JUNE 24, 2020 EMMY PREVIEW/COMEDY
F R O M
E X E C U T I V E
P R O D U C E R S
Q U E E N L AT I FA H M A RY J. B L I G E M I S S Y E L L IO T T H O L LY C A RT E R L O R E T H A JO N E S
FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION in all categories AUNJANUE ELLIS
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
© 0 0
OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE
®
FOR YOUR EMMY CONSIDERATION OUTSTANDING DOCUMENTARY DOCUMENT RY OR NONFICTION SERIES
HISTORY’S #1 NON-FICTION MINISERIES OF ALL TIME
Source: Nielsen, Live+3, thru 5/27/2020 (Live/L+SD prior to 4/1/07), Total Viewers (000s), History Mini-series Premieres only, Excludes single telecast specials. © 2020 A&E Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved. 12468
PRESENTS J U N E 24, 2020 E MMY P R E VI E W/CO ME DY
THE ART OF PROTEST
How comedy has a role to play in the fight for racial justice Plus: GILLIAN ANDERSON Revels in the lessons of Sex Education DIALOGUE: COMEDY Don Cheadle GaTa Jane Levy Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Ramy Youssef
D EA DL I NE .CO M /AWA RDSL I NE
Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini pair up for another season of Dead to Me, the Netflix “traumedy” going from strength to strength
D EAD L I NE .CO M
Breaking News
Follow Deadline.com 24/7 for the latest breaking news in entertainment.
Sign up for Alerts & Newsletters
Sign up for breaking news alerts and other Deadline newsletters at: deadline.com/newsletters
G E NERAL MANAGER & C HIEF REVENUE OFFICER
CO- EDITORS- I N - CHIEF
Stacey Farish
Nellie Andreeva (Television) Mike Fleming Jr. (Film)
E DI TOR
AWARDS COLU M N IST/CHIEF FILM CRITIC
C REATIVE DIRECTOR
EDI TOR-AT- L ARGE
DE PUTY EDITOR
EXECU TI VE EDITOR
VI D EO SE R I ES
AS SISTANT EDITOR
SEN IOR EDI TOR, L EGAL/TV CRITIC
The Actor’s Side with Pete Hammond
Joe Utichi Craig Edwards Antonia Blyth Matt Grobar
Pete Hammond
Dominic Patten
S O CIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
EDI TORIAL DI RECTOR
S E NIOR EVENTS MANAGER
EXECU TI VE M AN AGING EDITOR
V I DEO PRODUCERS
DEPU TY M AN AGIN G EDITOR
Scott Shilstone Sophie Hertz
David Janove Andrew Merrill Shane Whitaker
E DI TORIAL & MARKETING DESI GN ER
Michael Luong
Anthony D’Alessandro Patrick Hipes Tom Tapp
SEN IOR M AN AGIN G EDITOR
Denise Petski
TEL EVI SION EDITOR
Peter White
F I N AN CE EDITOR V I C E PRESIDENT, SA L ES & B RAND PARTNERSH I PS
Dade Hayes
Kasey Champion
BU SI N ESS EDI TOR
S E NIOR VICE PRESIDEN T, G LOBAL B USINESS DEVELOPM EN T A ND STRATEGIC PARTNERSH I PS
L ABOR EDI TOR
Céline Rotterman
DI R ECTORS, ENTERTAIN M EN T
Brianna Corrado Tiffany Windju
S E NIOR ACCOUNT EX ECU TIVE
London Sanders
DI G ITAL SALES PLANNERS
Jessica Cole Katya Libizova
A D SALES COORDINATOR
Malik Simmons
Jill Goldsmith David Robb
I N TERN ATI ON AL EDITOR
Andreas Wiseman
I N TERN ATI ON AL TE LEVISION EDITOR
Jake Kanter
I N TERN ATI ON AL BOX OFFICE EDITOR/ SEN IOR CON TRIBU TOR
Nancy Tartaglione
F I L M CRITIC & COLUMNIST
Todd McCarthy
Natalie Longman
DI STRIB UTION DIRECTOR
Michael Petre
Meet some of the biggest and hardest working actors of today, who discuss life, upcoming projects, and their passion for film and television. deadline.com/vcategory/ the-actors-side/
Behind the Lens with Pete Hammond
Explore the art and craft of directors from firsttimers to veterans, and take a unique look into the world of filmmakers, from their own perspectives. deadline.com/vcategory/ behind-the-lens/
Production Value
Go behind the scenes with the talented craftsmen and women behind some of this year’s acclaimed films and television series. deadline.com/vcategory/ production-value/
P RODUCTION MANAGER
Andrea Wynnyk
Brandon Choe
Facebook.com/DeadlineHollywood Instagram.com/Deadline Twitter.com/Deadline YouTube.com/Deadline
EMAIL US NEWS: editors@deadline.com ADVERTISING: sfarish@pmc.com
Crew Call
New Hollywood
Ted Johnson
FOLLOW DEADLINE
P O D CASTS
PH OTO EDI TOR
Thomas Grater
CONTACT PMC LOS ANGELES 11175 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90025 +1 323-617-9100 NEW YORK 475 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10017 +1 212-213-1900
Gerry Byrne
CHIE F ACCO UNTING O FFICE R
Sarlina See
CHIE F D IGITAL O FFICE R
Craig Perreault
CHIE F ADVE RTISING AND PARTNE RSHIPS O FFICE R
Mark Howard
Debashish Ghosh
SE NIO R VICE PRESID E NT, PRO D UCT
Jenny Connelly
SE NIO R VICE PRESID E NT, FINANCE
Ken DelAlcazar
SE NIO R VICE PRESID E NT, O PE RATIO NS
Tom Finn
VICE PRESID E NT, CREATIVE
Nelson Anderson
VICE PRESID E NT, PRO D UCTIO N O PE RATIO NS
Joni Antonacci
VICE PRESID E NT, TALE NT RE LATIO NS
Rebecca Bienstock
VICE PRESID E NT, PM C D IGITAL ACQ UISITIO N
Gerard Brancato
VICE PRESID E NT, PO RTFO LIO SALES
Jacie Brandes
VICE PRESID E NT, HUM AN RESO URCES
Anne Doyle
VICE PRESID E NT, HUM AN RESO URCES
Mara Ginsberg
VICE PRESID E NT, FINANCE
Young Ko
VICE PRESID E NT, TECHNO LO GY
Gabriel Koen
VICE PRESID E NT, GLO BAL PARTNE RSHIPS AND LICE NSING
Kevin LaBonge
VICE PRESID E NT, CUSTO M E R EXPE RIE NCE AND M ARKE TING O PE RATIO NS
Noemi Lazo
VICE PRESID E NT, REVE NUE O PE RATIO NS
Brian Levine
VICE PRESID E NT, D E PUTY GE NE RAL CO UNSE L
Julie Trinh
WASH IN GTON CORR ESPONDENT
I N TERN ATI ON AL F I LM REPORTER
VICE CHAIRM AN
VICE PRESID E NT, GLO BAL TAX
Deadline’s editorial director Anthony D’Alessandro focuses on below-the-line nominees. deadline.com/tag/crewcall-podcast/
Amanda N’Duka
George Grobar
Judith R. Margolin
Erik Pedersen
F I L M REPORTER
CHIE F O PE RATING O FFICE R
M ANAGING D IRECTO R
M AN AGIN G EDITOR
Greg Evans Bruce Haring Dino-Ray Ramos
Jay Penske
Todd Greene
ASSOCIATE EDI TORS P RODUCTION DIRECTOR
CHAIRM AN & CEO
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESID E NT, BUSINESS AFFAIRS & GE NE RAL CO UNSE L
Peter Bart
Michael Cieply
Deadline Hollywood is owned and published by Penske Media Corporation
A platform for people of color, LGBTQ members, women, and other underrepresented voices in entertainment. deadline.com/tag/newhollywood-podcast/
VICE PRESID E NT, HUM AN RESO URCES & CO RPO RATE CO M M UNICATIO NS
Lauren Utecht
VICE PRESID E NT, STRATEGIC PLANNING & ACQ UISITIO NS
Mike Ye
VICE PRESID E NT, TECHNICAL O PE RATIO NS
Christina Yeoh
VICE PRESID E NT, AUD IE NCE M ARKE TING & SUBSCRIPTIO NS
Julie Zhu
ASSO CIATE VICE PRESID E NT, PRO D UCT D E LIVE RY
Nici Catton
ASSO CIATE VICE PRESID E NT, CO NTE NT
Karl Walter
SE NIO R D IRECTO R, INTE RNATIO NAL M ARKE TS
Gurjeet Chima
SE NIO R D IRECTO R, ADVE RTISING O PE RATIO NS
Eddie Ko
SE NIO R D IRECTO R, TALE NT ACQ UISTIO N
Andy Limpus
SE NIO R D IRECTO R, D EVE LO PM E NT
Amit Sannad
D IRECTO R, SEO
Constance Ejuma E D ITO RIAL & BRAND D IRECTO R, INTE RNATIO NAL
Laura Ongaro
D IRECTO R, BUSINESS D EVE LO PM E NT
Katie Passantino
SE NIO R PRO D UCT M ANAGE R
Derek Ramsay
6
GILLIAN ANDERSON Grapples with the contradictions of Sex Education and playing Margaret Thatcher
12
COMEDY AND THE FIGHT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE What role can humor play in busting prejudices, as protests sweep the nation?
