Review: ‘Saturday Night’ (2024), starring Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O’Brien, Lamorne Morris, Matt Wood, Cooper Hoffman and Willem Dafoe

October 1, 2024

by Carla Hay

Kim Matula, Emily Fairn, Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott and Matt Wood in “Saturday Night” (Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures)

“Saturday Night” (2024)

Directed by Jason Reitman

Culture Representation: Taking place in New York City, on October 11, 1975, the comedy film “Saturday Night” features a predominantly white cast of characters (with a few African Americans) representing the working-class, middle-class and wealthy.

Culture Clash: In the 90 minutes leading up to sketch comedy/variety series “Saturday Night Live” debuting on NBC, the cast and crew experience various mishaps, conflicts and setbacks.

Culture Audience: “Saturday Night” will appeal mainly to people who are fans of the movie’s headliners, “Saturday Night Live” and large ensemble films with a talented cast.

Pictured standing in the front row, from left to right: Ella Hunt, Kim Matula, Cooper Hoffman, Rachel Sennott, Lamorne Morris, Josh Brener and Gabriel LaBelle in “Saturday Night” (Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures)

Whether people like or dislike the live sketch comedy/variety TV series “Saturday Night Live,” there’s no denying it’s become an American institution in pop culture. Much like the real “Saturday Night Live,” this comedic film about “SNL’s” TV premiere is hit and miss with its jokes, full of manic energy that sometimes fizzles. However, the performances are entertaining to watch, with many transcending mere impersonations. The movie’s scenarios veer into ridiculous sitcom territory, but much of the dialogue is snappy, if at times a little too contrived-sounding.

Directed by Jason Reitman (who co-wrote the “Saturday Night” screenplay with Gil Kenan), “Saturday Night” had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. The movie takes place in the frantic 90 minutes before the New York City-based weekly series debuted at 11:30 p.m. Eastern Time on NBC on Saturday, October 11, 1975. Viewers will have to keep up with the intense flurry of activities and numerous cast members who populate the movie. Obviously, people who are familiar with who was in the original “Saturday Night Live” cast will have the most appreciation for this semi-factual re-enactment of the show’s series premiere.

Much of what’s in “Saturday Night” is obviously exaggerated for the movie, but there are other parts of the movie that look toned down, especially when it comes to the notorious drinking and drugging that took place behind the scenes. There are some references to people taking illegal drugs (cocaine snorting, spiking someone’s marijuana joint with an animal tranquilizer), but they’re very tame references, compared to the reported realities of the backstage debauchery and addictions. For example, “Saturday Night Live” creator/showrunner Lorne Michaels (played by Gabriel LaBelle) isn’t even shown smoking a cigarette or drinking coffee during his clearly sleep-deprived, stressed-out state of being as several things go wrong before the show goes on the air.

Curiously, John Belushi (played by Matt Wood) and Gilda Radner (played by Ella Hunt), who were widely considered to be the most talented and funniest members of the original “Saturday Night Live” cast, are treated like supporting characters in “Saturday Night.” Instead, the “Saturday Night” movie gives most of the cast-member screen time to smirking playboy Chevy Chase (played by Cory Michael Smith) and fast-talking Canadian wisecracker Dan Aykroyd (played by a Dylan O’Brien, doing a spot-on portrayal), who happens to openly be having an affair with Lorne’s wife: “Saturday Night Live” writer Rosie Shuster (played by Rachel Sennott), a hard-working and sarcastic feminist. Lorne knows about the affair, but he’s more concerned with launching “Saturday Night Live.”

Through conversations in the movie, viewers find out that Lorne and Rosie (who’ve been married for eight years at this point) have an unconventional, open marriage that is more like a business arrangement. What they have in common is a passionate belief that “Saturday Night Live” will be a success, even though the odds were stacked against this show that starred a then-unknown group of comedians in their 20s. The background on the relationship between Rosie and Lorne is Lorne and Rosie started off as friends, he fell more in love with her than she fell in love with him, and it seems like they got married because Lorne kept pursuing Rosie, and she finally gave in to his persistence.

“Saturday Night” begins by showing Lorne anxiously going outside of Rockefeller Center in Manhattan (where the “Saturday Night Live” studio is) to look for a special guest he wants to have on the show’s first episode: a then-unknown eccentric comedian named Andy Kaufman (played by Nicholas Braun), who emerges from a cab, much to Lorne’s relief. Lorne has also ordered a pet llama to be in this episode. Why? Because he can.

Meanwhile, Lorne gets nervous when he notices an NBC page (played by Finn Wolfhard), who’s handing out flyers on the street to invite people to be in the studio audience, isn’t having much luck. Almost everyone whom this page approaches doesn’t seem interested in going to see an unknown show at 11:30 p.m., even if it’s going to be on national TV. Inside the studio, various mishaps and meltdowns happen. A lighting rig falls down from a ceiling and narrowly misses injuring people. The show’s only trained lighting director quits in disgust.

Lorne is under pressure to cut the length of some of the sketches, but he refuses to do it. Various cast members trick the very unhip, middle-aged script supervisor Joan Carbunkle (played by Catherine Curtin) into keeping racy slang in the script, such as “golden showers” and “clam digger,” by lying to her with fake definitions for these terms. John throws a fit and disappears because he doesn’t want to wear a bee costume. Mild-mannered puppeteer Jim Henson (also played by Braun, who’s better in his portrayal of Henson than as Kaufman) defensively worries that “Saturday Night Live” won’t take his Muppets seriously.

Drug-addled guest comedian George Carlin (played by Matthew Rhys) storms off the set because he thinks he’s too good for the show. Lorne frantically tries to find someone who can be the new lighting director as the clock keeps ticking toward showtime. (And there’s literally a time stamp showing the time at various parts of the movie.) Musical guest Janis Ian (played by Naomi McPherson) is one of the few people on the show’s first episode who isn’t depicted as a complainer or someone who causes problems.

The other original “Saturday Night Live” cast members who are portrayed in the movie are laid-back Jane Curtin (played by Kim Matula); neurotic Laraine Newman (played by Emily Fairn); and frustrated Garrett Morris (played by Lamorne Morris, no relation), a Juilliard graduate who goes through a range of emotions when it dawns on him that he’s being treated like a token black person who is deliberately being sidelined and not given much to do. Garrett repeatedly asks no one in particular why he’s just being expected to stand around and not do much, in a tone that suggests he knows exactly why, but he doesn’t want to say the word “racism” out loud. Garrett is never asked for any comedic input and instead has to show his comedic talent when he jokes around during rehearsals with musical guest Billy Preston (played by Jon Batiste), the only other black person in the movie who gets a significant speaking role.

Also featured in the movie is Dick Ebersol (played by Cooper Hoffman), NBC’s director of weekend late night programming, who is Lorne’s closest business confidant and the person credited with helping Lorne develop “Saturday Night Live.” Years later, Ebersol would become an executive producer of “Saturday Night Live” (from 1981 to 1985) and chairman of NBC Sports (from 1998 to 2011). Lorne is an ambitious dreamer, while Dick is more of practical realist. Dick is the one who tells Lorne that NBC executives are expecting that “Saturday Night Live” will fail because the show is being used as a pawn in contract renegotiations with “Tonight Show” host Johnny Carson, who wants reruns of his “Tonight Show” episodes to air in the time slot that “Saturday Night Live” has.

