Awards HQ Sept. 12: Final Predictions and Odds, What to Expect Tonight, Weekend Party Roundup, More!
Michael Schneider
·38 min read
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Greetings from Variety Awards Headquarters! Today is Sept. 12, 2022, which the 74th Emmy Awards takes place, live on NBC and Peacock, today.It was a busy, humid, sticky pre-Emmy weekend — but it also was a lot of fun to get back out there and see many of you at a variety (no pun intended!) of events — starting with our Variety Showrunners Dinner on Thursday night. (Not happening over the weekend, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, was the BAFTA Tea Party, canceled out of respect for the monarch’s passing.)
Hope you all paced yourselves, because the festivities obviously reach a peak tonight with the actual Primetime Emmys ceremony. Then after, it’s the return of the the Governors Gala (née Ball), followed also by the return of the network, studio and streamer afterparties. The headline there: The end of the HBO party at the Pacific Design Center. As a nod to parent company Warner Bros. Discovery’s penny pinching, this year’s HBO/HBO Max soiree is a much more scaled back event at the San Vicente Bungalows, with a limited guest list. Netflix and Disney are throwing this year’s big bashes, while Paramount cornered the pre-event space on Saturday and AMC Networks held a brunch on Sunday. More details below.
Who will win this year’s Emmys? We made our guesses over here at Variety Team TV, but it’s starting to feel like anyone’s guess. It will either be the obvious choices, and we spent the last few days overthinking things, or perhaps we’re in for some surprises — I hope! Now, let’s get going!
Final Emmy Predictions, Part 1: Clayton Davis on How Abbott Elementary’ and ‘Squid Game’ Are Set to Make History
My colleague Clayton Davis is going for it. He’s looking at a potentially game-changing night, with both landmark series “Squid Game” and “Abbott Elementary” winning drama and comedy series. He writes:
“Abbott Elementary” just might do it. After winning for casting, the ABC hit freshman sitcom could make history in many significant ways. After Quinta Brunson made history by becoming the first Black woman to be nominated for comedy series, acting and writing categories in the same year, she would be only the second Black person ever to win as a producer in the comedy series. The first was Winifred Hervey for “The Golden Girls” back in 1987. Also, forecast to go along with the top category a win for writing (Brunson would be the third Black person after Larry Wilmore for “The Bernie Mac Show” in 2002 and Lena Waithe for “Master of None” in 2017) and Sheryl Lee Ralph in supporting actress (she would be the second Black woman to win the category after Jackee Harry for “227” in 1987).
Let’s be clear, I’m aware I may be “overthinking much of this, and there are more “safe picks” to make as we barrel towards the ceremony. “Ted Lasso” winning comedy would not be shocking, along with its three stars Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham, matching once again.
The race for drama series remains as open as ever with “Squid Game” asserting itself with four huge wins including guest actress drama for Lee You-mi. With 25 nominations, HBO’s “Succession” leads overall but so far, it’s only walked away with one Creative Art category for casting (which is no small feat). The casting and drama series categories have matched the last six of the last 10 years, including the last four consecutively.
However, after much internal debate, Netflix might just squeak it out and make history as the first non-English program to win the category. The show is predicted to also win directing for Hwang Dong-hyuk, who would be the first Asian winner ever.
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How Creative Arts Emmys Might Foreshadow Monday’s Primetime Winners
HBO’s “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus,” as well as Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” lead the early Emmy tally heading toward TV’s big night: All three series landed five trophies during the Creative Arts Emmys, dispensed on two consecutive nights over Labor Day weekend, and are in the hunt for more high-profile prizes Sept. 12 when the 74th annual Primetime Emmy ceremony gets underway on NBC.
Variety special “Adele: One Night Only” and docuseries “The Beatles: Get Back” also scored five trophies, though they won’t figure in the Primetime Emmy ceremony. Those wins, along with the Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show’s victory for variety special (live), led some to quip that the Creative Arts Emmys felt more like the Grammys.
Also notable: Former president Barack Obama landed his first Emmy win, as narrator (for “Our Great National Parks”), while Netflix became the first streamer to take the animated program Emmy, with “Arcane.” And “Chip ’N Dale: Rescue Rangers” became the first animated victor in the TV movie category.
In bittersweet news, Chadwick Boseman won a posthumous Emmy for character voice-over performance (for “What If …”). And the team for “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” won for outstanding short form nonfiction or reality series, just a few weeks after TBS canceled the show.
Bear in mind that success in artisan categories doesn’t necessarily equate to trophies at the Primetime ceremony. “Stranger Things,” for example, did well over the weekend but is up for only the outstanding drama statuette (and not any acting, directing or writing Emmys).
There are nonetheless new clues to consider before filling out ballots for office Emmy pools.; read on here.
[Photo: Colman Domingo won an Emmy for his guest performance on “Euphoria.”]
***************************************** Final Emmy Predictions, Part 2: Variety’s Awards Circuit Roundtable Reveals Daring and Unpredictable Final Emmy Picks
On this episode of the “Variety Awards Circuit Podcast,” it’s an all-roundtable edition as we go through all of the remaining categories and give out final best guesses and biggest dreams.
Will predictable winners wind up on stage, or are we in for some big surprises from the likes of “Squid Game” or “Abbott Elementary”? What hints can be found in last weekend’s Creative Arts Emmys winners? Listen below!
Here is a roundup of predictions from Variety’s Team TV. Be gentle: Unlike past years, this Emmy season is either the most unpredictable in years… or we’ll look back at this and say we WAY overthought this. We can all agree on “The White Lotus,” Michael Keaton and Amanda Seyfried. Everything else? It’s all over the map.
