand with Jen, who can sing, record it in
chances for people like that?
Aniston: Yes, that’s exactly right. That’s it Billy, it’s a
Capitol Records, I’m walking past pictures of Marvin
Aniston: I don’t know if that’s redeemable, that’s
good thing.
Gaye, and not completely crap my pants.
pretty dark. There are always the stories of the
Crudup: Let me tell you this. Friends is a cultural
I didn’t completely. Partially, but not completely.
breakdowns, and then the drugs and alcohol, and
institution, and if we can’t hold on to some of the
Aniston: And you killed it. Billy killed it. He loves to
the “Oh, God, it’s terrible” and then they clean up
things that we love, we’re fucked.
keep saying, “That’s the recording.” It’s like, “Shut up.
their act, and then they’re on the cover of People
Aniston: Yay. It’s going to be super. You know, this
Take it. Own it.”
magazine with their thumbs up, like, “We’re back!” I
has also given us more time to make it even more
Crudup: I’m one of those people that you go to
don’t know.
exciting and more fun than it would have been. So, I
karaoke and I’m like, “No, no, no.” And five minutes in,
Crudup: I feel like, if you put as many years of work
choose to see the glass half-full about this postpon-
any Neil Young song that comes on and I’m singing
into doing something acceptable that you’ve put
ing. I mean, look, we’re not going anywhere. You’re
louder than one should in an enclosed space.
into doing something that’s unacceptable, then I’ll
never going to get rid of Friends. Sorry. You’re stuck
Aniston: It’s like, what is it, Linda Ronstadt, “Blue
talk to you. And if you want to begin to build your
with us for life, guys. ★ D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
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