One of those NBC executives who thinks “Saturday Night Live” will be a flop is NBC talent chief Dave Tebet (played by Willem Dafoe), a ruthless cynic who lurks around and makes cutting remarks about how the show is being run by people who don’t really know what they’re doing. Dave isn’t completely wrong. Lorne is like an inexperienced fire chief who has to lead a team putting out one fire after another, even before the fire engine can leave the station. Dave is also on edge because he’s invited several executives from local NBC affiliate stations to watch the debut of this unproven new show.

“Saturday Night” has brief depictions of people who would end up becoming longtime associates of “Saturday Night Live”: musical director Paul Shaffer (played by Paul Rust); announcer Don Pardo (played by Brian Welch); writer Alan Zweibel (played by Josh Brener); writer/actor and eventual “Saturday Night” Live cast mate (and later disgraced politician) Al Franken (played by Taylor Gray); and writer/actor Tom Davis (played by Mcabe Gregg), who was one-half of the Franken & Davis duo on “Saturday Night Live.” These appearances are fleeting and only seem to be there to check some boxes in the long list of people that the “Saturday Night” filmmakers wanted to include in the movie.

As overcrowded as “Saturday Night” is with its ensemble cast, the movie is at its best when there is snappy dialogue between two or three people. One of the funniest scenes in the film is when guest star Milton Berle (played by a scene-stealing J.K. Simmons) trades very hostile insults with Chevy when Milton begins flirting with Chevy’s fiancée Jacqueline Carlin (played by Kaia Gerber), who is the latest of many wannabe actress girlfriends whom Chevy insists should be hired to work with him. Chevy calls Milton an old has-been. Milton calls Chevy an irrelevant nobody. And then, elderly Milton (nicknamed Uncle Milty) does something that’s even more shocking and outrageous than anything that the young rebels in the “Saturday Night Live” cast would do.

LaBelle’s magnetic portrayal of Lorne is a combination of cocky and idealistic—someone who forges ahead with his visionary goals, even when Dick tells him that NBC executives have set up “Saturday Night Live” to fail. Under pressure, Lorne is willing to entertain ideas that other people tell him won’t work at all. And all these years later, when the Emmy-winning “Saturday Night Live” has lasted longer than most TV shows that will ever exist, it’s easy to see who has the last laugh. Nicknamed as the show for the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” of television, “Saturday Night Live” has become the very “insider” establishment that these TV outsiders used to sneer at and mock.

As much as “Saturday Night” seems to be a love letter to the first version of “Saturday Night Live,” it’s a love letter that has some blind spots that lower the quality of the movie. The movie portrays but doesn’t have a critical look at how women and people of color are treated as inferior to white men in the business of comedy. The female characters in the movie are literally supporting characters, who are depicted as catering to the needs and whims of whatever the men are deciding.

For example, instead of showing anything about why Gilda Radner was the type of brilliant comedian who could create unique characters, Gilda’s biggest moment in the movie is when she persuades a petulant John (who’s hiding out at the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink) to come back to the “Saturday Night Live” set and wear the bee costume that he hates. Instead of showing why Gilda was a talented comedian in her own right who would become in real life one of the breakout stars of “Saturday Night Live,” she is relegated to being a quasi-therapist to John.

Laraine’s big moment comes when she opens a long coat to reveal she’s wearing a bikini. Jane is so bland and generic, she doesn’t make much of an impression, and she’s still in the role of being a helper to the men on the show. To put it bluntly: The men in “Saturday Night” get the best lines, the most memorable character personalities and the most attention.

Rosie is the only female character who is depicted as having a full life (the movie shows or tells nothing about the female “Saturday Night Live” cast members’ personal lives), but the movie repeatedly points out that Rosie is in a position of authority because she’s married to Lorne. Rosie is supposed to be one of the top writers on the staff, but the biggest decision she is shown making is whether or not she should use her maiden surname or Lorne’s last name for her surname on the “Saturday Night Live” credits. As one of the top writers on the show, she is never shown making any real writing decisions when the first episode gets shaken up with various revisions on short notice.

In real life, “Saturday Night Live” has also had a very problematic history when it comes to race and racism. The “Saturday Night” movie rightly points out that Garrett Morris was used as a token (he was the only person of color in the original “Saturday Night Live” cast), but the movie’s approach to this uncomfortable subject matter is a bit timid. Garrett makes a thinly veiled diatribe (cloaked in a comedy bit) against white supremacist racism when he jokes that he wants to kill white people. Garrett gets all the white people in the room to laugh at this joke, but then it’s back to business as usual, and Garrett is mostly ignored.

Women of color in the “Saturday Night Live” world of 1975, as in this movie, just simply don’t exist as valuable team members and aren’t considered important enough to be included as decision makers in this world. Because as much as “Saturday Night” wants to portray this ragtag group of “outsiders” as the “rebel underdogs,” within that group of “rebel underdogs,” the sociopolitical hierarchy was the same as the establishment they wanted to rail against: White men get to have almost all of the power, and everyone else has whatever the white men will decide they’ll have.

Reitman and Kenan have previously collaborated on 2021’s “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” and 2024’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.” The “Ghostbusters” franchise was co-created by Aykroyd, who has starred in most of the “Ghostbusters” movies with Bill Murray, another “Saturday Night Live” alum. “Ghostbusters” co-creator Harold Ramis was the third main star of the franchise, while Ernie Hudson (just like Garrett Morris) was treated as an inferior sidekick, even though Hudson was an official Ghostbuster too. Jason Reitman’s father Ivan Reitman directed the first two “Ghostbusters” movies and was a producer of all the “Ghostbusters” movies until his death in 2022, at the age of 75.

“Saturday Night” has some of the same problems that “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” has: In its eagerness to cover a lot of bases in fan service, it gets overstuffed and unfocused when trying to show off how many quipping (and sometimes annoying) characters it can cram into a movie. However, “Saturday Night” has the advantage of having main characters as people who became celebrities in real life, so viewers already know what to expect from a lot of these characters. “Saturday Night” is a zippy and sometimes-messy nostalgia piece that is like a series of sketches rather than a comprehensive overview of what went into the launch of “Saturday Night Live.” As long as viewers don’t expect to see an in-depth history of “Saturday Night Live” in this movie, it works just fine as a film that’s somewhere in between lightweight and substantial.

Columbia Pictures released “Saturday Night” in select U.S. cinemas on September 27, 2024, with an expansion to more U.S. cinemas on October 4 and October 11, 2024.

2021 Primetime Emmy Awards: ‘The Crown,’ ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ are the top winners

September 19, 2021

by Carla Hay

Pennie Downey, Marion Bailey, Josh O’Connor, Charles Dance, Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies, Helena Bonham Carter, Erin Doherty, Michael Thomas and Pennie Downie in “The Crown” (Photo by Des Willie/Netflix)

Anya Taylor-Joy in “The Queen’s Gambit” (Photo by Phil Bray/Netflix)

With 11 prizes each, Netflix’s drama series “The Crown” and the Netflix limited drama series “The Queen’s Gambit” were the top winners at the 73rd annual Emmy Awards, which were presented at The Event Deck at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on September 19, 2021, in a ceremony hosted by Cedric the Entertainer. CBS had the U.S. telecast, with Paramount+ making live streaming of the ceremony available. Going into the ceremony, “The Crown” and the Disney+’s sci-fi drama series “The Mandalorian” were the leading contenders, with 24 nominations each.