Outstanding Drama Series Will Win: “Squid Game” (Clayton Davis), “Succession” (Kate Aurthur, Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay), “Severance” (Dan D’Addario, Emily Longeretta) Should Win: “Severance” (Clayton Davis), “Succession” (Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu), “Squid Game” (Michael Schneider)
Outstanding Comedy Series Will Win: “Abbott Elementary” (Clayton Davis, Dan D’Addario), “Ted Lasso” (Kate Aurthur, Michael Schneider); “Barry” (Selome Hailu); “Only Murders in the Building” (Emily Longeretta, Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: “Abbott Elementary” (Clayton Davis, Michael Schneider, Selome Hailu); “Only Murders in the Building” (Dan D’Addario)
Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Will Win: “The White Lotus” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Emily Longeretta, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: “Dopesick” (Clayton Davis), “The White Lotus” (Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu); “The Dropout” (Michael Schneider)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Will Win: Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets” (Clayton Davis, Selome Hailu, Emily Longeretta, Jazz Tangcay); Zendaya, “Euphoria” (Kate Aurthur, Michael Schneider) Should Win: Zendaya, “Euphoria” (Clayton Davis); Melanie Lynskey (Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider); Laura Linney, “Ozark” (Dan D’Addario); Laura Linney, “Ozark” or Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets” (Kate Aurthur)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Will Win: Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul” (Clayton Davis, Selome Hailu); Jeremy Strong, “Succession” (Kate Aurthur, Michael Schneider); Jason Bateman, “Ozark” (Dan D’Addario); Brian Cox, “Succession” (Jazz Tangcay); Adam Scott, “Severance” (Emily Longeretta)
Should Win: Jeremy Strong, “Succession” (Clayton Davis, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu); Bob Odenkirk (Michael Schneider); “All of them!” (Kate Aurthur)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series Will Win: Jean Smart, “Hacks” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur, Selome Hailu, Emily Longeretta, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay); Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” (Dan D’Addario) Should Win: Jean Smart, “Hacks” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur); Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary” (Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series Will Win: Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur); Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building” (Selome Hailu, Emily Longeretta, Jazz Tangcay); Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso” (Michael Schneider); Bill Hader, “Barry” (Dan D’Addario) Should Win: Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building” (Clayton Davis, Dan D’Addario); Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building” (Selome Hailu); Martin Short or Steve Martin (Kate Aurthur); Bill Hader, “Barry” (Michael Schneider)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Will Win: Amanda Seyfried, “The Dropout” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Emily Longeretta, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: Toni Collette, “The Staircase” (Clayton Davis); Amanda Seyfried, “The Dropout” (Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider)
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Will Win: Michael Keaton, “Dopesick” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Emily Longeretta, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: Michael Keaton, “Dopesick” (Clayton Davis, Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider); Colin Firth, “The Staircase” (Dan D’Addario); Michael Keaton or Colin Firth (Kate Aurthur)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Will Win: Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul” (Clayton Davis); Julia Garner, “Ozark” (Kate Aurthur, Emily Longeretta, Michael Schneider); Sarah Snook, “Succession” (Selome Hailu, Jazz Tangcay); Sydney Sweeney, “Euphoria” (Dan D’Addario) Should Win: Christina Ricci, “Yellowjackets” (Clayton Davis); Sarah Snook, “Succession” (Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu); Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul” (Michael Schneider); “All of them!” (Kate Aurthur)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Will Win: Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur, Selome Hailu); Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show” (Emily Longeretta, Michael Schneider); O Yeong-su, “Squid Game” (Dan D’Addario); Kieran Culkin, “Succession” (Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: John Turturro, “Severance” (Clayton Davis); Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession” (Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Michael Schneider); Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show” (Selome Hailu)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series Will Win: Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary” (Clayton Davis, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu); Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks” (Kate Aurthur, Jazz Tangcay); Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso” (Michael Schneider); Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Emily Longeretta) Should Win: Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary” (Clayton Davis, Dan D’Addario); Sheryl Lee Ralph (Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series Will Win: Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur, Selome Hailu, Emily Longeretta, Michael Schneider); Tyler James Williams, “Aboott Elementary” (Dan D’Addario); Henry Winkler, “Barry” (Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: Anthony Carrigan, “Barry” (Clayton Davis); Henry Winkler, “Barry” (Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario); Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary” (Selome Hailu)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Will Win: Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Emily Longeretta, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: Natasha Rothwell, “The White Lotus” (Clayton Davis); Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus” (Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie Will Win: Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur, Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Emily Longeretta, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus” (Clayton Davis, Kate Aurthur, Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider); Michael Stuhlbarg, “Dopesick” (Dan D’Addario)
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series Will Win: “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (Clayton Davis, Jazz Tangcay); “Saturday Night Live” (Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider) Should Win: “A Black Lady Sketch Show” (Clayton Davis; Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider)
Outstanding Variety Talk Series Will Win: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (Clayton Davis; Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (Clayton Davis); “Late Night with Seth Meyers” (Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider)
Outstanding Competition Program Will Win: “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls” (Clayton Davis); “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (Dan D’Addario, Selome Hailu, Michael Schneider, Jazz Tangcay) Should Win: “Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrls” (Clayton Davis; Selome Hailu); “The Amazing Race” (Michael Schneider); “RuPaul’s Drag Race” (Dan D’Addario) ***************************************** David E. Kelley Urges Writers to Focus on Work That ‘Matters’ at Variety Showrunners Dinner
It’s one of my favorite events of the year: The annual Variety Showrunners Dinner was back in person last Thursday, having gone virtual in 2021.