14
TIME WARP The Art of Craft: How the Stranger Things team rebuilt a 1980s mall
18
DYNAMIC DUO Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini reteam as BFFs bonded by murder
26
DIALOGUE: COMEDY Don Cheadle Maitreyi Ramkrishnan GaTa Jane Levy Ramy Youssef
36
FLASH MOB Photos from Deadline’s first-ever Hot Spots event in New Mexico
ON THE COVER Christina Applegate & Linda Cardellini photographed exclusively for Deadline by Daniel Doperalski ON THIS PAGE Don Cheadle photographed by Chris Pizzello INVISION/AP/SHUTTERSTOCK
Comedy’s fight for racial justice
p. 12
| Building Stranger Things’ mall
p. 14
| The Emmy doc race
p. 16
In Treatment While her character in Sex Education might bubble with contradiction, Gillian Anderson knows just what she wants to see S H U T T E RSTOC K
BY JOE UTICHI
6
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
PHOTOGRAPH BY
Magnus Sundholm
OFF DUTY Anderson in Sex Education with co-star Samantha Spiro.
It might seem an odd admission for
Did she hesitate at the prospect of
were shooting on a stage at the studio,
them. “I kept saying to the director [Ben
and so they mapped it out that way in
Taylor], ‘Wait, she’s driving to the school
the knowledge that, if you suck, you can
to spy on him? No therapist is going to
always come back and shoot it again if
do that,’” she remembers. “And he nod-
you need to. They had already built into
ded, respectfully, and took in my con-
the schedule that I would likely be able
cerns. And nothing changed, because it
to fail, and that it wouldn’t be the end of
shouldn’t have done. That was actually
the day. You really feel held. I knew I was
the essence of who she was. And the
going to be all right.”
many layers of Jean eventually became
an actress who has loomed so large in
grappling with the psyche of a PM many
the public consciousness for more than
consider tyrannical, with a worldview so
25 years since she broke through as
far from her own? “No hesitation at all,”
her most recently released work, in the
It’s a fine analog to explain the
Special Agent Dana Scully on the ’90s
she says. “There are a few things in life
second season of Laurie Nunn’s Netflix
success of Sex Education, which rises
zeitgeist hit The X-Files, before following
where, if they come your way, you just
treat Sex Education, playing a character
above the ambitions of its genre—teen
it up with a string of highly regarded work
know you have to say yes, before the fear
who is grappling with her own conflict-
sex comedy—to impart real lessons
on television, in film and in the theater.
says no. But certainly, as we got closer to
ing ideologies. Indeed, when Anderson
about the complications of finding
And yet, these kinds of contra-
filming, I almost died. My heart has never
first read the part of Jean Milburn, the
one’s sexuality, being frank and open in
beat so fast in all of my life.”
sex therapist mother to Asa Butter-
talking about the issues around sex, and
field’s Otis, who combines her sexually
grappling with the social pressure not
dictions have also loomed large in Anderson’s work of late, most recently
She dove headfirst into research,
Thatcher is also a sharp turn from
the things I enjoyed playing the most.”
in her performance as the former British
buoyed by the research team behind
liberal attitudes with a tendency to
to do either of those things. Anderson
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the
The Crown. And then production
pick through her son’s nightstand, she
is a parent herself, and even now could
upcoming fourth season of The Crown.
began with a weighty scene in which
couldn’t initially reconcile both sides.
never dream of engaging in the kind of
The series wrapped three weeks early in
Thatcher leads her cabinet of parlia-
“As an actor, I think what you’re looking
behavior her character is guilty of. And
March, when the Coronavirus lockdown
ment members. She felt the pressure
for are characters that have dimension,”
yet, she confesses, “You do, as a parent,
began, but Anderson had long since
of summoning the character for the
she says. “But, for some reason, when
sometimes find yourself doing exactly
found her footing as the divisive politi-
first time in such a pivotal moment for
I started reading Jean I was fighting
the things you think you wouldn’t do.”
cian, memorably played by Meryl Streep
Thatcher, and yet the scheduling had
against her complexities.”
in The Iron Lady.
been intentional. “It was a scene they
8
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
In fact, she actively pushed against
In the end, it was the larger message of the series that persuaded Anderson
S E X E DUCAT IO N : COU RT ESY OF N E TF L IX
GILLIAN ANDERSON IS TAKING LOCKDOWN IN HER STRIDE. “I’m an isolator,” she tells me over a Zoom video from her home in London. “So, it suits me just fine. I’m not quite ready to be released into the big, bad world.”
to sign up. “It makes it okay to be who
can teach her such lessons even now,
cinemas across the UK, announced it
each season, was the surprise. “That
you are, however you are,” she says.
this deep into a long and garlanded
would release its taping of Streetcar for
was the bit I hadn’t planned. The
Sex Education hasn’t hesitated in its
career. She won a Golden Globe in
a limited time on streaming, as part of a
planned bit was that I was going to be
exploration of issues like race, gender
1997 for her turn in The X-Files, and
wider selection from its archive. Ander-
able to jump back and forth between
and sexual identity, safe sex and
might have been defined by a show
son reveled in sharing memories of the
mediums and work in America and
relationships, and it has succeeded
that became such a hit had she not
production on social media, reliving her
England, and to be able to choose
in maintaining its light and acces-
sidestepped the last few seasons and
time with a character who, she admits,
between doing things where I got
sible tone without resorting to the
returned to the UK, where she had
has never quite left her.
paid little to nothing, and then bigger
bawdy, camp humor usually applied
spent much of her early childhood, in
to such material. Indeed, Anderson
2002. She trod the boards in plays such
inhabited before, and she’s certainly in
has been warmed by feedback about
as Michael Weller’s What the Night is
there more than any other character
Britain allowed her to find her way back
how helpful the show has been to its
For and Rebecca Gilman’s The Sweet-
I’ve played,” she says. “I felt, at times,
onto the path she’d envisioned, even
core audience—teenagers—as they
est Swing in Baseball, which turned
like I almost went too far into her, and it
during an era in which roles for women
navigate their own paths through their
her into a West End mainstay. And she
was quite challenging to pull back.”
were not nearly as forthcoming as
sexual awakening. “The fact that kids
earned another Golden Globe nomina-
Watching the play on streaming
who are questioning their sexuality, or
tion as Lady Dedlock in the BBC’s starry
was eye-opening for Anderson; the
incredibly, incredibly lucky,” Anderson
have other questions they’re curious
adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Bleak
definition of the form generally renders
punctuates. The landscape is changing.
about, can watch it, often with their
House, now considered a definitive
it impossible for an actor to watch a
“It’s absolutely shifting for women, and
parents, is beautiful.”
adaptation of the story.
play they’re in as an audience member.
in television that’s been happening for
projects that would pay my mortgage.” The diversity of roles she found in
those for men. “I have been incredibly,
“I was shocked by how intense I found
a good while now, over the last 10 or 15
family with even younger kids—12-
built to a crescendo that has made
it, even though, obviously, I was there,”
years. That’s the same in Europe and
year-olds, she thinks—watching the
her stage performances some of the
she laughs.
America. Where that is limited is in film,
show together, and the parents telling
hottest tickets in theater. When I tell
the kids they could pause at any point
her that I came to see What the Night is
of all the aspects of the production
to ask any questions they might have.
For in 2002, she jokes that I must have
she missed by performing in the play,
“Interestingly,” she says, “it wasn’t
been the only one. That most certainly
which went some way to making sense
and Anderson believes the real work
during any of the sexual or particularly
couldn’t have been the case for her
of how special she found the experi-
lies ahead. “The thing that needs to be
audacious subject matter that they
2014 turn as Blanche DuBois in Tennes-
ence. “There have been a few times,
addressed more than anything at the
paused. It was mostly about the
see Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire,
as an audience member, where I’ve
moment is actually the degree to which
feelings that came up when characters
nor for her Margot Channing in Ivo van
been left completely speechless by
people of color are actively encouraged
were being bullied.” In other words, not
Hove’s 2019 adaptation of All About
art, or performance, in various forms
and allowed through that door,” she
the innate discovery and acceptance
Eve, both of which earned her Olivier
of culture. It is a thing in and of itself. It
insists. “In the way that the #MeToo
of these characters’ sexuality, but the
Award nominations, with the former
is alchemic, and you can touch it, and
movement has made extraordinary
learned social behaviors that result in
transferring to Broadway in 2016.
feel it. And it is why we do what we
steps forwards in terms of how women
do. It’s why we celebrate what we do.
are able to action their futures, I think
National Theatre Live program, which
It’s why we try and convince people to
the same will need to happen in terms
films West End plays for broadcast in
watch, and to donate, and to keep the-
of expanding diversity in front of and
aters alive, because it can have such a
behind the camera.”
She remembers hearing about a
ST R EE TCAR : A LASTA I R M U I R/S H U T T ERSTOC K; X- FI L ES : M OV I ESTO R E/S H U T T E RSTO CK; N I G H T: N ILS JO RG E N S E N /S H U T T E RSTO CK
“Blanche was like no one I’ve ever
the kind of prejudice that causes so much trauma. Anderson is delighted that her work
Her theatrical career in the UK has
As lockdown shuttered theaters, the
She saw the particular alchemy
profound impact on people. I think it
needs to be addressed.” But diversity goes beyond gender,
These aren’t idle words, and they
can do good in the world. I think it can
are shaped by the experience Ander-
change people’s lives.”
son has had on Sex Education, which
There was little design to the volte-
features diverse talent on-screen and
face that first brought Anderson to the
off. She has delighted in what that
stage after she left The X-Files. Instead,
has meant for the telling of stories
it felt like a natural move. “I was very
so frequently absent from television,
lucky in that I had an upbringing in the
and how the specific can also reflect
UK, and everything I had seen in terms
on the universal. “I’m not even sure I
of how often actors were able to move
realized the extent to which it does
back and forth between television,
that until after I’d seen it,” she admits.
film and theater… that just didn’t exist
“You can read so much on a page, and
in the States. I think it has only really
then the minute you start seeing all of
begun to exist in the past five years
the fabulously diverse faces, and really
or so, where you’ll find A-list actors
commit to all the different storylines
that will do television, as opposed to
and the diverse dilemmas, you realize
keeping it at arm’s length.”
how unique and embracing the show
It was just how she always
STAR TURNS Clockwise from top: With co-star Ben Foster in A Streetcar Named Desire; in What the Night is For with Roger Allam; with David Duchovny in The X-Files.
and that’s certainly something that
actually is.”
imagined her career would be, in fact.