The Emmy Awards won by “The Crown” were for Outstanding Drama Series; Best Actress in a Drama Series (for Olivia Colman); Best Actor in a Drama Series (for Josh O’Connor); Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (for Gillian Anderson); Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (for Tobias Menzies); Best Writing for a Drama Series; Best Directing for a Drama Series; Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series (for Claire Foy); Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series; Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (one hour); and Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series.

“The Queen’s Gambit” was the top winner in categories for Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie, including Outstanding Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie. “The Queen’s Gambit” also ruled in limited series, anthology series or movie categories for directing; writing; cinematography; single-camera picture editing; sound mixing; production design; casting; period and/or character makeup (non-prosthetic); and music composition (original dramatic score).

Apple TV+’s “Ted Lasso” was also a big winner, with seven prizes: Outstanding Comedy Series; Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (for Jason Sudeikis); Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series (for Brett Goldstein); and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (for Hannah Waddingham). The other three Emmys won by the show were for Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series; Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama series (half-hour) and Animation; and Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series.

“Saturday Night Live” won eight Emmys this year, including Outstanding Variety Series. “The Mandalorian” received seven Emmys, all in technical categories. “Mare of Easttown” picked up four Emmys, including three in the field of Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie: Outstanding Actress (for Kate Winslet); Best Supporting Actor (for Evan Peters); and Best Supporting Actress (for Julianne Nicholson). “Mare of Easttown” also won an Emmy for Outstanding Production Design for Narrative Contemporary Program. As previously announced, Debbie Allen received the noncompetitive Governors Award for career achievement.

Presenters and surprise guests included Uzo Aduba, Paulina Alexis, Anthony Anderson, Annaleigh Ashford, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Adrien Brody, Aidy Bryant, Sophia Bush, Stephen Colbert, Jennifer Coolidge, Misty Copeland, Kaley Cuoco, Michael Douglas, Ava DuVernay, Lane Factor, Beanie Feldstein, Allyson Felix, America Ferrera, Sterlin Harjo, Taraji P. Henson, Gayle King, LL Cool J, Devery Jacobs, Ken Jeong, Mindy Kaling, Daniel Dae Kim, Vanessa Lachey, Dan Levy, Eugene Levy, Jessica Long, Annie Murphy, Catherine O’Hara, Dolly Parton, Sarah Paulson, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Amy Poehler, Ellen Pompeo, Billy Porter, Michaela Jaé (Mj) Rodriguez, Seth Rogen, Tracee Ellis Ross, Yara Shahidi, Patrick Stewart, Wilmer Valderrama, Kerry Washington, Rita Wilson, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Bowen Yang and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP tallied the votes for the Primetime Emmy Awards, which are voted on by branches of the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences, with some special jury awards. The executive producers of 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards telecast were Reginald Hudlin and Done and Dusted.

The 2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards were handed out in a three-part ceremony on September 11 and September 12 that was webcast on Emmys.com. Highlights of the ceremony were televised on September 18 on FXX. A complete list of winners for the 2021 Creative Arts Emmy Awards can be found here.

Here is the list of nominees and winners for the 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards:

*=winner

Outstanding Drama Series

“The Boys” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Bridgerton” (Netflix)
“The Crown” (Netflix)*
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
“Lovecraft Country” (HBO)
“The Mandalorian” (Disney+)
“Pose” (FX)
“This Is Us” (NBC)

Outstanding Comedy Series

“Black-ish” (ABC)
“Cobra Kai” (Netflix)
“Emily in Paris” (Netflix)
“Hacks” (HBO Max)
“The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max)
“The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
“Pen15” (Hulu)
“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV +)*

Outstanding Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie
“I May Destroy You” (HBO)
“Mare of Easttown” (HBO)
“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix)*
“The Underground Railroad” (Amazon Prime Video)
“WandaVision” (Disney+)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”)
Jonathan Majors (“Lovecraft Country”)
Josh O’Connor (“The Crown”)*
Regé-Jean Page (“Bridgerton”)
Billy Porter (“Pose”)
Matthew Rhys (“Perry Mason”)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Uzo Aduba (“In Treatment”)
Olivia Colman (“The Crown”)*
Emma Corrin (“The Crown”)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Mj Rodriguez (“Pose”)
Jurnee Smollett (“Lovecraft Country”)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”)
Michael Douglas (“The Kominsky Method”)
William H. Macy (“Shameless”)
Jason Sudeikis (“Ted Lasso”)*
Kenan Thompson (“Kenan”)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Aidy Bryant (“Shrill”)
Kaley Cuoco (“The Flight Attendant”)
Allison Janney (“Mom”)
Tracee Ellis Ross (“Black-ish”)
Jean Smart (“Hacks”)*

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie

Paul Bettany (“WandaVision”)
Hugh Grant (“The Undoing”)
Ewan McGregor (“Halston”)*
Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton”)
Leslie Odom Jr. (“Hamilton”)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie

Michaela Coel (“I May Destroy You”)
Cynthia Erivo (“Genius: Aretha”)
Elizabeth Olsen (“WandaVision”)
Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Queen’s Gambit”)
Kate Winslet (“Mare of Easttown”)*

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

“Conan”
“The Daily Show With Trevor Noah”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”*
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert”

Outstanding Competition Program

“The Amazing Race”
“Nailed It!”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race”*
“Top Chef”
“The Voice”

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Giancarlo Esposito (“The Mandalorian”)
O-T Fagbenle (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
John Lithgow (“Perry Mason”)
Tobias Menzies (“The Crown”)*
Max Minghella (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Chris Sullivan (“This Is Us”)
Bradley Whitford (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Michael K. Williams (“Lovecraft Country”)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Gillian Anderson (“The Crown”)*
Helena Bonham Carter (“The Crown”)
Madeline Brewer (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Ann Dowd (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Aunjanue Ellis (“Lovecraft Country”)
Emerald Fennell (“The Crown”)
Yvonne Strahovski (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Samira Wiley (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series*

Carl Clemons-Hopkins (“Hacks”)
Brett Goldstein (“Ted Lasso”)*
Brendan Hunt (“Ted Lasso”)
Nick Mohammed (“Ted Lasso”)
Paul Reiser (“The Kominsky Method”)
Jeremy Swift (“Ted Lasso”)
Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”)
Bowen Yang (“Saturday Night Live”)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Aidy Bryant (“Saturday Night Live”)
Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”)
Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”)
Rosie Perez (“The Flight Attendant”)
Cecily Strong (“Saturday Night Live”)
Juno Temple (“Ted Lasso”)
Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”)*

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie

Thomas Brodie Sangster (“The Queen’s Gambit”)
Daveed Diggs (“Hamilton”)
Paapa Essiedu (“I May Destroy You”)
Jonathan Groff (“Hamilton”)
Evan Peters (“Mare of Easttown”)*
Anthony Ramos (“Hamilton”)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Anthology Series or Movie