BreAnna Bell has the highlights:
David E. Kelley urged his fellow showrunners and TV writers to be mindful of the privilege they have in the platform that television provides to reach millions of viewers as he accepted the 2022 Creative Conscience Award Thursday night at Variety’s Showrunners Dinner presented by A+E Studios.
The kudo was presented to Kelley for his decades-long career of socially conscious work, which includes such series as “The Practice,” “Boston Public,” “Boston Legal,” “Ally McBeal,” “Doogie Howser, M.D.,” “Big Little Lies,” “Nine Perfect Strangers” and “Big Sky,” among others.
“If our work matters, even a little, then that’s something,” Kelley said.
Kelley spoke from the heart to a packed room of showrunners, including top Emmy nominees and producers featured in Variety’s 2022 Producers Impact Report, at the dinner, held at Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood. Attendees included “Abbott Elementary” creator and star Quinta Brunson; Liz Meriwether of “The Dropout”; “Rick and Morty” boss Dan Harmon; “Only Murders in the Building’s” John Hoffman; Julie Plec (“Roswell, N.M.”); “Dopesick’s” Danny Strong; “Winning Time’s” Max Borenstein and Rodney Barnes; the “Hacks” trio of Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello and Paul W. Downs; “Pachinko” and “The Morning Show” EP Michael Ellenberg; Nikki Toscano of “The Offer”; “Severance’s” Dan Erickson; and Sierra Teller Ornelas of “Rutherford Falls.”
Read more here. More photos from this year’s event:
Danny Strong, Caitlin Mehner, and Quinta Brunson
Courtney Lilly and Sierra Teller Ornelas
Lucia Aniello, Jen Statsky, and Paul W. Downs
Michael Schneider and Liz Meriwether
Cody Heller, Dan Harmon, Scott Marder, and Alicia Marder
Michael Connelly, guest, Ross Fineman, guest, and Chris Brancato
Cynthia Littleton and Max Borenstein
Some of Variety’s Team TV! ***************************************** Are Psychics The Worst At Predicting Emmys?
From the inbox:
The Emmy Awards are quickly approaching, and with it, the predictions of who will win the BIG awards! TV fans have been sounding off on social media about their favorite shows, actors, and their predictions of the winners. (I can’t wait to see if some of my favorites win too!)
With the Emmys airing live on Monday, my team at Psychic Source surveyed psychics to predict the outcome of the pop culture event and the predictions feel very right.
26% of people think “Ozark” will win the Emmy for Best Drama Series
Since 2017, “Ozark” has been keeping us on the edge of our seats following the story of Marty and Wendy Byrde, a financial advisor who drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder money to appease a drug boss. It’s no wonder 30% of psychics predict Jason Bateman will win the Emmy for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. After all, when the fourth season debuted, it topped 4 billion minutes of viewing – 4.095 billion, to be precise.
21% of people think “Stranger Things” will win the Emmy for Best Drama Series
Every time a new “Stranger Things” season was announced, fans everywhere marked their calendars and invited other fans for binging parties. The popularity of the show’s fourth season is now Netflix’s second title ever to rack up over one billion hours viewed. The psychics we surveyed predict the show will win an Emmy over any single performance by actors/actresses in the show.
Netflix & HBO Shows Predicted to Win the Most Emmys out of all TV/Streaming Platforms
3 Netflix and 2 HBO shows are predicted to win the Emmy for Best Drama Series. Ozark, Stranger Things, and Squid Game for Netflix and Euphoria and Succession for HBO. These shows also feature actors and actresses predicted to win the Emmy for Best Lead Actor/Actress in a Drama Series.
The psychics surveyed comprised of the following generational breakdown: 30% millennials, 41% Gen X, and 29% baby boomers.
As the countdown begins for the Emmys, your readers might enjoy seeing the psychic predictions of the winners and how it aligns with their opinions on who should win what awards. Would you like to share these findings from Psychic Source with them? I’d be happy to help with any additional data or quotes you need for your coverage.
Cheers & I hope you have a great weekend,
David
I mean, it doesn’t take a psychic to predict that HBO or Netflix will take home the most prizes this year, if Creative Arts is included as well. But then going with either “Ozark” or “Stranger Things” as the drama frontrunner? Interesting things going on in those crystal balls!
***************************************** ON THE CIRCUIT: Emmy Parties Include UTA, Evening Before and More
UTA Emmys Party, Sept. 9
This year’s Emmy host, Kenan Thompson, led UTA’s pre-Emmy bash on Friday night at the Rooftop at Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills. Intermittent rain made it a bit of a wet affair — and the evening humidity was not kind to attendees wearing suit jackets. But the rooftop afforded magnificent views (and the occasional lightning in the sky) for guests as they enjoyed lobster sliders, spicy tuna on crispy rice and churros with dipping sauce.
Spotted on the roof were UTA founding partner Peter Benedek, HBO/HBO Max chief content officer Casey Bloys, Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier, producer Mark Johnson, Showtime entertainment president Jana Winograde. Among stars in the house: Emmy-nominated “Insecure” exec producer and star Issa Rae; Emmy nominee Sandra Oh (“Killing Eve”); “Better Call Saul” stars Michael Mando and the Emmy-nominated Rhea Seehorn; “Succession” Emmy nominee Sarah Snook; “The Afterparty” star Sam Richardson , who was Emmy nominated as a guest star on “Ted Lasso”; comedian Patton Oswalt; “The Neighborhood” star Max Greenfield; and Emmy-nominated “Hacks” exec producer/writer Jen Statsky, along with the show’s breakout Meg Stalter.