She laughs. “I almost feel like I said
And the way it initially panned out, as
yes to spite myself, and then was very
the lead star of a network television
grateful that at least part of me was
drama that ran to 24 or 25 episodes
paying attention at the time.” ★
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
9
CHARTED TERRITORY
At press time, here is how Gold Derby’s experts ranked Emmy chances in the Comedy categories. Follow all the races at GoldDerby.com
Out of Sight
COMEDY SERIES
ODDS
1
Schitt’s Creek
5/1
2
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
5/1
3
The Good Place
7/1
4
Curb Your Enthusiasm
17/2
5
Dead to Me
17/2
Love Is Blind creator Chris Coelen on the challenge of crafting a reality series without precedent ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
IN LOVE IS BLIND, CHRIS COELEN ENGINEERED
a social experiment designed to answer two questions: can love conquer all in today’s world? And can people fall in love without ever seeing one another? Produced by Kinetic Content, the Netflix reality series follows 30 single people as they go on a series of dates within ‘pods’—private chambers linked by an opaque wall—which allow for intimate conversation, free from the distractions of the physical world. “If you fall in love and chose to get engaged, and that proposal was accepted, you would be allowed to see each other,” the EP explains. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t. And if you got engaged, your wedding would be in four weeks.” For Coelen, the unpredictability of what would unfold on the show made it both scary and exciting to produce. “There was no guarantee anybody was going to do anything,” he notes. “It’s not a show of gotchas, or producers pulling strings.” Growing into an unexpected pop culture phenomenon, the social experiments’ results surpassed the expectations of everyone involved. Within a matter of weeks, eight couples got engaged, and two ended up married. From Coelen’s perspective, the series renders a powerful statement, demonstrating that love can transcend differences between people. “The people who met in the pods felt like they knew the person on the other side of the wall better than they had known anyone in their entire lives,” he says. “I’m really pleased.” —Matt Grobar
GOING GLOBAL Casting directors Bernard Telsey and Adam Caldwell spotlight international talent with Little America
Eugene Levy Schitt’s Creek
37/10
2
Ted Danson The Good Place
9/2
3
Ramy Youssef Ramy
6/1
4
Larry David Curb Your Enthusiasm
6/1
5
Michael Douglas The Kominsky Method
17/2
ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
ODDS
1
Catherine O’Hara Schitt’s Creek
18/5
2
Rachel Brosnahan The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
37/10
3
Christina Applegate Dead to Me
13/2
4
Merritt Wever Run
8/1
5
Pamela Adlon Better Things
9/1
auditions in New York and LA, along with self-tapes from around the world, in pursuit of standout talent.
Exploring the journeys of American
For Telsey, the best part of casting
Little America, casting directors
immigrants, the heartfelt comedy is
Little America was being able to give
Bernard Telsey and Adam Caldwell
based on a collection of true stories
actors their first professional gig, or
were tasked with scouting lesser-
published in Epic Magazine. Bringing
their first chance to be number one
known, international talent, who
cultural advisors onto the project,
on the call sheet. “This one was so
needed to be able to meet very
in hopes of achieving cultural
much about that,” he says. “It’s such
specific language requirements.
authenticity with their casting,
a rewarding feeling.” —Matt Grobar
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
1
Telsey and Caldwell took in-person
On Apple TV+ anthology series
10
ODDS
DISCOVERY Conphidance as Iwegbuna Ikeji.
COMEDY AND THE FIGHT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE As the world continues to protest, what role can humor play in shaping change? BY PETER WHITE
COMEDY 100% CHANGES THINGS,” says Kenya Barris, the creator and star of Netflix’s
potent message about policing in the
sion. Issa Rae’s Insecure just wrapped
United States, the death of George
up its fourth season on HBO, Dear
Floyd and his own experiences. This
White People is returning to Netflix
is the same man who said, in his
for its fourth and final season, Don
2000 HBO special Killin’ Them Softly,
Cheadle fronts Black Monday on
“Every group of brothers should have
Showtime, Ramy Youssef was joined
interesting conversation online about
at least one white guy in it. I’m seri-
by Mahershala Ali for Season 2 of his
race and class.
ous, for safety, because when the
eponymous Hulu series, Lena Waithe
shit goes down, someone is going
has Twenties and Boomerang on BET,
need to talk to the police.”
and Donald Glover’s Atlanta is return-
May killing of George Floyd and the subsequent protests against police brutality.
television comedy can help people
Barris says on both Black-ish and
“take the medicine with a spoonful
#blackAF that he was inspired by
of sugar”.
Richard Pryor to “pull the curtain
#blackAF, which also stars
Barris is not the only comic voice grappling with race issues on televi-
can bring about a meaningful societal shift in light of the
Barris, who also created ABC
special “so powerful” for the way
being very sensitive.”
that it mixed a handful of jokes with a
#blackAF. He is discussing whether the art of laughter
family comedy Black-ish, says that
lauds Dave Chappelle, calling his 8:46
“You need a person whose job it
ing for two more seasons in 2021.
back” and show, “white America and
was to bring you levity to tell you the
Rashida Jones as Barris’ wife,
Black America, and to talk to them
truth,” Barris says. “I think comedy in
pilot Good Girls Gone to HBO before
explores the meaning of being Black
in a really honest way and have the
this day and age has a much harder
becoming a writer on Netflix’s 13 Rea-
and successful and raising kids
other side of the conversation.”
role, but also a much more important
sons Why, says, “Growing up watch-
role. Comedy is more under attack
ing Sex and the City, I always wished
in America. The 10-part scripted
Of Pryor, he says, “His voice
Felischa Marye, who sold comedy
series—Barris’ first scripted series
changed the world and there hasn’t
than ever before in history. We’re in
there were Black shows that took
since signing a major overall deal with
been a new comedic voice like that in
cancel culture, we’re in a time of cell
the same risks, and that’s happening
Netflix—launched on the stream-
45 years.”
phones and social media and people
with shows like Insecure.”
ing service in April. It has started an
12
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
The Shaft and Girls Trip writer also
taking things out of context and
Marye is now making her
it. They think Black writers can only write for Black projects, or that, if you have one Black writer on something, it’s enough. What we’re saying is, no, just hire the best writers. And if you equally look for Black writers, you’re going to find that some of them are way better than your other offerings. You just have to be open to it.” Opening up across all genres is also key. Lilly Singh, host of NBC’s A Little Late with Lilly Singh is the first openly bisexual person of color to host a late-night broadcast TV show. “I found comedy to be such a good vehicle to talk about things, and I come from a culture where things are generally not spoken TV TALENT Clockwise, from left: The cast of #BlackAF, Ice Cube in Astronomy Club, Quinta Brunson and Robin Thede in A Black Lady Sketch Show, Tanisha Long, Rasheda Crockett and Angell Conwell in Bigger, Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross in Black-ish.
about,” she says. “I use comedy to talk about mental health and sexism. It’s my way of talking about things that are not too on the nose,
I DON’T THINK WE CAN CHANGE PEOPLE'S HEARTS, BUT I DO THINK WE CAN WAKE PEOPLE UP TO THEIR BIASES.”
Club all entering the Emmy con-
voices, I do love the opportunity
because then people get to put
versation. The genre has been
to get a show, but they need to
their defense mechanisms down.”
predominantly white since Comedy
promote shows. A lot of Hollywod
Singh says authenticity is key,
Central’s Key & Peele won for its
isn’t used to seeing Black faces do
as evidenced by spots on her show
fifth and final season in 2016.
silly things.”
such as Kal Penn discussing the
Astronomy Club’s Caroline Martin
A Black Lady Sketch Show creator
trouble with Indian restaurants,
says having a diversity of shows in
and star Robin Thede agrees that
and Singh and Mindy Kaling trading
the conversation is a positive step
this increased diversity doesn’t
Tamil slang. “Late night hosts have
and “takes the load off your shoul-
feel like a fad, but she calls for full
[historically] been white males and
ders” as the only Black show. “Grow-
parity. “I think that’s part of that call
they’ve had that space for a while.
ing up as sketch comedy nerds, we
to action. That’s part of me saying
There needs to be that space for
would watch Saturday Night Live,
to Hollywood, ‘We’re not asking
other groups of people to put their
where maybe there was one Black
for handouts. We’re asking for you
defenses down and address these
person, and we’d be watching that
to view us equally, as you do with
issues better, and I think comedy is
person and rooting for that person,”
anyone else. We want equity, not
golden for that.”
own comedy, Bigger, which she
she says. “So, for there to be multiple
quotas, or anything like that. We
describes as a modern-day version
shows coming out around the same
literally want to not be discounted,
wood will change as a result of the
of Living Single, for BET+. Executive
time as ours, that was really awe-
because we’re Black people doing
protests. “We’re still so nascent in
produced by Will Packer, the series
some. I’m hoping that having mul-
something that you’re used to only
this moment," he says, "but I feel
follows five thirtysomethings living
tiple shows with different vibes and
white men, typically, doing.”
like the one thing I am seeing is a lot
in Atlanta. Marye says it was able
energy will become the norm. I don’t
to feature important social issues
see us going back from here.”
—ROBIN THEDE, CREATOR, A BLACK LADY SKETCH SHOW
“without draining the comedy out of the rest of the show”. 46 years after Norman Lear’s
Thede recently told a story
Barris is hopeful that Holly-
of unification of cultures. It reminds
about the time she had written a
me of the Civil Rights Movement,
spec script for NBC single-camera
which would not have happened
Milligan, who is currently working on
comedy Parks and Recreation.
if white liberals had not marched alongside Black protestors.”