Renée Elise Goldsberry (“Hamilton”)
Kathryn Hahn (“WandaVision”)
Moses Ingram (“The Queen’s Gambit”)
Julianne Nicholson (“Mare of Easttown”)*
Jean Smart (“Mare of Easttown”)
Phillipa Soo (“Hamilton”)

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

“A Black Lady Sketch Show”
“Saturday Night Live”*

Outstanding Variety Special (Live)

Celebrating America – An Inauguration Night Special (Multiple Platforms)
The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)
The Oscars (ABC)
The Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show Starring The Weeknd (CBS)
Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand Building Back America Great Again Better 2020 (Showtime)*

Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded)

Bo Burnham: Inside (Netflix)
David Byrne’s American Utopia (HBO)
8:46 – Dave Chappelle (Netflix)
Friends: The Reunion (HBO Max)
Hamilton (Disney+)*
A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote (HBO Max)

“B Positive” (CBS), directed by James Burrows

“The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max), directed by Susanna Fogel

“Hacks” (HBO Max) directed by Lucia Aniello*

“Mom” (CBS), directed by James Widdoes

“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+), directed by Zach Braff

“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+), directed by MJ Delaney

“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+), directed by Declan Lowney

Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series

“Bridgerton” (Netflix), directed by Julie Anne Robinson

“The Crown” (Netflix), directed by Benjamin Caron

“The Crown” (Netflix), directed by Jessica Hobbs*

“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu), directed by Liz Garbus

“The Mandalorian,” directed by Jon Favreau

“Pose” (FX), directed by Steven Canals

Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

“Hamilton” ( Disney+), directed by Thomas Kail

“I May Destroy You” (HBO), directed by Michaela Coel and Sam Miller

“I May Destroy You” (HBO), directed by Sam Miller

“Mare of Easttown” (HBO), directed by Craig Zobel

“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix), directed by Scott Frank*

“The Underground Railroad” (Prime Video), directed by Barry Jenkins

“WandaVision” (Disney+), directed by Matt Shakman

Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

“The Flight Attendant” (HBO Max), written by Steve Yockey

“Girls5eva” (Peacock), written by Meredith Scardino

“Hacks” (HBO Max), wrtten by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky*

“Pen15” (Hulu), written by Maya Erskine

“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+), written by Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly

“Ted Lasso” (Apple TV+), , written by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly

Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series

“The Boys” (Prime Video), written by Rebecca Sonnenshine

“The Crown” (Netflix), written by Peter Morgan*

“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu), written by Yahlin Chang

“Lovecraft Country” (HBO), written by Misha Green

“The Mandalorian” (Disney+), written by Dave Filoni

“The Mandalorian” (Disney+), written by Jon Favreau

“Pose” (FX), written by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk, Steven Canals, Janet Mock and Our Lady J

Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie

“I May Destroy You” (HBO), written by Michaela Coel*

“Mare of Easttown” (HBO), written by Brad Ingelsby

“The Queen’s Gambit” (Netflix), written by Scott Frank

“WandaVision” (Disney+), written by Peter Cameron

“WandaVision” (Disney+), written by Jac Schaeffer

“WandaVision” (Disney+), written by Laura Donney

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series

“The Amber Ruffin Show” (Peacock) Universal Television and Sethmaker Shoemeyers Productions

“A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)

“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” (HBO)*

“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (CBS)

“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

2020 Primetime Emmy Awards: ‘Watchmen’ is the top nominee

July 28, 2020

Emmys logo

Regina King in “Watchmen” (Photo by Mark Hill/HBO)

The following is a press release from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences:

Nominations for the 72nd Emmy Awards were announced today recognizing a host of groundbreaking new programs and up-and coming talent, along with beloved performers and hit shows that have been integral in helping television viewers navigate a changing world. The live ceremony, reimagined as a virtual event due to production restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, was hosted by “Supermarket Sweep” star and “Saturday Night Live” alumnus Leslie Jones with presenters Laverne Cox (“Inventing Anna”), Josh Gad (“Central Park”), Tatiana Maslany (“Perry Mason”) and Television Academy Chairman and CEO Frank Scherma. HBO’s “Watchmen” took the top spot for program nominations with 26 followed by “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (20), “Ozark” (18), “Succession” (18), “The Mandalorian” (15), “Schitt’s Creek” (15), “Saturday Night Live” (15) and “The Crown” (13).

Netflix lead the nominations in totals by platform with 160, setting a record previously held by HBO with 137 nominations in 2019. HBO had the second-most nominations with 107, and rounding out the top five were NBC with 47, ABC with 36 and FX with 33.

“Despite the unprecedented challenges facing the entertainment industry, it has been an extraordinary year for television,” said Television Academy Chairman and CEO Frank Scherma. “Television has inspired, united and comforted a global audience this season. We are honored to be recognizing so many of the talented programs, producers, directors and craftspeople behind the remarkable storytelling that has brought us together while we remain apart.”

Half of this year’s nominees for Outstanding Comedy Series are new to the category, including “Dead to Me,” “Insecure,” “The Kominsky Method” and “What We Do in the Shadows.” Returning favorites include “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Good Place,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Schitt’s Creek.” “The Mandalorian” is a newcomer in the Outstanding Drama Series category joining returning nominees “Better Call Saul,” “The Crown,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Killing Eve,” “Ozark,” “Stranger Things” and “Succession.”

Ramy Youssef is new to the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series category, joining previous nominees Anthony Anderson, Don Cheadle, Michael Douglas, Eugene Levy and two-time Emmy winner Ted Danson. Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series include first-time nominee in this category, Linda Cardellini, who joins previous category nominees Christina Applegate, Catherine O’Hara, Issa Rae and Tracee Ellis Ross, along with 2018 Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan.

Zendaya received her first-ever Emmy nomination, in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, while Emmy winner Jennifer Aniston and previous Emmy nominee Olivia Colman were nominated for the first time in this category. They join returning nominees Laura Linney and Sandra Oh, and last year’s Emmy winner Jodie Comer. Jeremy Strong received his first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series while former Emmy nominees Steve Carell and Brian Cox received their first nominations in this category, joining returning nominees Jason Bateman and previous Emmy winners in this category Sterling K. Brown and Billy Porter.

Other first-time performer nominations across the Supporting, Guest and Short Form Comedy-Drama categories include Mamoudou Athie (“Oh Jerome, No (Cake)”), Nicholas Braun (“Succession”), D’Arcy Carden (“The Good Place”), Billy Crudup (“The Morning Show”), Kieran Culkin (“Succession”), Mark Duplass (“The Morning Show”), Shira Haas (“Unorthodox”), William Jackson Harper (“The Good Place”), Stephan James (“#Freerayshawn”), Anna Kendrick (“Dummy”), Kerri Kenney-Silver (“Reno 911!”), Paul Mescal (“Normal People”), Matthew Macfadyen (“Succession”), Annie Murphy (“Schitt’s Creek”), Kaitlin Olson (“Flipped”), Yvonne Orji (“Insecure”), Jeremy Pope (“Hollywood”), Cecily Strong (“Saturday Night Live”), Sarah Snook (“Succession”), Rain Valdez (“Razor Tongue”), Harriet Walter (“Succession”) and Christoph Waltz (“Most Dangerous Game”).