CAA Party, Sept. 9
Muggier than usual conditions and a moderate but steady rain on Friday night were not enough to deter industry insiders from gathering in force at The Rose in Venice for CAA’s Emmy party.
There was ample elbow room across the restaurant’s many rooms, which were strategically outfitted with numerous stations for mingling and for delicious bites served up by the beloved eatery. The iced seafood buffet and handmade pizza shop were busy.
The room was packed with CAA clients and many new faces among the tenpercentery’s agent ranks as well reflecting the ICM Partners acquisition. Spotted were HoYeon Jung, Hwang Dong-hyuk, Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Patrick Stewart, Zoey Deutch, Tommy Dorfman, Sebastian Stan, Chace Crawford, Jon Hamm, Lamorne Morris, Laverne Cox, Charlie Day, Quinta Brunson, Christina Ricci, Jerry Bruckheimer, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Ariana DeBose ( fresh from her D23 appearance) and Lewis Pullman. –-Cynthia Littleton
The Television Academy’s Performer Nominees Celebration, Sept. 9
Emmy-nominated actors got the chance to fawn over each other at the Television Academy’s North Hollywood campus on Friday.
“Where’s Melanie Lynskey?” said “The White Lotus” star Connie Britton when asked who she’s rooting for on Monday, laughing as she realized the “Yellowjackets” actor was right behind her. “Honestly, I haven’t even seen the show. I just love Melanie Lynskey so much.”
Natasha Rothwell, also nominated for “The White Lotus,” said that her plus-one for the ceremony will be her manager of over 15 years: “She’s been with me since I was at UCB with beer tickets for a Pabst Blue Ribbon, with a dream.” She also shared that, after gaining acclaim in several supporting roles, the next project to come out of her deal at ABC Signature will be “a show starring me.”
Sheryl Lee Ralph was humble about being nominated for her supporting role in “Abbott Elementary” after a decades-spanning career with no Emmys love: “I think a lot of people are affronted by it, but I’m not! I’m thankful. This is the way it was supposed to be for me. If it was supposed to be something different, God would have made it something different. I have arrived here, now, and I’m enjoying everything about it. And finally, I have a gown!”
Her co-star Tyler James Williams, who accurately predicted Colman Domingo’s win for guest acting in “Euphoria” at the Creative Arts Emmys, had a new round of picks. “Kieran Culkin [of ‘Succession’]. And I think the cast of ‘Barry’ will do well.”
The cast of “Abbott Elementary” was in high attendance, with Quinta Brunson, Lisa Ann Walter, Janelle James and William Stanford Davis also walking the the carpet, while Lynskey was joined by her husband Jason Ritter (“Raising Dion”) and her “Yellowjackets” costars Cristina Ricci and Samantha Hanratty. Later in the night, “Succession” stars Matthew Macfadyen and J. Smith Cameron dipped in and out. Also appearing were Sebastian Stan (“Pam & Tommy”), Ed Begley Jr. (“Better Call Saul”), Laverne Cox (“Inventing Anna”), Christopher McDonald (“Hacks”), Himesh Patel (“Station Eleven”) and Sam Richardson (“Ted Lasso”).—Selome Hailu
At the MPTF’s 16th annual “Evening Before” benefit in Century City, the charity revealed that $3 million was raised. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson performed at the event, along with guests Snoop Dogg, and special guests Flo Rida, Jeremih, Lil Tjay, Mann, O.T. Genasis, Tony Yayo and Uncle Murda.
The 16th Annual “Evening Before” Host Committee consisted of Alex Borstein, Connie Britton, Rachel Brosnahan, Jennifer Coolidge, Billy Crudup, Kaitlyn Dever, Hannah Einbinder, Andrew Garfield, Lee Jung-Jae, Melanie Lynskey, Bob and Naomi Odenkirk, Himesh Patel, Christina Ricci & Mark Hampton, Adam and Naomi Scott, Rhea Seehorn, Tony Shalhoub, Martin Short, Sydney Sweeney, Hannah Waddingham, Henry Winkler & Stacey Winkler, and Bowen Yang.
The Executive Host Committee included Bela Bajaria, Bob Bakish, Frances Berwick, Casey Bloys, Michelle and Paul Buccieri, George Cheeks, Nicole Clemens, Charlie Collier, Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, Channing Dungey, Jamie Erlicht, Craig Erwich, Megan Haller and Peter Rice, Dan McDermott, Katie McGrath and J.J. Abrams, Steve Mosko, Andrea and David Nevins, Jay and Elaine Penske, Susan Rovner, Jennifer Salke, Christina Spade, Zack Van Amburg, Tony Vinciquerra, Dana and Matt Walden and Ally Walker and John Landgraf.