Her co-creator and co-star Jerah Sherlock Homies, a comedy about
“My agent didn’t submit it to the
Good Times debuted the country’s
an all-Black detective agency set in
showrunner," she said. "And he told
first Black two-parent family sitcom,
Harlem, says he hopes that what’s
me months later, ‘The spec is good,
whelming support from a broad
there is still not a plethora of voices
going on right now isn’t a “fad”,
but it wasn’t a diversity position, so I
swath of society are a step in the
from people of color across the
adding, “I feel like Hollywood goes
didn’t send it.’”
right direction, agrees Marye. “I
500+ scripted series on each year.
through times when it cares about
But there are other rays of hope in
people of color and then it fades
people’s hearts, but I do think that
1968, but it feels different and big-
terms of improving representation
away. I’m hoping that they stick with
we can wake people up to their
ger, and more people that don’t look
on-screen and off.
it now, and it’s nice to be a part of
biases,” Thede, who was also the
like us are fed up.”
that door being kicked open.”
first Black woman to write for a
Black sketch comedy is having a particular moment right now with
Promotion is equally as impor-
“I don’t think we can change
The protests, and the over-
know a lot of us weren’t here for
And of George Floyd himself,
late-night talk show on The Nightly
adds Barris, “It’s sad that someone
programs such as HBO’s A Black
tant as getting a greenlight, he
Show, adds. “It truly is unconscious
had to lose their life in such a grue-
Lady Sketch Show, IFC’s Sherman's
says. “A lot of companies are talking
bias; in so many of these execu-
some and graphic way. He changed
Showcase and Netflix’s Astronomy
about supporting Black and diverse
tives’ minds, they don’t even realize
the world.” ★
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
13
1
3
2
4
5
The Art of Craft
How the production design team behind Stranger Things built Starcourt Mall for Season 3
6
8
7
14
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
IMAGES AND ARCHITECTURAL PLANS COURTESY OF CHRIS TRUJILLO/NETFLIX
BY MATT GROBAR
NUMBERED Starcourt Mall
The Starcourt food court featured a quintessential selection of ’80s eateries, including Burger King, Great Panda, Orange Julius, Hot Sam and New York Pizza. It was just one key element of the massive mall production designer Chris Trujillo took on for Season 3.
The ice cream store where Steve and Robin work, Scoops Ahoy! was one of several script-specific stores and eateries designed for Stranger Things, which needed to be seamlessly juxtaposed with real period establishments.
Built in Duluth, GA in the ’80s, the Gwinnett Place Mall was selected as a base for Trujillo’s work over a dozen other Georgia malls, given its period charm. Inside, the art department recreated period branding for stores, including J.C. Penney and The Gap.
Before stores like Waldenbooks and RadioShack could be brought to life, the team would have to totally revamp the multi-level mall, which encompassed 1.3 million feet.
1
2
When Trujillo first discovered the space, it was in a state of general dereliction—a confusing architectural mishmash, having been partially remodeled in the ’90s and 2000s. 3
Fully dressed to allow for filming in 360 degrees, The Gap was the largest store recreated for the series, at approximately 3000 square feet. The art department filled this set with more than 2,500 accessories and pieces of apparel. 4
5
The Stranger Things art department fabricated 3 different versions of the massive neon “Starcourt” sign hanging inside the mall atrium.
6
In total, 40 businesses were created for Starcourt, including a retro Time Out Arcade and Star Cinemas, where Stranger Things’ teenagers take in a screening of Day of the Dead. 7
A small army of 50+ carpenters and painters worked for more than 10 weeks to prep the Starcourt Mall. In the end, this set served to broaden the world of Stranger Things, while pushing it into the space of a summer blockbuster, just as The Duffer Brothers intended.
16 vintage rides were sourced for Episode 7’s fun fair, including a three-story funhouse. 10 game stalls were designed and made by hand.
8
Chris Trujillo and his colleagues generated more than 500 pages of art in conceiving Season 3’s sets.
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
15
TIGER KING
Documentary Smash
categories, including Outstanding
nomination this year for Outstanding
Documentary or Nonfiction Series.
Documentary or Nonfiction Series.
It may be joined by The Last Dance,
Among the other candidates in that
the 10-parter about Michael Jordan
category is traditional powerhouse
and the Chicago Bulls, which picked
American Masters, the long-running
up the mega-hit mantle from Tiger
PBS series that profiles leading
King when it debuted on ESPN April
cultural figures. It could be joined
19. The network wisely moved up the
by fellow PBS series American
docuseries’ release from a planned
Experience—winner of 30 Emmys
June premiere date to satisfy fans
across the decades—a show the
deprived of live sports action as a
network touts as “television’s most-
CORONAVIRUS STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS
result of the pandemic.
watched history series”.
dramatically impacted television viewing habits,
Jordan] as eight [episodes] and it
this year is the arrival of the new
driving up consumption of just about every genre of
grew to 10,” The Last Dance executive
streaming platforms, Disney+, Apple
producer Mike Tollin says. “He
TV+ and HBO Max, all of which would
realized we could delve deep into his
like to burnish their brands with
character and tell the whole story.
nominations. Disney+ could factor
From a narrative standpoint, you
in the Outstanding Documentary
have all these recurring themes, and
or Nonfiction Series nominations
serialized stories.”
with The Imagineering Story, from
Megahits The Last Dance and Tiger King lead the hunt for Emmy nominations BY MATTHEW CAREY
programming, including documentary. The resulting huge audience numbers and media attention generated by Tiger King and The Last Dance could give those nonfiction series a leg-up as Emmy voters prepare to mark their
“We pitched it [to Michael
ESPN’s two-part documentary
nomination ballots.
A major Emmy development
director Leslie Iwerks, a six-episode
LANCE, about disgraced cyclist
“journey behind the curtains of Walt
moored in their homes, TV remote
Lance Armstrong, could break
Disney Imagineering, the little-known
on “murder, mayhem and madness”
in hand, helped turn the series into a
out of the peloton with multiple
design and development center of
in the eccentric world of big cat
cultural phenomenon.
nominations. Both LANCE, directed
The Walt Disney Company.” Apple
by Marina Zenovich, and The Last
TV+, meanwhile, enters the fray with
Tiger King, the seven-part series
breeders and private zoo operators,
“I do think we all must assume
dropped on Netflix March 20, just as
that that’s part of it,” Goode states.
Dance, directed by Jason Hehir, are
two doc series—Visibility: Out on
lockdown orders were being imposed
“For sure.”
part of ESPN’s acclaimed 30 for 30
Television and Home—and two doc
Tiger King is contending for
series, which stands an excellent
features, The Elephant Queen and
Emmy nominations in multiple
chance of earning another Emmy
Beastie Boys Story.
across much of the U.S. Director Eric Goode is the first to say people
16
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
applying this year, expect American Factory—winner of the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature—to be called often when Emmy nominations are announced. The Netflix film directed by Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert stands a strong chance of earning nods for Outstanding Documentary or AMERICAN FACTORY
APOLLO 11
Nonfiction Special, and in all the craft categories. The same could well prove true for fellow Oscar nominated docs The Edge of Democracy (Netflix) and The Cave (National Geographic). St. Louis Superman, an Oscar nominee in the short doc category, is being submitted for Emmy consideration after qualifying with a broadcast premiere on the MTV networks. The Emmys also offer a shot at the spotlight for documentaries that fell short of Oscar nominations. Among those is Apollo 11 from CNN Films, which made the Oscar shortlist but not the final
BEASTIE BOYS STORY
KILLER INSIDE: THE MIND OF AARON HERNANDEZ
cut. National Geographic’s Sea of Shadows, about the effort to protect the last few remaining
Murder in the Bayou (Showtime).
THIS WASN’T JUST A MOVIE TO EDUCATE THE WORLD AND GET AN AUDIENCE. THIS WAS A MOVIE SO WE COULD SAVE A SPECIES —RICHARD LADKANI, DIRECTOR, SEA OF SHADOWS
vaquita whales from extinction,
True crime features that
thinks that may improve its chances
didn’t make the Oscar shortlist last
could earn Emmy nominations
for nominations. “It was part sports
year, but now has a new chance at
for Outstanding Documentary or
doc, it was part pop culture, it was
recognition with the Emmys.
Nonfiction Special include two from
part true crime, then there was the
HBO: Who Killed Garrett Phillips?
sexuality angle [about Hernandez],”
educate the world and get an
and I Love You, Now Die. In the past,
he notes. “So, I think it was very
audience or something,” director
the Emmys have honored true
relatable and approachable to
Richard Ladkani says. “This was a
crime docs—HBO’s The Jinx: The
many people. I’m hoping this one
movie so we could save a species.”
Life and Deaths of Robert Durst won
can break through at the Emmys,
The Emmys give hope to docs
two Emmys and Netflix’s Making
as opposed to just a ‘regular’ true
that flew below the radar or did not
a Murderer won four: best series,
crime doc series.”
have the money to launch an Oscar
directing, editing and writing. Still,
This is the last year films recog-
“This wasn’t just a movie to
campaign. HBO’s The Sentence
some documentary filmmakers
nized by the Oscars will be allowed
didn’t get shortlisted for the Oscars
think Emmy voters don’t give the
a second bite of the apple—going
last year, but it wound up winning
true crime genre its due.
for television’s highest honor on top
the Emmy for Exceptional Merit in
of the film industry’s big prize.
Documentary Filmmaking. This year,
“It’s difficult for true crime stuff
The nonfiction scene this Emmy
elements beyond simply crime. He
to get nominated,” asserts Erin Lee
“The Television Academy
Carr, director of I Love You, Now Die.
ruled in March that effective in
in Three Movements is being
“I hope that that changes.”