Two-time Emmy nominees across different properties include Angela Bassett (“Black Lady Sketch Show,” “The Imagineering Story”), Jason Bateman (“Ozark,” “The Outsider”), Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Giancarlo Esposito (The Mandalorian, Better Call Saul), Wanda Sykes (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Crank Yankers”) and Ramy Youssef (two separate nominations for “Ramy”). Three-time nominees include Daniel Levy (three separate nominations for “Schitt’s Creek”) and Maya Rudolph (“Big Mouth,” “The Good Place,” “Saturday Night Live”).

Also announced was the father-daughter nominee duo of previous Emmy winner Ron Cephas Jones (Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama, “This Is Us”) and first-time Emmy nominee Jasmine Cephas Jones (Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series, “#FreeRayshawn”).

The nominations rosters may be revised in cases where names or titles are incorrect or appeals for changes—including the addition or removal of names—are approved by the Television Academy’s Primetime Emmy Awards Committee.

Producer eligibility is based primarily on title; the producer nominees in certain program categories will be announced by mid-August. Final-round online voting begins August 21, 2020.

The complete list of Emmy nominations as compiled by the independent accounting firm of Ernst & Young LLP, and other Academy news are available at Emmys.com.

The 72nd Emmy Awards will be hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, who also serves as executive producer for television’s biggest night. Recently announced executive producers for the telecast include Guy Carrington, Reginald Hudlin, David Jammy and Ian Stewart. The show will be broadcast, Sunday, September 20 (8:00-11:00 p.m. EDT/5:00-8:00 p.m. PDT), on ABC.

The 2020 Creative Arts Awards will air in five parts: on September 14, 15, 16, and 17 on Emmys.com and on Saturday, September 19 on FXX at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

Here is a partial list of nominees for the 2020 Primetime Emmy Awards:

Outstanding Drama Series

“Better Call Saul” (AMC)
“The Crown” (Netflix)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)
“Killing Eve” (BBC America/AMC)
“The Mandalorian” (Disney Plus)
“Ozark” (Netflix)
“Stranger Things” (Netflix)
“Succession” (HBO)

Outstanding Comedy Series

“Curb Your Enthusiasm” (HBO)
“Dead to Me” (Netflix)
“The Good Place” (NBC)
“Insecure” (HBO)
“The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon Prime Video)
“Schitt’s Creek” (Pop TV)
“What We Do in the Shadows” (FX)

Outstanding Limited Series

“Little Fires Everywhere” (Hulu)
“Mrs. America” (Hulu)
“Unbelievable” (Netflix)
“Unorthodox” (Netflix)
“Watchmen” (HBO)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

Jason Bateman (“Ozark”)
Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”)
Steve Carell (“The Morning Show”)
Brian Cox (“Succession”)
Billy Porter (“Pose”)
Jeremy Strong (“Succession”)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

Jennifer Aniston (“The Morning Show”)
Olivia Colman (“The Crown”)
Jodie Comer (“Killing Eve”)
Laura Linney (“Ozark”)
Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”)
Zendaya (“Euphoria”)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”)
Don Cheadle (“Black Monday”)
Ted Danson (“The Good Place”)
Michael Douglas (“The Kominsky Method”)
Eugene Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”)
Ramy Youssef (“Ramy”)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

Christina Applegate (“Dead to Me”)
Rachel Brosnahan (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Linda Cardellini (“Dead to Me”)
Catherine O’Hara (“Schitt’s Creek”)
Issa Rae (“Insecure”)
Tracee Ellis Ross (“Black-ish”)

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Jeremy Irons (“Watchmen”)
Hugh Jackman (“Bad Education”)
Paul Mescal (“Normal People”)
Jeremy Pope (“Hollywood”)
Mark Ruffalo (“I Know This Much Is True”)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Cate Blanchett (“Mrs. America”)
Shira Haas (“Unorthodox”)
Regina King (“Watchmen”)
Octavia Spencer (“Self Made”)
Kerry Washington (“Little Fires Everywhere”)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

Giancarlo Esposito (“Better Call Saul”)
Bradley Whitford (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Billy Crudup (“The Morning Show”)
Mark Duplass (“The Morning Show”)
Nicholas Braun (“Succession”)
Kieran Culkin (“Succession”)
Matthew Macfadyen (“Succession”)
Jeffrey Wright (“Westworld”)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

Laura Dern (“Big Little Lies”)
Meryl Streep (“Big Little Lies”)
Helena Bonham Carter (“The Crown”)
Samira Wiley (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Fiona Shaw (“Killing Eve”)
Julia Garner (“Ozark”)
Sarah Snook (“Succession”)
Thandie Newton (“Westworld”)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

Andre Braugher (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”)
William Jackson Harper (“The Good Place”)
Alan Arkin (“The Kominsky Method”)
Sterling K. Brown (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Tony Shalhoub (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Mahershala Ali (“Ramy”)
Kenan Thompson (“Saturday Night Live”)
Dan Levy (“Schitt’s Creek”)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Betty Gilpin (“GLOW”)
D’Arcy Carden (“The Good Place”)
Yvonne Orji (“Insecure”)
Alex Borstein (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Marin Hinkle (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”)
Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”)
Cecily Strong (“Saturday Night Live”)
Annie Murphy (“Schitt’s Creek”)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie

Dylan McDermott (“Hollywood”)
Jim Parsons (“Hollywood”)
Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. the Reverend”)
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“Watchmen”)
Jovan Adepo (“Watchmen”)
Louis Gossett Jr. (“Watchmen”)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie

Holland Taylor (“Hollywood”)
Uzo Aduba (“Mrs. America”)
Margo Martindale (“Mrs. America”)
Tracey Ullman (“Mrs. America”)
Toni Collette (“Unbelievable”)
Jean Smart (“Watchmen”)

Outstanding Competition Program

“The Masked Singer” (Fox)
“Nailed It!” (Netflix)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1)
“Top Chef” (Bravo)
“The Voice” (NBC)

Outstanding Variety Sketch Series

“A Black Lady Sketch Show” (HBO)
“Drunk History” (Comedy Central)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)

Outstanding Variety Talk Series

“Daily Show with Trevor Noah” (Comedy Central)
“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” (TBS)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” (ABC)
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO)
“Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS)

2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards: ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Saturday Night Live’ are the top winners

September 9, 2018

by Carla Hay

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With seven awards each, “Game of Thrones” and “Saturday Night Live” were the top winners at the 2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards (the technical categories of the Primetime Emmys), which were presented September 8 and 9 at Microsoft Theater In Los Angeles. FXX will televise highlights from the ceremony on September 15 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

The biggest categories at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards will be presented September 17 at Microsoft Theater. “Saturday Night Live” cast members Michael Che and Colin Jost are hosting the ceremony, which NBC will telecast live in the U.S. at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. HBO’s “Game of Thrones” has the most nominations (22) in all categories

First-time Emmy winners John Legend, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice made history at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards this year by becoming part of the elite EGOT club—people who have all won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award.  Legend, Webber and Rice won their Emmys for NBC’s “Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert” TV special, which is based on the stage musical that debuted in 1970. “Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert” five Emmys at the Creative Arts Emmys ceremony, including Outstanding Variety Special (Live).