Others in attendance included Nicholas Braun, Yvette Nicole Brown, Stephen Colbert, Alexandra Daddario, Ariana DeBose, Zoey Deutch, Jenna Dewan, Taron Egerton, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Cristo Fernández, Brett Goldstein, Park Hae-soo, Alana Haim, Este Haim, Danielle Haim, Jon Hamm, Mariska Hargitay, Brendan Hunt, Janelle James, Toheeb Jimoh, HoYeon Jung, Mindy Kaling, Jake Lacy, Matthew Macfadyen, Seth Meyers, Trevor Noah, Amy Poehler, Will Poulter, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Amanda Seyfried, J. Smith-Cameron, Sarah Snook, Sebastian Stan, Ben Stiller, Jeremy Strong, Juno Temple, Kenan Thompson, John Turturro, Jeremy Allen White and many more. *****************************************
VegasInsider’s Emmy Odds, and Roundup of Records That Could Be Broken
The folks at VegasInsider.com have put together the betting odds on Monday night’s winners — and have also put together a roundup of all of the records that could be broken at this year’s ceremony. Check out their lists below:
2022 Outstanding Comedy Series Odds Ted Lasso -120 Barry +333 Abbott Elementary +333 Hacks +400 Only Murders in the Building +1600 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel +3300 What We Do In The Shadows +4000 Curb Your Enthusiasm +6600
2022 Outstanding Drama Series Odds Succession -225 Squid Game +333 Better Call Saul +450 Severance +1400 Ozark +1600 Stranger Things +1600 Euphoria +3300 Yellowjackets +3300
2022 Outstanding Limited Series Odds The White Lotus -225 Dopesick +150 The Dropout +1200 Inventing Anna +1800 Pam & Tommy +2000
2022 Outstanding Lead Actor for a Comedy Odds Bill Hader (Barry) -150 Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso) +163 Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building) +600 Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) +1100 Donald Glover (Atlanta) +2200 Nicholas Hoult (The Great) +2500
2022 Outstanding Lead Actress for a Comedy Odds Jean Smart (Hacks) -400 Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary) +275 Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel) +1200 Issa Rae (Insecure) +1400 Kaley Cuoco (The Flight Attendant) +2000 Elle Fanning (The Great) +2200
2022 Outstanding Lead Actor for a Drama Odds Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) +175 Brian Cox (Succession) +200 Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) +200 Jeremy Strong (Succession) +450 Adam Scott (Severance) +2500 Jason Bateman (Ozark) +2500
2022 Outstanding Lead Actress for a Drama Odds Zendaya (Euphoria) -163 Melanie Lynskey (Yellowjackets) +175 Laura Linney (Ozark) +500 Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) +1600 Sandra Oh (Killing Eve) +2000 Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show) +2500
2022 Outstanding Lead Actor for a Limited Series Odds Michael Keaton (Dopesick) -800 Andrew Garfield (Under the Banner of Heaven) +500 Sebastian Stan (Pam & Tommy) +1200 Colin Firth (The Staircase) +1600 Oscar Isaac (Scenes from a Marriage) +2200 Himesh Patel (Station Eleven) +3300
2022 Outstanding Lead Actress for a Limited Series Odds Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout) -333 Lily James (Pam and Tommy) +400 Margaret Qualley (Maid) +500 Julia Garner (Inventing Anna) +1000 Toni Collette (The Staircase) +1800 Sarah Paulson (Impeachment) +2500Primetime Emmy Awards Potential Records
DRAMA Outstanding Drama Series “Squid Game” could become the first non-English drama to win in this category Zendaya could become the youngest producer ever to win in this category if “Euphoria” wins Drake could earn his first Emmy Award if “Euphoria” wins since he is one of the producers
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Lee Jung-jae could become the first South Korean Actor to win in this category if he wins for “Squid Game” (& also the first actor of Asian descent to do so)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Sandra Oh could become the first actress of Asian descent to win in this category if she wins for “The Killing Eve” (she has been nominated for a total of 13 Primetime Emmys, but she has never won) Zendaya could become the youngest person ever to win in the leading acting categories two times if she wins for the second season of “Euphoria” (Zendaya will have turned 26 at the time of the awards ceremony; she previously won for the first season of “Euphoria” in 2020 and became the youngest recipient of the award at the age of 24) Melanie Lynsky could become the first New Zealand actress to win in this category if she wins for “Yellowjackets”
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Park Hae-soo or O Yeong-su could become the first South Korean actors to win in this category if they win for “Squid Game”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Sarah Snook could be the first Australian actress to win in this category if she wins for “Succession” Jung Ho-yeon could be the first South Korean actress to win in this category if she wins for “Squid Game”
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Hwang Dong-hyuk could become the first South Korean to win in this category if he wins for “Squid Game”
Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series Hwang Dong-hyuk could become the first South Korean to win in this category if he wins for “Squid Game” Cathy Yan could become the first Chinese-American to win in this category if she wins for “Succession”
COMEDY
Outstanding Comedy Series Selena Gomez could become the first Latina producer to ever win in this category if she wins for producing “Only Murders in the Building” (she became only second Latina ever to be nominated after Selma Hayek’s nomination in 2007 for co-producing “Ugly Betty”)
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series f either Quinta Brunson (“Abbott Elementary”) or Issa Rae (“Insecure”) win, they would become only the second black woman in history to win in this category, 40 years after the first winner – Isabel Sanford – who won in 1981 for the Jeffersons; both of them have also co-created their shows, which would make them the first black woman to win for a show they co-created & co-written
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series Oscar Isaac could become the first actor of Guatemalan descent to win in this category if he wins for “Scenes from a Marriage” Himesh Patel could become the first actor of Gujarati descent to win in this category if he wins for “Station Eleven”
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series
If either Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”), Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”), or Sarah Niles (“Ted Lasso”) win, they would become only the second black woman in history to win in this category, 34 years after the first winner – Jacké Harry who won for “227” in 1987
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