2021, programs that have been
submitted for Exceptional Merit,
nominated for an Oscar will no
a special juried category that’s
HBO’s Moonlight Sonata: Deafness
season is notable for all the true
Geno McDermott, director of
crime content, documenting an
Killer Inside, believes the disturbing
longer be eligible for the Emmys
perhaps the most prestigious honor
array of misdeeds from murder to
nature of the subject matter can
competition,” the TV Academy
for documentaries at the Emmys.
fraud. On the series side, along with
affect awards prospects. “There’s
reaffirmed in a statement last
Tiger King, the contenders include
just an apparent darkness around
month. Double-dipping has been a
I feel very honored to be considered
Atlanta’s Missing and Murdered: The
true crime, so it’s hard to celebrate
particular issue in the documentary
for this,” director Irene Taylor
Lost Children and McMillion$ (HBO);
it,” McDermott says.
categories—last year, for instance,
Brodsky says. “Yeah, I’m thrilled.”
Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron
His series, about the New
Free Solo scored half a dozen
“It’s a peer-reviewed award, and
Documentary filmmakers far
Hernandez, The Innocence Files,
England Patriots star who was
Emmys just a few months after
and wide hope to share that thrill
Don’t F**k with Cats and The Trials
convicted of murder and later killed
claiming the documentary Oscar.
when the Emmy nominations are
of Gabriel Fernandez (Netflix); and
himself in prison, contains thematic
With the rule change not
announced on July 28. ★
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
17
Murder, mischief and mayhem unite Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini in Liz Feldman’s hit “traumedy” Dead to Me, about a friendship forged in darkness. As the show’s second season generates even more stellar notices than the first, Peter White meets Applegate and Cardellini to find out why it resonates so strongly.
Photograph by Dan Doperalski for Deadline
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
19
N
etflix dramatic comedy Dead to Me doubled down on darkness in its second season. This is quite an achievement for a show that started out with a hit-and-run and a sham friendship formed at a grief support group between a widow and the woman who was driving the car. Christina Applegate, who plays mother, widow and realtor Jen Harding, and Linda Cardellini, who plays driver, health care assistant and emotional pudding cup fan Judy Hale, are forced to face a whole new set of challenges after the death of James Marsden’s crooked Greek Mafia lawyer Steve Wood. Firstly, the pair must figure out what to do with the dead body; then, they must avoid getting caught, deal with Wood’s twin brother Ben—who, in pure telenovela-style, is also played by Marsden—and work on recalibrating their own relationship. Throw in a couple of new love interests, including a tryst between Judy and Natalie Morales’ Michelle, and a prison appearance from Katey Sagal, who played Christina Applegate’s mother on Married… with Children. Created by Liz Feldman and produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Gloria Sanchez Productions, the half-hour comedy hopes to build on Applegate’s nomination last year for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (she was beaten by Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge). Now, from their respective lockdown bubbles, Deadline reunites Applegate and Cardellini for a long discussion of the show. “Are we Zooming?” jokes Applegate. “Does anyone have to get a gown?”
20
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
THICK AS THIEVES From top: Applegate and Cardellini bond as Jen and Judy; an awkward meeting with their victim's identical twin (James Marsden); the partners in crime hit the road together.
"Jen and Judy only have each other to rely on in the worst of times, and they end up not being able to live without each other because they need each other to get them through something that they can’t share with anybody else." — Linda Cardellini
How did you feel about where you started Season 2? Linda Cardellini: Judy has decided that she would kill herself because that’s what Jen has asked. She goes from that to then being saved by Jen and her telling her to come home, which is a word that is very important to Judy; the idea of having a home and having a family. She is now part of something that she could have never imagined and that puts her in such a complicated place. It evens the footing between the two women, because they both have something to do with the loss of the other one's significant other. In terms of her mourning for Steve, that relationship is very toxic and I thought the idea of mourning a toxic relationship was interesting because I haven’t really seen it done like that. Jen and Judy only have each other to rely on in the worst of times, and they end up not being able to live without each other because they need each other to get them through something that they can’t share with anybody else. Christina Applegate: Jen was amped up. It’s exhausting because she was already kind of amped up, and now there’s another level of conflict, and her muscles are just in knots all over her body and her soul and her heart. What did you think when you found out James Marsden was returning as Steve’s twin? Applegate: When Liz told me that there was going to be a twin, I was like, “You’re punking me right now, right?” She said, “Just trust me.” Then I watched my beautiful friend, James Marsden, just fucking sell it. He just beautifully fell into it, and I think that that was the biggest surprise, obviously, for the season. We wanted James back. He’s a delightful human being and a great actor. It was like either we were going to just have him back for a bunch of flashbacks or find another way to get him in this. Cardellini: I loved it. When Liz first told me about it, I just laughed, and I thought that it was going to be so much fun to pull off. As out there as you think it is, the really fun part is to earn all of that. He’s so great. He’s so wonderful to work with too, and he’s such a team player. I love all the people who got to return in the second season, it’s just so much fun
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
21
to have them with us. You really do become
The moment when Linda is breaking down
a family, because you work so hard and such
while eating a pudding cup seems to be a
long hours with each other. I really think Liz is
great example of that.
so fantastic at taking those kinds of twists and
Cardellini: That was actually improv. I
making them seem so well-earned, so natural.
thought, I’m just going to open this up and see if it makes anybody laugh. Then we kept that.
Where do you think the relationship between Jen and Judy stands at the
How much of the show is improvised?
beginning of Season 2?
Applegate: We always do as written, and then
Applegate: I think that unfortunately Jen was
it’ll be just those moments when Liz will say,
very manipulative with Judy in the second
“Hey, can you guys just do your Jen and Judy
season at the beginning because she needed
thing?” Then we’ll just kind of come up with
her to fix this. It was very selfish. And I think
weird shit. It happened a couple of times, and
towards the end, she realized how much she
then they just saw how comfortable we were
needs her, and how much value Judy plays in
with it, and then it kind of became like their
her life, to her whole family, and the relation-
own language.
ship with her kids, and trying to figure out how
Cardellini: The wonderful thing is that Liz has
to be a better mom, and then getting that
created these characters that are so specific.
second chance to be a mom.
I feel like she’s really given us ownership of
Cardellini: When it rains, it pours. Judy’s in
them, but we go to her for everything. I mean,
the middle of a storm cloud. For me, one of
you see the two of us on screen, but she’s
the challenges of the character that I haven’t
also right there with us for any questions that
had to face with other characters is that she
we have and for anything. It’s really her vision
doesn’t get angry. It’s something that was
that we are proudly executing. We always
decided early on, that she has a hard time
get what’s on the page, but the fact that she
showing her anger.
has given over to us these characters, we are allowed to do whatever we feel in the moment.
It’s a very dark show about grief but there’s still an element of comedy to it. How do you
You’ve both done lots of comedy before.
balance that?
How is this different?
Applegate: The comedy obviously comes out
Applegate: When you’re on a sitcom and
of the tragedy. It’s not saying jokes. It’s coming
you’re in front of an audience, it’s vaudeville.
out of the awkwardness of life, the pain of life,
That’s kind of how I look at it. It’s a dance
the messiness of life. For the viewer, it’s funny,
between you and those 200 people, and you
but for the characters, it’s not. Their imperfec-
need to get an audible reaction out of them.
tion and their messiness is what I think people
It’s not canned laughter. I consider that kind of
relate to, and the comedy always kind of forms
like the vaudevillian form of comedy. Then you
out of that. I think that some of our funniest
do something like a Samantha Who?, which
stuff is when it’s just me and Linda, basically
has got its own tone, and then an Anchorman
just ranting.
lives in its own bizarre kind of realm. I always
Cardellini: It’s a delicate balance. At first
feel like comedy is twinkling above reality.
when we were tasked with it, we weren’t sure
This is unlike anything I’ve ever done; it’s its
exactly how to do it because on the page it
own genre really. We always call it a traumedy
can go many different ways. It can go very
because it’s not a black comedy, it’s not a
broad, you can go very dark, and the idea that
dramedy. It’s people in trauma.
it’s sort of in this inbetween zone is really fun. I
Cardellini: It’s different to being on the old
hadn’t really done anything like that. The really
network schedule, which used to keep you for
delicious part about Judy is that she takes
about nine months. On the Netflix schedule,
these things that are almost hard to believe,
because it’s 10 episodes, as opposed to 24
and makes them seem so natural to her
or 26, like I might have done during ER, it’s a
character. And that, to me, is really fun.
shorter schedule, so you do have more time
22
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
"This is unlike anything I’ve ever done; it’s its own genre really. We always call it a traumedy because it’s not a black comedy, it’s not a dramedy. It’s people in trauma." — Christina Applegate
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
23
HAPPY FAMILY
From top: With Jen's sons Henry (Luke Roessler) and Charlie (Sam McCarthy); discussing scenes with Liz Feldman; on the beach with Michelle (Natalie Morales) and Nick (Brandon Scott).
in the year to do something else. The idea of being able to play different roles is what it’s all about to me. I love the idea that I get to dive into this great female-led show with two strong colleagues, and I get to be on the screen and work really hard and go sort of stretch all of my muscles in that way, and then I love the idea that I can then go do a movie in the interim between seasons. It’s a very personal story for creator Liz Feldman. Can you talk about her process and working with her? Applegate: She’s incredible. She’s so handson, which is wonderful because that’s her vision. She works really well with the directors, which are all female. We only had one male director, Abe Sylvia, who’s incredible. He was one of our producers too. But he, fortunately for him, sold a show, and moved back to New York. So, this year, it was all females. What that means on a set and how it’s run is very different than anything I’ve ever been a part of. Liz is really the driving force behind everything. She oversees everything. She oversees every script. She oversees the editing. She’s there keeping us on track and she’s just a lovely human being. Cardellini: It is truly a team effort and Liz trusts who she hires, she trusted us with the
24
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
"The comedy obviously comes out of the tragedy. It’s not saying jokes. It’s coming out of the awkwardness of life, the pain of life, the messiness of life. For the viewer, it’s funny, but for the characters, it’s not."— Christina Applegate
We were so happy to have her. I think that character is a glimpse into Judy’s life that nobody ever gets. You don’t really see Judy’s background so much. I think it’s an interesting idea that you can have this mother who, clearly they have similarities, but just by being born to her, she’s learned some things. But they’re two completely different people. Judy’s not as manipulative in some ways as her mother, but she has learned to manipulate from her mother. That final scene is quite shocking with the car crash, the really surprising reveal of who is driving the car, Jen’s son finding out who his mother is, and a dog seemingly digging up Steve’s body. So what do you think happens next? Applegate: I have no idea what’s going to happen next. I mean, we haven’t been picked
material, and she trusts us going forward.