Legend starred as Jesus Christ in the special, and he, Webber and Rice won the Emmy for being among the special’s executive producers. Webber and Rice wrote the musical’s music. Sadly, “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” executive producer Craig Zadan was not there to celebrate the win because he died on August 20, after complications from shoulder surgery.

At 39 years old, Legend made EGOT history by becoming the youngest person and the first black man to become an EGOT winner. Legend has 10 Grammys, an Oscar for co-writing the song “Glory” from the 2014 movie “Selma,” and a Tony for co-producing “Jitney.” Webber has four Grammys, seven Tonys and an Oscar for co-writing with Rice “You Must Love Me” from the 1996 film “Evita.” Rice has three Tonys, five Grammys and three Oscars. The other people who are EGOT winners are Mel Brooks, John Gielgud, Whoopi Goldberg, Marvin Hamlisch, Helen Hayes, Audrey Hepburn, Robert Lopez, Rita Moreno, Mike Nichols, Scott Rudin and Richard Rodgers and Jonathan Tunick.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32byfjSXIX0 

Other first-time winners at the 2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards included actress Samira Wiley (for guesting on “The Handmaid’s Tale”), actor Ron Cephas Jones (for guesting on “This Is Us”) and actress Christina Pickles (for starring in the short-form series  “Break a Hip”). Comedians were also many of the the other first-time Emmy winners at the show, including Tiffany Haddish (for guesting on “Saturday Night Live”), Katt Williams (for guesting on “Atlanta”), Dave Chappelle (for his Netflix stand-up comedy special “Dave Chappelle: Equanimity”) and “Saturday Night Live” cast members Kenan Thompson and Chris Redd, for co-writing the song “Come Back Barack.” Previous Emmy winners RuPaul Charles, James Corden, Conan O’Brien, John Oliver and W. Kamau Bell added to their Emmy haul for shows that they star in and executive produce.

In addition to “Game of Thrones,” “Saturday Night Live” and “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert,” other shows that won several prizes at the 2018 Creative Arts Emmys included “Black Mirror: USS Callister,” “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown,” “Queer Eye,” “Westworld,” “The Crown,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.”

Here is the complete list of winners for the 2018 Creative Arts Emmy Awards:

Outstanding TV Movie: “Black Mirror: USS Callister”
Outstanding Variety Special (Live): “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert”
Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded): “Dave Chappelle: Equanimity”
Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program: “United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell”
Outstanding Structured Reality Program: “Queer Eye”
Outstanding Informational Series or Special: “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”
Outstanding Short-Form Comedy or Drama Series: “James Corden’s Next James Corden”
Outstanding Short-form Non-Fiction or Reality: “Anthony Bourdain: Explore Parts Unknown”
Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media Within a Scripted Program: “Conan Without Borders”
Outstanding Interactive Program: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media Within a Scripted Program: “Westworld,” “Chaos Takes Control Interactive Experience.”
Outstanding Original Interactive Program: “NASA JPL: Cassini’s Grand Finale”
Outstanding Children’s Program: “The Magical Wand Chase: A Sesame Street Special”
Outstanding Animated Program: “Rick and Morty: Pickle Rick”
Outstanding Short-Form Animated Program: “Robot Chicken”
Outstanding Short-Form Variety Series: “Carpool Karaoke—The Series”
Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fiction Series: “Wild Wild Country”
Outstanding Documentary/Non-Fiction Special: “The Zen Diaries of Garry Shandling”
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series: Katt Williams, “Atlanta”
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series: Tiffany Haddish, “Saturday Night Live”
Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series: Ron Cephas Jones, “This Is Us”
Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series: Samira Wiley, “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Outstanding Host for a Reality Competition Program: RuPaul Charles, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Outstanding Voice-Over Performance: Alex Borstein, “Family Guy”
Outstanding Narration: David Attenborough, “Blue Planet II”
Outstanding Actor in a Short-Form Comedy or Drama Series: James Corden, “James Corden’s Next James Corden”
Outstanding Actress in a Short-Form Comedy or Drama Series: Christina Pickles, “Break a Hip”
Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (one hour): “The Crown”
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series: Don Roy King, “Saturday Night Live”
Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program: Nick Murray, “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Non-Fiction Special: Brett Morgen, “Jane”
Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series: “Saturday Night Live”
Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Limited Series, Movie or Special: “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert”
Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”
Outstanding Writing for a Non-Fiction Program: “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”
Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (half-hour): “Atlanta”
Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series: “Will & Grace”
Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie: “Genius: Picasso”
Outstanding Cinematography for a Reality Program: “Life Below Zero”
Outstanding Cinematography for a Non-Fiction Program: “Jane”
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Series: “Saturday Night Live”
Outstanding Lighting Design/Lighting Direction for a Variety Special: “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert”
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series: “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or Movie: “Black Mirror: USS Callister”
Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series: “Will & Grace”
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Structured or Competition Reality Program: “Queer Eye”
Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program: “United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell”
Outstanding Picture Editing for Variety Program: “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
Outstanding Picture Editing for a Non-Fiction Program: “Lagos”
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama series (half-hour) and Animation: “Atlanta”
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama (one hour): “Stranger Things”
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special: “Black Mirror: USS Callister”
Outstanding Sound Editing for a Non-Fiction Program (single- or multi-camera): “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama series (half-hour) and Animation: “Barry”
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama series (one hour): “Game of Thrones”
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie: “Genius: Picasso”
Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Non-Fiction Program (single- or multi-camera): “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”
Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (half-hour or less): “GLOW”
Outstanding Production Design for Narrative Contemporary Program: “The Handmaid’s Tale”
Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative for a Narrative Period or Fantasy Program: “Game of Thrones”
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Reality Competition Series: “Saturday Night Live”
Outstanding Production Design for a Variety Special: “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert”
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series: “Westworld”
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special: “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie: “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”
Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (non-prosthetic): “Westworld”
Outstanding Makeup for a Multi-Camera Series or Special (non-prosthetic): “Saturday Night Live”
Outstanding Makeup for a Limited Series or Movie (non-prosthetic): “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”
Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Limited Series, Movie or Special: “Game of Thrones”
Outstanding Contemporary Costumes: “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”
Outstanding Period Costumes: “The Crown”
Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes: “Game of Thrones”
Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Non-Fiction or Reality Programming: “RuPaul’s Drag Race”
Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Comedy Series or Variety Program: “GLOW”
Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series or Movie: “Game of Thrones”
Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (original dramatic score): Ramin Djawadi, “Game of Thrones”
Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or Special (original dramatic score): Cyril Aufort, “March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step”
Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music: Carlos Rafael Rivera, “Godless”
Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics: “Come Back Barack” from “Saturday Night Live”— Music by Eli Brueggemann. Lyrics by Chris Redd, Kenan Thompson and Will Stephen.
Outstanding Music Direction: Gregg Field, “Tony Bennett: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song”
Outstanding Music Supervision: Robin Urdang, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Dan Palladino, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Outstanding Choreography: Mandy Moore, “So You Think You Can Dance”
Outstanding Main Title Design: “Counterpart”
Outstanding Special Visual Effects: “Game of Thrones”
Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role: “The Alienist”
Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series: “The Crown”
Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series: “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story”
Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program: “Queer Eye”
Outstanding Commercial: “The Talk,” P&G, “My Black is Beautiful”

 

2018 Primetime Emmy Awards: Michael Che, Colin Jost named as co-hosts

April 26, 2018

Emmys logo

Michael Che and Colin Jost
Michael Che and Colin Jost (Photo by Mary Ellen Matthews/NBC)

Colin Jost and Michael Che, “Weekend Update” anchors and Emmy®Award-nominated co-head writers of NBC’s iconic and Emmy Award-winning late night franchise “Saturday Night Live,” have been named co-hosts of the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards. The telecast will be executive produced by “SNL” creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels.