Bowen Yang could become the first Chinese American actor to win in this category if he wins for “SNL” Toheeb Jimoh (“Abbott Elementary”) or Tyler James Williams (“Abbott Elementary”) could become only the second black actor to win in this category, 42 years after the first winner, Robert Guillame, who won for “Soap” in 1979 Nick Mohammed could become the first actor of Trinidadian descent to win in this category if he wins for “Ted Lasso”
Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series Hiro Murai could become the first Japanese-American to win in this category if he wins for “Atlanta”
LIMITED SERIES, COMPETITION & VARIETY
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series
Mare Winningham could break her tie with Jane Alexander, Judy Davis, Coleen Dewhurst & Regina King, and become the sole holder of the record for most wins in this category (currently 2, could be 3) if she wins for “Dopesick”
Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or a TV Movie
Hiro Murai could become the first Japanese-American to win in this category if he wins for “Station Eleven”
Outstanding Competition Program Amazing Race” could extend its record as the most awarded program in this category (currently 10, could be 11)
Outstanding Variety Sketch Series
“SNL” could extend two of its records – the most wins & the most consecutive wins in this category (currently 5, could be 6)
ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL RECORDS
Sam Levinson (nominated for Outstanding Drama Series – “Euphoria”) and Barry Levinson (nominated for Outstanding Limited Series – “Dopesick”) could achieve a rare feat of father-son winning in the same year for separate projects
Sydney Sweeney could achieve the rare feat of winning two acting Primetime Emmys in one evening – she in nominated in the Supporting Actress categories in both Limited Series category (“The White Lotus”) & Drama Series category (“Euphoria”)
Quinta Brunson could become the first black woman ever to win 3 Primetime Comedy Emmys in one night – she is nominated for writing, acting, and producing “Abbott Elementary”
“SNL” could pass their current record of the most Primetime Emmys won by a television series (they have won 86 Emmys, and they are nominated for 3 more during the main ceremony)
Hiro Murai could achieve a rare feat of winning two directing Emmys in one evening for separate projects in separate genres (He is nominated for Best Comedy Series Director (“Atlanta”) & Best Limited Series Director (“Station Eleven”)
***************************************** HOW TO WATCH TONIGHT’S EMMYS
When are the 2022 Emmys?
The 2022 Emmy Awards will take place on Monday, Sept. 12, airing live at 5 p.m. PT on NBC. The ceremony was moved from Sunday to Monday night because of Sunday Night Football.
Will there be an Emmys red carpet?
The Live from E! Countdown begins at 2 p.m. PT, with the official red carpet coverage hosted by Laverne Cox kicking off at 3 p.m. PT. NBC will not be hosting any pre-show coverage, instead opting to air “NBC Nightly News With Lester Holt” and “Access Hollywood” during their usual time slots before the Emmys begin.
How can I watch the 2022 Emmys Online?
The Emmys will air live on NBC but cord-cutters can access the full livestream on Peacock, the network’s streaming platform. A year-long subscription to Peacock Premium is currently only $1.99/month, 60% cheaper than its normal price. Through Premium Plus, which costs $9.99/month, you can access the same live content as Premium but with no ads and with the ability to download shows and movies to watch offline.
***************************************** AWARDS CIRCUIT COLUMN: As the TV Academy Evolves, Can We Hope for More Emmy Night Surprises?
Conventional wisdom favors the incumbent comedy winner “Ted Lasso” and 2020 drama victor “Succession” as this year’s big Emmy winners. And that very well may be the case Sept. 12.
But the Television Academy is evolving — and so, too, might be the way its members vote. We used to assume that they liked to reward the same old, same old, every year. And we used to add the caveat that voters were older, and presumably more attracted to the safe, predictable choice.
But that thinking is outdated. Since 2020, the Academy has been vetting its members, making sure that they meet their peer group’s active membership requirements — which usually includes current or recent work experience in their field — in order to qualify to vote for the Emmys. (Anyone who hasn’t had multiple credits in recent years, or a legacy of work, becomes a nonvoting associate member.)
According to TV Academy president and COO Maury McIntyre, that first phase of vetting is almost complete. Membership declined in recent years due to work stop- pages related to COVID-19, but the organization is building back its roster. McIntyre says it had 17,000 voting members this year, “so we’re seeing steady growth after the 2020 decline.”
The TV Academy also recently hired marketing vet Linda Swain as VP of membership and outreach, a new position designed to bolster its ranks — particularly when it comes to goals of diversity, equity and inclusion.
I must admit: This all makes me a bit excited. Could it be that we’re in for some fun, unexpected winners on Sept. 12? I’m really hoping members decide to spread the wealth and not just vote a straight ticket. “Ted Lasso” and “Severance” are indeed fantastic, but so are some of this year’s other breakouts.
What if “Abbott Elementary” wound up winning outstanding comedy? It’s a show that I see even execs at the streamers secretly rooting for — a broadcast comedy that resonates on all the right levels.
And what if “Squid Game” won best drama, giving the Emmys their first-ever non-English victory and signaling a sea change in the globalization of television?
But again, who knows? Last year, I was starting to really convince myself that in the variety sketch race, which had only two nominees, voters would lean toward making history with “A Black Lady Sketch Show” over “Saturday Night Live.” They didn’t. (“SNL,” the most awarded program in Emmy history, is a beast to beat.)
As More Awards Shows Go Gender-Neutral, Will Major Ceremonies Follow?
Two more awards shows went gender neutral last month, fueling further speculation about the day when major awards shows — think Oscars, Emmys and (yes) Golden Globes — might follow suit and drop the distinction between “actor” and “actress” in their respective competitions.
Organizers behind the Spirit Awards and the Canadian Screen Awards are following the examples set by the Recording Academy, MTV and the Gotham Film & Media Institute. The announcements by Film Independent on Aug. 23 and the Canadian Academy on Aug. 25 follow the July decision by backers of the British Independent Film Awards to eliminate gendered categories with this year’s competition.