my balloon. But I love the little, tiny moments
up or anything, but it’s not really the landscape
Applegate: She’s the reason I did it. I was
where you think you’ve got it pegged and they
right now, right? But given if we do go back, if
looking to go on an ensemble show, like
do something completely different.
any of us go back to work ever again, I don’t know what’s going to happen.
working two days a week. That was what I was really looking for. [But now] I’m working
The line, “Sometimes justice works itself
18-hour days, and not seeing my child for three
out,” after Jen confesses to Detective
really injured, so I didn’t say, “Fuck me.” That
months. To go from my dream job, which was
Perez, seems important; more so given
was all added. Because I think originally, they
like Ed O’Neill’s schedule on Modern Family,
what’s going on in the country right now.
wanted you to think that I was toast. But I think
to that, it was not what I had expected or
Applegate: Given what’s going on, yeah. It’s
that would have upset people. So, they added
desired, it but ended up being very satisfying.
so painful, I just feel so helpless. Not that you
me saying, “What happened?” and, “Fuck me,”
should smash someone’s head and then bury
again, so that you know that there’s another
There’s a scene where Jen is dissolving
them in the woods, and then get off; not to say
chapter to all of this.
a rat in the bathtub, and for a moment,
that’s a good thing. But humanity sometimes
Cardellini: I loved it. The question of what
I thought you were going to go full
has to take precedence over something else.
happens next is always sort of the fun part of
Breaking Bad.
Originally, [in the car crash scene] I was
the show. I am definitely looking forward to,
Applegate: We wanted you to feel that way.
Katey Sagal turns up this season but she’s
if there is a third season, seeing where that
That was the intent. The intent was she’s now
playing Judy’s mother. How was that?
goes, and what that does to them, and if they
completely unraveled. She’s gone completely
Applegate: I was so bummed. I didn’t get
know who hit them, and when they do know
fucking nutso. But the reality is, who could do
to see her or work with her. I finally got a day
who hit them, what happens. There are a lot of
that? Jen just can’t. She was losing her mind.
off the day they did all their scenes. I’m very
unanswered questions.
So that’s why the scene after that was her
good friends with a lot of the crew. One of my
just completely breaking down, almost like a
favorite people in the world, Mitch [B. Cohn],
Are you confident that there will definitely
scared little child.
who’s our boom operator, would always get
be a third season?
Cardellini: I love that about the way that they
me peanut butter cups when I was having kind
Cardellini: I am cautiously optimistic. That’s
do the show. They take you somewhere where
of a hard day. He’d hide him in my mic pack
sort of a skill I’ve learned in this industry after
you think you know where you’re going and
and stuff. I texted him, and I said, “You take
all this time. I hope so. And if not, we’ve given it
then it goes in a different direction. I remem-
care of Katey today.” She ended up texting me
our all, and people have enjoyed it, and that’s
ber feeling that way about the balloon floating
a picture of her in front of all this candy that he
something too. I have been on many shows
down in the first season, and thinking, Oh, I
had gotten for her. It was so sweet.
that have not lasted long, and ones that have
know what this is. Then it turns out that it’s not
Cardellini: How lucky am I? It was so great.
been very short-lived, so you never know. ★
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
25
D THE DIALOGUE
EMMY CONTENDERS/ C O M E DY
Don
way codified in our business, outside of things like diversity mandates, and the recognition of the
CHEADLE
★
★
★
★
★
disparity that we have in certain positions, we’ll be able to point to when and why it happened, but that remains to be seen en masse. I don’t know if that’s going to happen industry-wide because we’re still in this moment and people are not sure what to do. Obviously, the concern is things tend to revert and go back to the way they
The Black Monday actor on how the show reflects current times and his belief that real change will come BY D I N O - R AY R A M O S
were because we are humans. It’s hard for us to keep this sort of attention span around things that we’re passionate about. The forces that didn’t want change to happen
FROM PLAYING THE UNHINGED MOUSE in Devil in a Blue Dress, to battling Thanos as War Machine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Don Cheadle’s resume is a diverse array of characters, but none of them are quite like Mo Monroe in Showtime’s Black Monday. Cheadle plays the coke-snorting, self-destructive broker navigating the stock market crash of October 19, 1987, which of course came to be known as ‘Black Monday’. Now in its second season, Cheadle discusses how the series reflects the current landscape, and how the global pandemic and America’s civil unrest will affect the industry going forward.
in the first place don’t sleep. They’re not kicking back. And they’re like, “Okay, how are we going to come out of this still running shit?” That’s always the challenge in these moments: not to let that energy abate, not to go back to sleep. What is it about Black Monday that really appealed to you in the beginning? I love the distance that the period piece gives us, which allows us to look through a particular lens and see how far we’ve come, and how far we have not come. I think we’re seeing this played out in our news right now. Since Trump has been President, it has made our show incredibly
How do you think Black Monday can
to make an ungodly amount of money if
bridged with that sort of perspective. It was
serve as a cautionary tale, or a refer-
you cheat the right way… You pay the right
dealing with the wish fulfillment of a group of
ence for us to learn from?
people off and get away with it.
people that probably would not really exist at
Some people come up and they’re like, Black Monday spotlights cyclical
but the ability to use this different grouping of
people say it’s a primer for how you’ve got to
behavior that has strained the country
actors and characters to try to tell a very, in some
get it done. It just depends on who you ask.
in more ways than one. Right now, there
ways, American story about greed and loyalty, or
Some people think that sounds [like] the
is a shift with protests stemming from
disloyalty, and play with that. I just thought it was
greatest, most fun time in the world, and it’s
the death of George Floyd and a call to
a great opportunity.
not. People’s lives are destroyed. The show
action over racial inequality. How do you
is a comedy and we’re doing it for jokes, but
think all of this is going to be reflected in
Your character Mo is an anti-hero, but was
it’s being really pushed.
storytelling and the industry?
there a part of him you connected with?
I believe all that we know is that it will. I
Well, I think in some ways when you play these
was saying, even with all the regulations,
don’t know if we have enough evidence
anti-heroes—not just for the people who are
that this is cyclical stuff. The stock market
to be able to point to how it will. For some
playing them, but the enjoyment of watching
crash and those kinds of things are cyclical
people, it was already a part of what we
them—you get to live vicariously through their
because we’ve never fixed the inherent
were attempting to do. I’ve had a diversity
actions and ways that they do things that you
problems in society that address the highs
mandate with this crew that I’ve put
would never do or say, but sometimes you feel
and the lows and the haves and the have-
together, and shows that I work on for years.
like it. Mo is driven by his id. He doesn’t have a
nots, and those who are able to take advan-
My sets tend to look like the world and the
filter, and he really hasn’t recognized those sort
tage of every opportunity and those who
United States. You have a lot of people who
of niceties that prevent us from doing things
will never have opportunities. It’s not like it’s
have the positions and keys that wouldn’t
that we know would feel good, but we probably
something that’s foreign. The one thing that
necessarily be getting the opportunity.
shouldn’t do. I have a very smart friend who said
In one of the books that I read the author
we’ve never really excised from the process, I NV I S I ON /AP/S H U T T E RSTOC K
that time. I don’t know if they would exist now,
“Wow, that’s a cautionary tale,” and other
and you can’t, is human greed.
I think people are realizing, “Oh shit. I
a wise statement: “If it feels good, don’t do it.”
didn’t know we were a part of the problem.” Hopefully from soup to nuts, every aspect of
How has making the show evolved for you?
angle, wherever there’s an opportunity to
every business will ask, “Where have I leaned
I couldn’t have anticipated, other than just
get over on something, people are going to
into this bias and where have I not done my
understanding the metrics by which you get
be looking for it, and that’s a business par-
part?” And not just, “Be a good person.” A
things done, how much the workload would be.
ticularly designed to allow for it because the
good person means actually trying to take
That is very, very difficult. How that pressure and
upside is so huge. It’s worth it. If the game
things apart that aren’t working. It’s trying
the frenetic energy of that would lend itself to the
was not going to be that big, it wouldn’t be
to attack injustice wherever you can, where
narrative. I think that it’s a very sweaty show. It
worth going for that huge risk, but you stand
you are. So, if those things become in some
feels like everybody’s on coke [laughs]. ★
So, wherever there’s a way to shoot an
PHOTOGRAPH BY
Chris Pizzello
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
27
M a i t re y i
of myself to the role while also staying true to the character without totally changing Devi. And there’s that sense of authentic-
RAMAKRISHNAN
★
★
★
★
★
ity. I know Lang and Mindy think I have a really unique voice. I don’t know what they hear in it, but okay. They said I brought my own swagger and spunk to it, and I was like, “Okay, I guess I’m cool.”
The brand new teen actress brings her singular talent and charisma to Mindy Kaling’s Never Have I Ever BY A N T O N I A B LY T H
Did you bring other personal quirks? Yeah. This is loosely based off of Mindy’s childhood, but she wasn’t a kid in the mod-
EFORE TAKING THE LEAD in Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher’s Netflix comedy, Never Have I Ever, the now 18-year-old Maitreyi Ramakrishnan had done absolutely no television work at all, or even much acting of any kind. And yet she’s taken viewers by storm with her portrayal of Devi, a confident-butdorky, extrovert-but-cerebral teen dealing with her father’s death, a strained relationship with her mother, and a burning crush on the hottest boy in school. Ramakrishnan was rehearsing her high school theatre production of Chicago at home in Mississauga, Ontario, when she saw first Kaling’s open call audition on Twitter and decided to go for it.