The Emmys will air live coast to coast from the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live in downtown Los Angeles on Monday, Sept. 17 from 8-11 p.m. ET (5-8 p.m. PT) on NBC.

“NBC is thrilled to be the home of this year’s Emmy Awards and with Colin and Michael in the driver’s seat as hosts, along with surprise appearances by other cast members of ‘Saturday Night Live,’ I think we are in for one of the funniest awards shows in a long time,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment.

Said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Reality Group, NBC Entertainment: “We’re proud of our deep comedy roster at NBC, and Michael and Colin — along with the return of king of comedy producer Lorne Michaels — will make this the must-see comedy event of the year.”

“We are elated that Colin Jost and Michael Che will bring their hilarious collective talents to hosting this year’s Emmy Awards,” said Hayma Washington, Television Academy chairman and CEO. “They have an amazing onscreen rapport and we are delighted to begin working with them along with the entire NBC team.”

“We’re proud to be the first duo hosting the Emmys since Jenna Elfman and David Hyde Pierce, and somehow that’s a real fact,” said Jost and Che.

Jost and Che are Emmy-nominated co-head writers on “SNL” who began their tenure on “Weekend Update” in 2014. A four-time WGA Award winner and recipient of a Peabody Award, Jost started at “SNL” as a writer in 2005. Che, who was previously named on Variety’s 10 Comics to Watch list and Rolling Stone’s 50 Funniest People, joined “SNL” in 2013. Each was named as a co-head writer on “SNL” in 2017.

So far this season, “Saturday Night Live” is averaging a 2.82 rating in adults 18-49 and 9.405 million viewers in “live plus seven day” figures from Nielsen Media Research. This is the show’s #2 most-watched season at this point in 23 years. With the inclusion of projected 35-day non-linear ratings, “SNL” this season is averaging a 3.78 rating in 18-49.

Nominations for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced Thursday, July 12 from the Television Academy’s Wolf Theatre at the Saban Media Center.

About the Television Academy

The Television Academy seeks to expand the horizons of television excellence. It strives to empower storytellers who shape the evolving television space through the programs, publications and events of the Academy and its Foundation. And it celebrates those who have led excellence by recording their stories and recognizing their achievements through accolades and awards, including television’s most coveted prize, the Primetime Emmy Award. For more information, please visit TelevisionAcademy.com.

2017 Primetime Emmy Awards: ‘The Handmaid’s Tale,’ ‘Veep,’ ‘Big Little Lies’ among the top winners

September 17, 2017

by Carla Hay

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Oprah Winfrey and “The Handmaid’s Tale” Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss at the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on September 17, 2017 (Photo by Trae Patton/CBS)

“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Veep,” “Big Little Lies,” “Atlanta,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Black Mirror: San Junipero” and “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” were among the shows that won multiple awards in major categories at the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which took place at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles September 17, 2017.  “The Handmaid’s Tale” won five awards, including Outstanding Drama Series.  “Big Little Lies” won five awards, including Outstanding Limited Series or Movie. “Saturday Night Live” won four prizes, including Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.  “Atlanta” won two prizes, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for show creator/star Donald Glover. “Veep” received two Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It was her sixth consecutive win of this award, making her the record for the most wins by an actor or actress for the same TV show. Meanwhile, “Black Mirror: San Junipero” won two Emmys, including Outstanding Television Movie.

“Westworld” and “Saturday Night Live” went into the ceremony with the most nominations (22 each), but “Westworld” was ultimately snubbed and did not win in the major categories. However, “Westworld” was one of the top winners  (taking five awards) at the 69th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which were presented on September 9 and September 10.

CBS had the live U.S. telecast of the 69th Primetime Emmy Awards, which was hosted by Stephen Colbert who spent much of his on-stage time making jokes about President Donald Trump.  Eligible shows were those that had first-run prime-time or late-night (8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Eastern Time) airings on U.S. television or U.S. streaming services from June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017.

Highlights of the show included former White House press secretary Sean Spicer making a surprise appearance on stage to poke fun at his widely mocked claim that Trump’s inauguration was the most-attended presidential inauguration in U.S. history. Colbert later addressed Spice as Melissa McCarthy, who won an Emmy for the first time she her parody of Spicer on “Saturday Night Live.” Other highlights included the reunion of “9 to 5” stars Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda, as well as TV comedy legends Norman Lear and Carol Burnett presenting an award together.

The following are the winners and nominees for the 2017 Primetime Emmy Awards:

*=winner

Drama Series
“Better Call Saul” (AMC)
“The Crown” (Netflix)
“The Handmaid’s Tale” (Hulu)*
“House of Cards” (Netflix)
“Stranger Things” (Netflix)
“This Is Us” (NBC)
“Westworld” (HBO)

Comedy Series
“Atlanta” (FX)
“Black-ish” (ABC)
“Master of None” (Netflix)
“Modern Family” (ABC)
“Silicon Valley” (HBO)
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix)
“Veep” (HBO)*

Drama Actress
Viola Davis (“How to Get Away with Murder”)
Claire Foy (“The Crown”)
Elisabeth Moss (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)*
Keri Russell (“The Americans”)
Evan Rachel Wood (“Westworld”)
Robin Wright (“House of Cards”)

Drama Actor
Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”)*
Anthony Hopkins (“Westworld”)
Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”)
Matthew Rhys (“The Americans”)
Liev Schreiber (“Ray Donovan”)
Kevin Spacey (“House of Cards”)
Milo Ventimiglia (“This Is Us”)

Comedy Actor
Anthony Anderson (“Black-ish”)
Aziz Ansari (“Master of None”)
Zach Galifianakis (“Baskets”)
Donald Glover (“Atlanta”)*
William H. Macy (“Shameless”)
Jeffrey Tambor (“Transparent”)

Comedy Actress
Pamela Adlon (“Better Things”)
Tracee Ellis-Ross (“black-ish”)
Jane Fonda (“Grace and Frankie”)
Allison Janney (“Mom”)
Ellie Kemper (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”)
Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep”)*
Lily Tomlin (“Grace and Frankie”)

Limited Series
“Big Little Lies” (HBO)*
“Fargo” (FX)
“Feud: Bette and Joan” (FX)
“The Night Of” (HBO)
“Genius” (National Geographic)