The idea of non-gendered awards shows began to pick up steam when the MTV Movie & TV Awards dropped gender-specific categories in 2017, but organizers of the Grammy Awards did away with gendered categories even earlier, removing female pop vocal performance and male pop vocal performance distinctions more than a decade ago. And the Television Critics Assn. has always awarded “individual achievement” in comedy and drama.
Last year, the Gotham Awards converted to a gender-free approach after eight years of hand- ing out separate actor and actress trophies.
“It’s something we’ve been discussing for a while,” Film Independent president Josh Welsh says of the Spirit shift. “There was a lot of enthusiasm for it for a while, but there was also some apprehension about it. It’s a big change, and I think we really wanted to talk it through carefully and make sure that it was the right thing to do.”
He notes the majority of trophies are gender neutral. “Just to keep it on the Spirit Awards, for almost 40 years we honored writers, directors, producers, editors, cinematographers without reference to gender,” he says.
The switch is more accommodating for the nonbinary acting community. In 2017, “Billions” star Asia Kate Dillon, the first gender-nonbinary performer to play a nonbinary character on a major TV show, asked the TV Academy to clarify its gender distinctions. Ultimately, Dillon asked to be entered into the “supporting actor” category at the Emmys; they later asked the SAG Awards to also drop gendered awards.
“There are lots of great performers, and I think we’ll see more who don’t identify as male or female,” Welsh says. “For award shows to be in the position of telling one of those performers, ‘If you get nominated, you have to choose male or female’ — that’s just not a good approach.”
Merging the acting fields raises the question of how many performers will be honored: The Spirit Awards expanded its nomination field among performers to 10 (up from five each for actor and actress), adding a supporting performer category in TV — which means there will at least still be multiple honorees.
I recently asked the TV Academy bosses for an update on this conversation. “This is another one where I think we’d want to talk with SAG,” says TV Academy president/COO Maury McIntyre . “This directly impacts SAG-AFTRA. You want to know that you’re not doing something that is going to disadvantage a set of performers over another set of performers. You just don’t know what those unintended consequences might be. At the same time, I think we recognize we are in a different age. We’re in a different age from when television first started, but we’re also in a different age from a societal perspective, in terms of recognizing all sorts of gender identities. How do we be respectful for all sorts of gender identities under our current system, and I think it’s something we’ll continue to talk about for a while.”
Emmys: Best TV-Inspired Cocktail Recipes for Your Viewing Party
Emily Longeretta has the scoop on what’s really important for your party:
If you’re throwing a bash for TV’s big night, here are some ideas for the perfect beverage to celebrate the Emmys.
Waking Dream Created by Charles Joly and Lauren Paylor 1.5 oz Ketel One Vodka 1.5 oz cold brew concentrate (La Colombe) .5 oz tea syrup (infused with 2010 Vintage Pu’Erh Caramel & Vanilla Tea & orange zest) 10 drops 20% saline solution Dash aromatic bitters (Angostura)Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a Boston shaker, shake well with plenty of ice and strain into a chilled martini glass. Grate fresh chocolate over the top. To make infused syrup: simply combine 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water in a pot. Heat gently and stir to dissolve. Infuse with 4 tea bags on lowest heat for 15 minutes (don’t boil). Strain and cool for use. To make saline solution: Combine .5 oz of kosher salt with 3 oz of warm water. Stir until dissolved fully and bottle for use. Garnish with orange peel chocolate.
1.5 oz Astral Tequila Blanco 1.5 oz blood orange juice .5 oz fresh lime juice 1 tsp agave nectar Top with Sparkling Blood Orange Soda
Preparation: Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake and strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass. Top with Sparkling Blood Orange Soda and garnish with dehydrated blood orange wheel.
For group preparation: 9 oz Astral Tequila Blanco 9 oz blood orange Juice 3 oz fresh lime Juice 6 oz agave nectar Top with Sparkling Blood Orange Soda
***************************************** Emmys: Selena Gomez, Jean Smart and ‘Squid Game’ Stars Among Presenters
This year’s complete list of Emmy presenters:
Anthony Anderson (Black-ish)Gael García Bernal (Station Eleven)RuPaul Charles (RuPaul’s Drag Race) – WINNER, Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program; Outstanding Competition Program; (Drag Race: Untucked!) – Outstanding Unstructured Reality ProgramIsmael Cruz Córdova (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)Rosario Dawson (The Book of Boba Fett; Dopesick)Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)Taron Egerton (Black Bird)Regina Hall (Honk for Jesus: Save Your Soul)Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird; Cobra Kai)Freddie Highmore (The Good Doctor)Mindy Kaling (Never Have I Ever; The Sex Lives of College Girls)Markella Kavenagh (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power)Jake Lacy (The White Lotus) – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieJuliette Lewis (Yellowjackets)Lizzo (Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls) – Outstanding Competition ProgramKumail Nanjiani (Welcome to Chippendales)Steve Martin (Only Murders in the Building) – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series; Outstanding Comedy Series; Outstanding Writing for a Comedy SeriesShemar Moore (S.W.A.T.)B.J. Novak (The Premise)Chris O’Donnell (NCIS: Los Angeles)Sarah Paulson (American Crime Story) – Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or MovieShonda Rhimes (Inventing Anna) – Outstanding Limited or Anthology SeriesMartin Short (Only Murders in the Building) – Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series; Outstanding Comedy SeriesSofía Vergara (America’s Got Talent)Jeremy Allen White (The Bear)Chandra Wilson (Grey’s Anatomy)Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) – Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy SeriesWill Arnett (“Murderville”)Angela Bassett (“9-1-1”; “American Horror Story”)Vanessa Bayer (“I Love That for You”) Kelly Clarkson (“The Kelly Clarkson Show”)Ariana DeBose (“Schmigadoon!”; “Westworld”)Taye Diggs (“All American”; “The Best Man: The Final Chapters”)Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”)Selena Gomez (“Only Murders in the Building”)Mariska Hargitay (“Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”)Jung Ho-yeon (“Squid Game”)Lee Jung-jae (“Squid Game”) Jimmy Kimmel (“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”; “Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘The Facts of Life’ and ‘Diff’rent Strokes’”)Diego Luna (“Andor”; “Narcos: Mexico”)Christopher Meloni (“Law & Order: Organized Crime”) Seth Meyers (“Late Night With Seth Meyers”Amy Poehler (“Lucy and Desi”; “Making It”)Molly Shannon (“I Love That for You”)Jean Smart (“Hacks”)Kerry Washington (“Live in Front of a Studio Audience: ‘The Facts of Life’ and ‘Diff’rent Strokes’”)Natalie Zea (“La Brea”; “Justified”)
***************************************** Here’s What’s Inside the 2022 Emmys Gift Bag
Anna Tingley writes:
Presenters and nominees at the Emmys Awards will have the chance to take home a lot more than just a gold statuette this year, thanks to celebrity marketing company Backstage Creations who have curated luxury swag bags that will be given out during the live show.