B
ern day, like how it is now with cellphones in classrooms and all the slang that we have. So, there’s a little bit of a gap there, of course. When it came to slang, Mindy and Lang always let me try new things. If I felt like, “Oh, I don’t think kids would really say that,” they would never get offended. They’d be like, “Yeah, well, what do you think should go there?” That went for me and the rest of the cast. And we were always able to take a bunch of takes, trying new things, really exploring and seeing what works best. And on top of it, while filming, when I was just talking to the other cast members and saying my own slang, as I normally do, they started picking up on those words and asking what
Devi is wonderfully different to all the
and we live with a lot of people. So, we
they meant and started writing them into
stereotypical characters we see in high
wouldn’t get a quiet space. So, we figured,
the script, which was really cool. When Devi
school comedies. Unfortunately, most
let’s go to the library, rent out a little room,
says “What’s popping?” that is just me. I al-
of the time, we see Asian kids repre-
and film it there. A week later, they asked me
ways say “What’s popping?” I would say that
sented as shy and nerdy, but Devi has
to send in some more self-tapes. I honestly
all the time to my cast members, and slowly,
this refreshing confidence. What did you
thought that it didn’t really mean anything.
I would see it more and more in the script.
think when you first read the script?
I was like, “Oh, okay. It’s probably standard,
Also things like “slapped”. Teaching them
I thought it was awesome. Like you said,
I guess.” But I didn’t know any different.
what that means. Like you got slapped. But
it’s usually depicted that Asian characters
And after I sent in four more self-tapes, so
it’s not a negative word. It actually means,
are shy, unconfident, and have this crazy
now six in total, they asked me to go to LA
“That’s cool.” Like, “That slaps.”
amount of insecurities and that’s their big-
to do a screen test. At that point I was like,
gest personality trait. But on top of it, usually
“Whoa, wait. Hold on. I’ve never even been
The TikTok scene is so perfect. Tell me
the Asian characters are sidekicks, we’re side
to LA before.” That was when we met Mindy,
about shooting that?
pieces to somebody else’s story. So, it’s of
and it was the first time I was ever seeing a
Oh my God. That was so hard. I love to
course amazing to see that the South Asian
celebrity. I was like, “Wait, whoa, I’ve seen her
dance, but am I the most skilled dancer in
girl is the focus, and it’s refreshing to see
on TV before.” But instantly I got it together. I
the world? Probably not. No, definitely not.
really. But also, I think my favorite thing about
was like, “Don’t be weird. She’s a person. She
We were learning that dance in the span of
the character is that she knows she’s smart
probably wants to live a normal life. Don’t
a couple of hours. And me, Lee [Rodriguez],
and she doesn’t dumb herself down, which
be weird about it.” I got myself together
and Ramona [Young] would practice when-
is the case with a lot of female characters,
instantly, to make sure I could do the best
ever we could. And then when it came to
especially in young adult movies and TV.
possible job I could.
the actual dance, it was so interesting to see
There’s always this idea that the girl had to dumb herself down for a guy, but Devi is
What do you think made them choose
favorite scenes to film. The crew, the lighting
super smart and she knows she’s smart. And
you? Have they told you?
guys, the sound guys, everybody got really
she likes to be smart, which I think is great.
Yeah, it’s very odd. I had to ask them. You’ve
into it. They would be dancing on the front
got to know why you’re picked out of all of
porch of Devi’s house, having dance-offs.
As a complete newcomer, what was the
these people from around the world—over
audition experience like?
15,000 apparently. What they said was
What would you like to see happen if
For the first part of it, you had to make a
that I didn’t try to act like I’ve seen other
there’s a Season 2?
self-tape. My best friend and I actually went
actors act as teenagers on TV. I didn’t try to
I would love to see Devi love herself. I think
to our community center library, because
impersonate somebody else’s style or what
that’s an important message that not just
neither of us have a blank wall in our house,
has already been done. I brought a little bit
high school teenage girls could learn.
28
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
PHOTOGRAPH BY
★
Daniel Prakopcyk
P H OTO COU RT ESY N E T FL IX
how it was filmed. It was probably one of my
G ATA
★
★
★
★
How close is it to your life, especially when you explain your bipolar disorder? Yeah, that was based on a real-life experience. Dicky takes his rap career very serious. Unlike other rappers, he has a
★
rehearsal hall that he rents out for weeks at
Rapper Lil Dicky’s real-life hype man GaTa took on acting for the first time, and became the heart and soul of Dave BY S T E V I E WO N G
a time, so we can perform our songs and make sure we’re on point. One day, I came to rehearsal, and I was a little bit lethargic, lazy, I wasn’t there, I wasn’t focusing, because
O ONE COULD IMAGINE that the comedy Dave, about an aspiring, neurotic white rapper named Lil Dicky, would become such a huge breakout hit. It’s based on comedian/rapper Dave Burd (aka Lil Dicky)’s experiences, as he tries to become the best rapper of all time, alongside his enthusiastic (and real-life) hype man, Davionte “GaTa” Ganter, who becomes an integral part of the crew. During one standout epsiode, GaTa admits to being bipolar. Here, he discusses the decision to talk about his condition, the response to that episode, and how he feels about this politicially pivotal time.
N
I was so heavily... I don’t want to say it... I was on my medicine. My medicine still had effects from the next day and they saw that. So, I had no choice but to open up and tell my team the truth, because I’m here to do a job. I’m here to be a hype man, but right now I’m laid out on the couch. I just had to open up to them. I really lived that moment. What kind of response did you get? I’m getting emotional right now because, when the episode came out, I’m in my neighborhood on Crenshaw and 120th, where I grew up at. An older Black lady comes up to me, she’s crying, and she’s telling me like, “Yo, I was going to commit suicide. I watched
Dave is a bona fide hit. When did you
Did you know that he was developing
[Dave] and your episode really touched
realize that people were watching ?
a show and that he wanted to have a
me.” So, just every day I wake up, man, it
Week by week, as every episode dropped,
character very similar to you?
just makes me feel good. Because I was
I could just feel the audience growing. But I
He told me that he was preparing to make
embarrassed at first to take this medication.
knew people were really watching the show
a TV show based on him being a rapper and
It made me feel so good to share my story
when I made it to the LA Times Calendar. I
it was going to be realistic. And he told me
like that.
framed it.
that he was going to have a hype man based around my character. I had to audition to
We are going through a pivotal moment
Fans of Lil Dicky knew you already as his
play myself. And I wound up getting the job.
with the Black community, how is this
on-stage hype man. How did you start
I’m so thankful for it too, man. It wasn’t easy.
political time for you?
working together? When did you hear about the “Hype
blowing thing for the world to wait this
with artists like Tyga, Fall Out Boy, Gym Class
Man” episode that focuses on you and
long to shed light on something that’s
Heroes. I was on tour with those artists,
your mental health?
been happening for over 400-plus years.
traveling the world with them. Once that
Well Dicky approached me. He said, “I want
Historically, the system in America is just so
stopped, I kept my relationships strong and
to make a well-rounded TV show and get
fucked up. So, it really makes me sad. Me
healthy. So, one day, I was down bad, I was
emotional and touch people. Based off your
growing up, I was never raised to be racist.
broke, and one of the managers that I used
life and your experiences, man, I feel like
But coming from where I come from, how
to work with hit me up like, “Yo, I got this new
your story is the perfect story to do that.”
the cops harassed people of my color, it
artist that I want you to work with, his name
At first, I had to backpedal. I’m like, “Hold
instilled a little bit of fear in me. I would be
is Lil Dicky.” We met at a recording studio and
on, you about to expose my mental... My
kind of scared to get pulled over, even if my
I’m going to be honest, he really kind of didn’t
state of mind. And it’s a stigma around this
license was legit.
like my aura. I came with a fake camera man,
bro. People going to be judging me, man.
I’ve been lucky, I’ve been around the
a fake personal assistant. I was trying to
I’m embarrassed about this. I wasn’t even
world and I get to tap into so many different
make my image look larger than life. But for
comfortable, really at first, telling you about
cultures. But at the same time, it really does
the most part, I really loved his music. He’s
this. So, you about to put this out there.” And
hurt me as a Black man, to see our life not
a very talented, highly-skilled rapper. It just
then I had to think about it. I had the support
valued the way it should be. And it sucks
took a while for our relationship to develop.
system of [my manager] Michael Hertz, my
because I’m on a path and I’m perceived
And then fast forward to today, man,
mom, my sister, Dicky, telling me, “You’re
as a successful Black man, so white people
we’re best friends, bro, because opposites
going to be inspiring people. You’re going to
don’t see me as a threat no more. And that’s
attract. Me coming from South Central Los
be touching people. There’s a million people
what kills me. “Oh, if I wasn’t on TV, or if I
Angeles, him coming from the suburbs of
in the world just like you.” So, that’s what
wasn’t next to Dicky, or if I wasn’t [featured]
Philadelphia. That’s my best friend in real life.
made me want to share the story. But I’m
in the LA Times, you would be looking at me
That’s what’s up.
not going to lie, at first, I didn’t want to do it.
like a threat." ★
30
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
PHOTOGRAPH BY
Maarten de Boer
P H OTO COU RT ESY FX X
I went to protest because it’s a mind-
In the first half of my career, I was working
Jane
singing and dancing, so they had to find an actor who they thought could do the tonal shifts in the show. I think that it was basically
LEVY
★
★
★
★
just a spreadsheet of actors and I checked the boxes [laughs]. Once you understood that Zoey’s story was a version of Austin’s personal
★
experience with his late father’s PSP
In musical series Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, the actress takes on the biggest challenge of her career BY S T E V I E WO N G
(Progressive Supranuclear Palsy), did you use him as a sounding board to help create your version of Zoey? We did talk about Austin’s personal experience, but he gave us a lot of
N THE MUSICAL DRAMEDY FANTASY Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, lead actress Jane Levy took on the principal role of Zoey, a young computer programmer who discovers she not only has the ability to hear people’s innermost thoughts, but that, even more surprisingly, they come to her through the medium of song and dance. Premiering during the winter, the show quickly gained many passionate followers who were looking for a bit of heartfelt escapism during the COVID-19 quarantine. Here, just days before the announcement of a second season, Jane Levy chatted about the most extraordinary role of her career so far.