Limited Series Actor
Riz Ahmed (“The Night Of”)*
Benedict Cumberbatch (“Sherlock: The Lying Detective”)
Robert De Niro (“The Wizard of Lies”)
Ewan McGregor (“Fargo”)
Geoffrey Rush (“Genius”)
John Turturro (“The Night Of”)

Limited Series Actress
Carrie Coon (“Fargo”)
Felicity Huffman (“American Crime”)
Nicole Kidman (“Big Little Lies”)*
Jessica Lange (“Feud”)
Susan Sarandon (“Feud”)
Reese Witherspoon (“Big Little Lies”)

Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Jonathan Banks (“Better Call Saul”)
David Harbour (“Stranger Things”)
Ron Cephas Jones (“This Is Us”)
Michael Kelly (“House of Cards”)
John Lithgow (“The Crown”)*
Mandy Patinkin (“Homeland”)
Jeffrey Wright (“Westworld”)

Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Uzo Aduba (“Orange Is the New Black”)
Millie Bobby Brown (“Stranger Things”)
Ann Dowd (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)*
Chrissy Metz (“This Is Us”)
Thandie Newton (“Westworld”)
Samira Wiley (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)

Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Louie Anderson (“Baskets”)
Alec Baldwin (“Saturday Night Live”)*
Tituss Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”)
Ty Burrell (“Modern Family”)
Tony Hale (“Veep”)
Matt Walsh (“Veep”)

Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
Vanessa Bayer (“Saturday Night Live”)
Anna Chlumsky (“Veep”)
Kathryn Hahn (“Transparent”)
Leslie Jones (“Saturday Night Live”)
Judith Light (“Transparent”)
Kate McKinnon (“Saturday Night Live”)*

Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Bill Camp (“The Night Of”)
Alfred Molina (“Feud: Bette and Joan”)
Alexander Skarsgård (“Big Little Lies”)*
Stanley Tucci (“Feud: Bette and Joan”)
David Thewlis (“Fargo”)
Michael K. Williams (“The Night Of”)

Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Judy Davis (“Feud: Bette and Joan”)
Laura Dern (“Big Little Lies”)*
Jackie Hoffman (“Feud: Bette and Joan”)
Regina King (“American Crime”)
Michelle Pfeiffer (The Wizard of Lies”)
Shailene Woodley (“Big Little Lies”)

Variety Talk Series
“Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” (TBS)
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” (ABC)
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” (HBO)*
“Late Late Show With James Corden” (CBS)
“Real Time With Bill Maher” (HBO)
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” (CBS)

 Reality Competition

“The Amazing Race” (CBS)
“American Ninja Warrior” (NBC)
“Project Runway” (Lifetime)
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” (VH1)
“Top Chef” (Bravo)
“The Voice” (NBC)*

Television Movie
“Black Mirror: San Junipero”*
“Dolly Parton’s Christmas Of Many Colors: Circle Of Love”
“The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks”
“Sherlock: The Lying Detective (Masterpiece)”
“The Wizard Of Lies”

Variety Sketch Series
“Billy On The Street” (truTV)
“Documentary Now!” (IFC)
“Drunk History” (Comedy Central)
“Portlandia” (IFC)
“Saturday Night Live” (NBC)*
“Tracey Ullman’s Show” (HBO)

Directing for a Comedy Series
Donald Glover (“Atlanta”)*
Jamie Babbit (“Silicon Valley”)
Morgan Sackett (“Veep”)
David Mandel (“Veep”)
Dale Stern (“Veep”)

Directing for a Drama Series
Vince Gilligan (“Better Call Saul”)
Stephen Daldry (“The Crown”)
Reed Morano (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)*
Kate Dennis (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)
Lesli Linka Glatter (“Homeland”)
The Duffer Brothers (“Stranger Things”)
Jonathan Nolan (“Westworld”)

Directing for a Variety Series
Derek Waters & Jeremy Konner (“Drunk History”)
Andy Fisher (Jimmy Kimmel Live”)
Paul Pennolino (“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”)
Jim Hoskinson (“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”)
Don Roy King (“Saturday Night Live”)*

Directing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Special
Ron Howard (“Genius”)
James Marsh (“The Night Of”)
Jean-Marc Vallée (“Big Little Lies”)*
Ryan Murphy (“Feud: Bette and Joan”)
Steve Zaillian (“The Night Of”)

Writing for a Comedy Series
Aziz Ansari & Lena Waithe (“Master of None”)*
Alec Berg (“Silicon Valley”)
Donald Glover (“Atlanta”)
Stephen Glover (“Atlanta”)
Billy Kimball (“Veep”)
David Mandel (“Veep”)

Writing for a Drama Series
The Duffer Brothers (“Stranger Things”)
Lisa Joy & Jonathan Nolan (“Westworld”)
Peter Morgan (“The Crown”)
Bruce Miller (“The Handmaid’s Tale”)*
Gordon Smith (“Better Call Saul”)
Joe Weisberg & Joel Fields (“The Americans”)

Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or Drama
David E. Kelley (“Big Little Lies”)
Charlie Brooker (“Black Mirror: San Junipero”)*
Noah Hawley (“Fargo”)
Ryan Murphy (“Feud: Bette and Joan”)
Jaffe Cohen, Michael, Michael Zam & Ryan Murphy (“Feud: Bette and Joan”)
Richard Price & Steven Zaillian (“The Night Of”)

Writing for a Variety Series 
Jo Miller, Samantha Bee, Ashley Nicole Black, Pat Cassels, Eric Drysdae, Mathan Erhardt, Travon Free, Joe Grossman, Miles Kahn, Melinda Taub & Jason Reich (“Full Frontal with Samantha Bee”)
Kevin Avery, Tim Carvell, Josh Gondelman, Dan Gurewitch, Geoff Haggerty, Jeff Maurer, John Oliver, Scott Sherman, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss & Juli Weiner (“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver”)*
Jermaine Affonso, Alex Baze, Bryan Donaldson, Sal Gentile, Matt Goldich, Dina Gusovky, Jenny Hagel, Allison Hord, Mike Karnell, John Lutz, Seth Meyers, Ian Morgan, Seth Reiss, Amber Ruffin, Mike Scollins, Mike Shoemaker & Ben Warheit (“Late Night with Seth Meyers”)
Barry Julien, Jay Katsir, Opus Moreschi, Stephen Colbert, Tom Purcell, Matt Lappin, Michael Brumm, Nate Charny, Aaron Cohen, Cullen Crawford, Paul Dinello, Ariel Dumas, Glenn Eichler, Django Gold, Gabe Gronli, Daniel Kibblesmith, Michael Pielocik, Kate Sidley, Jen Spyra, Brian Stack & John Thibodeaux (“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”)
Chris Kelly, Sarah Schneider, Kent Sublette, Bryan Tucker, Pete Schultz, James Anderson, Kristen Bartlett, Jeremy Beiler, Zach Bornstein, Joanna Bradley, Megan Callahan, Michael Che, Anna Drezen, Fran Gillespie, Sudi Green, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, Nick Kocher, Dave McCary, Brian McElhaney, Dennis McNicholas, Drew Michael, Lorne Michaels, Josh Patten, Katie Rich, Streeter Seidell, Will Stephen & Julio Torres (“Saturday Night Live”)

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