Attendees will be able to visit the invitation-only Giving Suite, at the backstage of the Microsoft Theatre, in order to purchase this year’s offerings, whose profits will benefit the Television Academy Foundation. In addition to the chance to buy high-ticket items such as luxury resort vacations from Four Seasons Nevis, RiverView Ranch Montana and Museum Hotel Cappadocia Turkey, visitors will also take home a gift bag packed with high-end skincare, jewelry, candy and books.
***************************************** Tonight’s Party Lineup
Hollywood comes together for television’s biggest night of the year at the 74th annual Emmy Awards. Microsoft Theatre, Los Angeles
Emmy winners, presenters and guests party at the Governors Gala. L.A. Live Event Deck
Apple TV+ Post-Emmys Party Mother Wolf, Hollywood
The Walt Disney Company’s Emmy Awards Party Otium, Los Angeles
HBO/HBO Max’s Primetime Emmy Awards Nominees Reception San Vicente Bungalows, West Hollywood
Netflix’s Emmy Party Milk Studios, Los Angeles
***************************************** NATAS Bullish on Children’s & Family Emmys Submissions, Announce a Call for Judges
Entries were due last month for the Children’s & Family Emmys, which will include around 50 categories. Some of those races have moved over from the Daytime Emmys, which New York-based NATAS also oversees, while others are new, to reflect the full scope of youth-oriented fare (including shows like “Heartstopper” that might have previously competed for the Primetime Emmy race, which is administered by the Los Angeles-based Television Academy).
NATAS is currently vetting submissions, but CEO Adam Sharp says it will easily be more than 3,000, which is up from the 2,600 based on these categories in the previous year. “It far exceeds the number of children’s and family entries that were in the daytime competition last year,” he says. And so it’s very clear that it’s going to be trendsetting in terms of the amount of children’s content we will have to look at. And so that just shows that the momentum and excitement and investment is there to support a standalone competition and the corresponding event.”
What qualifies as a children’s and family show? There’s the obvious TV-Y and TV-Y7 fare, but for those that are more on the fence, about a dozen programs went through a formal petition process to determine whether they were eligible or should stick with primetime. “With a lot of content being TV-G or TV-PG, things can get a little grayer,” Sharp says. “There are a few creators who have strong opinions one way or the other.”
The judging process itself will mirror that used for the Daytime Emmys. Blue-ribbon panels will watch and vote on each category. Some will go through one round, and others through multiple rounds. Ultimately, nominations will be announced the week of Oct. 31. And at that point, the auditors (and only the auditors!) already know the winners, as there isn’t additional balloting after the nomination announcement. (This is why you don’t see many FYC campaigns surrounding the Daytime Emmys, and likely won’t see many for Children’s & Family either.)
The inaugural Childrens & Family Emmys ceremony will take place at L.A.’s Wilshire Ebell Theatre on Dec. 11.
NEW: NATAS is inviting members of the television community to become a judge for the new award.
Per NATAS:
Judging panelists can come from all aspects of television production: Producers, Performers, all associated crafts such as Writing, Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Lighting, Art Direction, Sound, Music etc.
“Participating in the judging process is the most direct way for casts, crews, executives and other industry professionals to have an impact on the process,” NATAS notes.
Industry professionals involved in Children’s Live Action and Animated Production
Industry professionals involved in all other non-children’s television genres are welcome to participate in the many appropriate fiction and non-fiction categories.
You are qualified to judge if you are a member of the Television Academy, NATAS, a previous Emmy nominee or winner, or a member of similarly prestigious industry organizations, with at least 2 years of national television experience.
On Sept 13 and 20 at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT, NATAS will be hosting webinar sessions detailing the judging process, time commitment, and other details. These webinars do not require RSVP.
Other: The Children’s & Family Emmys features two judging Rounds, each with approximately a 2-week judging period.
Judges may log in and out over that time to complete evaluation.
Judges are required to watch all entries within their assigned categories and are assigned to categories based on specific areas of exper Judges are asked for a minimum participation of two panels per judging round, but NATAS welcomes more!
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