I
freedom to interpret the way that we were instinctually inclined. Austin gave us room to fill out these characters for ourselves. Along the way, with each episode, you just go deeper and deeper into this character, and the line between you, the actor, and the character start to blur a little bit. Plus, I think the writer begins to hear your voice more, when they’re writing for you. Is your performance also affected by the extremely talented ensemble cast? Definitely. I am so affected by the people around me. I had incredible scene partners in Peter Gallagher, Skylar Astin, Alex Newell, John Clarence Stewart, Lauren Graham,
A lot of people discovered Zoey’s
audience as you have with Zoey?
Mary Steenburgen, the list goes on, oh my
Extraordinary Playlist during lockdown.
No, I haven’t. I felt like I was working
God. And eventually, it just becomes a great
How was it for you to see your show as a
differently than I’ve ever done while making
collaboration between the actors’ singing
source of solace during this period?
this show. I was just deeply connected to
and Mandy Moore’s choreography.
It means so much to me to hear that the
her journey of getting this special gift. But
show offered comfort or joy. We had no idea
the core of Zoey is her relationship between
It’s surprising to hear you didn’t grow up
that our show was going to come out during
her and her dying father, and it was really
a musical theater nerd.
a global pandemic, and it was so gratifying
emotional. I felt, for lack of a better way to
Well, I will say that I did musicals as a kid, but
and humbling that this work that we did
explain it, like I had given this project my
I don’t know anything about musical theater.
offered anything to anyone during this time.
whole heart. And that process was painful,
I’m working with a cast of real heavy hitters
but I was able to do that because I was
and I am the numb nuts at the center of it
Why do you think it caught the hearts of
working with people who were doing the
all who’s like, “What? Who? Why?” When I
so many fans?
same thing. [Creator] Austin Winsberg
was a kid, I did a lot of dance. I danced ballet
It’s a feel-good show even though it deals
and [choreographer] Mandy Moore were
and I was on the hip-hop dance team in high
with real, heavy issues. I think ultimately,
really interested in telling a story about love
school. I also come from a very musically-
afterwards, it’s a show where you feel
and loss. And not just in a cute, network
inclined family. My mom sang jazz in college
like those tears you shed opened you up
television, singing and dancing way, but in an
and my dad went to conservatory for guitar,
a little bit more. Or, you have a cathartic
honest, messy, tragic but also beautiful, way.
so it’s in my DNA. I guess maybe now I could
experience, where you work through some
I’m really, really proud of the show we made,
say I’m a musical theater person. Or maybe
of your own grief. Whether it’s grief that
and I feel so connected to the audience
just a musical TV person, though I find the
happened before COVID, or the grief of the
where I’m inspired to keep going.
singing so hard [laughs].
release. And it’s been such an honor. Truly,
Austin Winsberg chose you as Zoey
Which begs the question, why did you
I still can’t believe that I’m on a show that
right from the beginning. Did you work
take a role where you have to sing?
people watch.
with him prior to taking on the role?
Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy singing. But
No, and I don’t think it was anything that
after doing the show, I realized, Wow, that
You’ve been on popular television
spectacular. Honestly, they had a list of
is something that’s very hard. And I think
shows before (Suburgatory, Castle
actors, and there was a lot of things that this
the reason it’s so hard is because you have
Rock), but have you ever experienced
actor had to be able to do. We switch from
to be relaxed to be good at it. And I am the
this kind of connection with your
farcical comedy to real drama, plus there’s
opposite of relaxed. ★
32
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
PHOTOGRAPH BY
Maarten de Boer
COU RT ESY N BC
pandemic, I think it’s a show that allows for
Ramy
this show on the brand of awkward comedy. I think it’s actually genuinely awkward,
YOUS SE F
★
★
★
★
★
because of what we get into, and I think that’s what excites me with the show. So, it’s cool to be able to genuinely earn the word ‘awkward’. Where did you want to go in the direction of Season 2?
The comedic mastermind behind Ramy talks Season 2’s alignment with current events BY M AT T G RO BA R
It’s always a tricky balance, doing a second season, because you want to keep the elements that work, but you also need to change things up, because you don’t really want it to get repetitive. I felt like a
N ITS FIRST SEASON, Hulu comedy Ramy garnered widespread acclaim, striking a chord with its portrait of a first-generation American Muslim, his family and his politically-divided New Jersey community. Released in May, Season 2 resonated all the more powerfully, its themes speaking to events playing out on the world stage. “I think we’re in a time right now where there’s a lack of compassion and humanity,” says creator, director and star Ramy Youssef. “So to have that, even just on the most basic level, is really important, and it obviously exists in this show in a very pronounced way.”
I
lot of Season 1 was very aspirational for my character—him trying to figure out who he is—and that Season 2, as opposed to being aspirational, should be a bit more transformational. We should see him with the reality of who he is, realizing that there are things he needs to change. For us, it was really trying to see him get closer to his faith, to be transformed by it, and obviously, that’s really heightened with the relationship that we have between him and Sheikh Ali. What inspired you to write the part of Sheikh Ali for Mahershala Ali? The idea to have the Sheikh character is
How do you think the series resonates
no idea that would happen. We even have
something we had always planned. There
with the world we’re living in now?
a joke about this Sheikh mentioning white
was actually even an idea of it being a
Well, I think there’s a few fronts. On one
people in Minnesota that we never, ever
sheikh that Ramy met in Egypt [in Season
front, just by the simple existence of the
could have imagined would have resonance.
1]. Then, organically, I just started talking
characters of Sheikh Ali (Mahershala Ali)
So, it’s definitely been a couple of strange
with Mahershala, who was a fan of Season
and Zainab (MaameYaa Boafo), I think we
instances of synchronicity that no one could
1. As a practicing Muslim himself, he really
have two awesome Black characters that
have expected.
just appreciated the story, and appreciated seeing faith portrayed the way that it
a way that is very exciting to me. That’s
At its heart, Ramy seems to be a
was on our show. So, it became a thing
something that I think, in many ways, speaks
show about awkward conversations,
where I pretty quickly realized he would
to the time we’re in right now.
suggesting that rather than running
be interested in being involved. Then, we
away from these exchanges, we should
pivoted up, having this plot line towards
looking at anti-Blackness, in even communi-
participate in them openly. In this way,
the end of the season, and making it more
ties of diversity. This is a Muslim community,
perhaps, we might learn, grow, and
of our main plot for the season, and we
a community that’s been maligned in many
become better people.
really felt like that benefited the show, too,
different ways, but they have anti-Black-
I do think that’s a big part of it, because I
because it was kind of where we were
ness, too. Looking at that, and really analyz-
think really what we’re doing is, we’re kind of
headed anyway. So, it was exciting for us to
ing that, we can’t simplify the conversation
catching people at their vulnerability, right?
be able to do it quicker.
and just make it this binary of black-and-
Vulnerability is always going to be awkward,
white. There’s a lot of work to do, and that’s
and I think part of why that happens in this
The show focuses heavily on the family
something that we do address on the show
show is because we’re looking at things that
members, as much as it does Ramy
this season.
people don’t usually talk about, but people
himself. Why is that so important?
really care a lot about. We’re looking at faith,
I’m just so inspired by the actors who play
Season 2 also touches on peaceful
and sex, and these are really intimate things
them. I mean, they’re so amazing. Even
protesting, which obviously couldn’t be
that are not talked about as openly as you
though the show is called Ramy, I’ve always
more relevant right now—though you
would want them to be. So, I definitely
really viewed it as an ensemble show. I can
shot the season last year.
resonate with that.
do a solo perspective in stand-up, so if I’m
Then, I think there’s also this element of
Yeah, it’s crazy. It’s been a crazy thing that
I think ‘awkward comedy’ is a thing, in a
going into a narrative show, I want to do
all these protests are breaking out, and then
sense, but really genuine awkwardness has
things I can only do in that format. The idea
some of the key imagery that really starts
to come out of showing stuff that you don’t
of branching out into other characters was a
off the season is protests. We obviously had
want to show, in a real way. We don’t build
priority to me from the jump. ★
34
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
PHOTOGRAPH BY
Chris Pizzello
I NV I S I ON /AP/S H U T T E RSTOC K
really speak to the Muslim experience, in
On Location - Albuquerque panel
Roswell, New Mexico’s Jeanine Mason & Nathan Parsons
Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller
Albuquerque Rail Yards tour
Deadline Hot Spots: New Mexico M A RC H 7 - 9, 2 02 0 A L B U Q U E R Q U E & S A N TA F E , N E W M E X I C O An impressive array of New Mexican talent gathered at Hotel Chaco for Deadline’s inaugural Hot Spots event. See more photos at HotSpots.Deadline.com
Keynote: NBCUniversal with Vans Stevenson & Brian O’Leary
Diversity & Inclusion in New Mexico panel
Better Call Saul’s Patrick Fabian & Rhea Seahorn
36
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
Netflix: A Fireside Chat with Momita Sengupta & Patty Whitcher
P H OTOS BY JAXA ND F LUX .CO M
Bonanza Creek tour
FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION in all categories OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS NIECY NASH IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE
ROBIN ROBERTS PRESENTS
FROM EXECUTIVE PRODUCER NEIL MERON AND DIRECTOR CALLIE KHOURI
FOR YOUR
CONSIDERATION in all categories JESSIE MUELLER
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS
MEGAN HILTY
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS
IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
© 0 0
OUTSTANDING TELEVISION MOVIE