Variety's Post-Emmys Cover: ‘The Crown’ Star Josh O’Connor on His Emmy Win and Why He’s Eager to Shed Prince Charles

'Tis the season for back-to-back Variety covers! Less than 24 hours after he won the #Emmy, I sat down with The Crown star Josh O’Connor (in his last-ever Crown-related interview!) to talk about his win, his unusual Emmy experience, why he’s eager to shed Prince Charles, his move to NY and more:

Josh O’Connor learned the hard way that an Emmy can be a royal pain as an unintentional weapon. Hugging someone at the end of the Sept. 19 ceremony in downtown Los Angeles while holding his new statuette, the “Crown” star — who had just prevailed for lead drama actor — accidentally knocked himself in the forehead with one of Emmy’s sharp wings.

Things got crimson for a second, but thankfully, O’Connor’s bloody Sunday moment was short-lived. Fellow drama actor nominees Regé-Jean Page and Sterling K. Brown came to his aid and had a laugh about the award season capper of a war wound.

For O’Connor, it was a memorable end to an Emmy Awards that also marked the close of his reign as Prince Charles on Netflix’s much-praised chronicle of Queen Elizabeth II and the contemporary House of Windsor. And it was quite a way to go out. A British native, who was mostly unknown to Hollywood barely two years ago, O’Connor prevailed over tough competition as part of an impressive sweep for “The Crown.” The night culminated in Netflix earning its first drama series Emmy, for the show’s breakout Season 4 revolving around Charles and his star-crossed Princess Diana.

“This might be the final interview for ‘The Crown’ I ever do,” O’Connor says the next morning after dutifully undertaking a photo shoot for Variety at a downtown Los Angeles hotel, kitty-corner from the L.A. Live Event Deck, site of his Sept. 19 triumph.

“It’s been two years of my life, cumulatively, making the show. And then the rest of my life has just been talking about it,” he says. “It’s a strange dynamic; you spend more time talking about your work than you do making it sometimes. And that just shows the success of [‘The Crown’] — that people want to hear about it and want to understand the process and the stories. I’ve had the best two years ever. But it’s also exciting, the idea that I can go off and talk about other stuff.”

Read the full story here. And watch the video below:

Emmy Producers on Seth Rogen Going Rogue, Scott Frank’s Lengthy Speech, Conan’s Heckles and What You Didn’t See

Emmy telecast producers Ian Stewart and Reginald Hudlin are still fuming over Seth Rogen’s unplanned comedy routine at the start of Sunday’s ceremony, in which he roasted the show for a perceived lack of COVID protocols behind the scenes.

The routine was delivered a bit tongue-in-cheek, but with enough credulity to cause a stir on social media — where viewers took the cue to lambast the Emmys. Stewart confirms that Rogen went off script and surprised them in the booth.

Stewart and fellow executive producer Hudlin spoke with Variety late Monday to discuss the Rogen flap, as well as one more disappointing moment — when limited series drama winner Scott Frank took on the telecast with a lengthy acceptance speech, ignoring multiple musical hints to wrap up his time. They also cleared the air over whether there was an ADA-compliant ramp on stage.

Get the scoop here.

Variety's Pre-Emmy Cover Story: Jean Smart Has Been TV’s MVP for Years. With ‘Hacks’ and ‘Mare of Easttown,’ the World Finally Noticed

I mean, who deserves to be celebrated this year more than Jean Smart? The only acceptable answer is "nobody." As we head to Emmy weekend, it's time to trumpet the Jean Smart Appreciation Club. My Variety cover story:

Jean Smart knows what people have been saying about her career lately. She just wishes they wouldn’t use the term “Jeanaissance” when doing so.

Type that into any search engine, and numerous posts pop up with the phrase, invoked as a shorthand to describe the actor’s recent string of standout performances.

The actual Jean Smart is both flattered and slightly embarrassed by this attention — to the point that perhaps we should tone down the use of that particular term (and resist using it as a hashtag). “I told somebody they’re not allowed to say it if they can’t spell it,” she jokes.

But the truth is, Smart is indeed having a peak career moment, however you want to call it. As Helen, the eccentric and stubborn live-in mother of troubled police detective Mare Sheehan (Kate Winslet) in HBO’s “Mare of Easttown,” she stole every scene she was in — including the moment when we discover Helen’s secret ice cream hiding place (an empty bag of frozen veggies).

And then there’s “Hacks,” the HBO Max comedy from Universal Television that’s a rare leading role for Smart, as iconic but past-her-prime comedian Deborah Vance, who clashes with a young writer, Ava (Hannah Einbinder), brought in to revise her stale Las Vegas residency. In an early scene-stealing moment, Deborah and Ava are stuck in the desert when their car breaks down. Deborah calls up a local news chopper to pick her up — and leaves Ava behind to take care of the car.

The role perfectly showcases Smart’s range, mixing comedy and drama with both hilarious, over-the-top scenes and deep, soul-searching moments as Deborah struggles to maintain relevance in a world that is moving on without her.

The world’s not moving on from Smart; as a matter of fact, it’s just catching up to her. She is Emmy nominated for both roles, as comedy actress (for “Hacks”) and limited series supporting actress (“Mare”). And she’s among the front-runners in both races — perhaps setting even more of a spotlight on her at the Sept. 19 ceremony.

“I certainly realize that’s not the norm for most actresses of my vintage,” she says of her recent abundance of great gigs, which includes an Emmy-nominated supporting turn for “Watchmen” in the limited series category last year.

There was no grand plan for “Hacks” and “Mare” to hit the small screen simultaneously. “It was pure luck,” Smart says. “The fact that I had two roles that were such good ones, and kind of worlds apart, coming out at the same time — actors never get that opportunity.” The success comes with a bittersweet note, however, as Smart lost her husband, Richard Gilliland, in March, right as she was wrapping filming on “Hacks.” It’s a heartbreaking coda to a professional experience that Smart calls a “love fest. … The show has been more than we ever could have dreamed of.”

Read more here.

And watch my video with Jean Smart below:<

‘Small Axe’ Episode ‘Lovers Rock’ Gets an In-Person Silent Dance Party

We’ve attended a number of drive-ins during this year’s Emmy For Your Consideration nomination campaign phase, and they can be fun — such as the “Top Chef” and “Pose” (featuring Elton John!) events.

But it’s a Hot Vaxx Summer, and that means the actual out-of-car, truly-in-person events are making a bit of a return. On Saturday night, Amazon Prime Video, in partnership with the American Cinematheque held an outdoor screening of Steve McQueen‘s “Small Axe” film “Lovers Rock” at the Neuehouse in Hollywood.

But it was more than just a screening. The evening, on the rooftop overlooking Hollywood, included a “silent dance party” inspired by the episode’s wonderful soundtrack, spun by DJ Benjamin Walker. Attendees wore illuminated headphones and grooved to the tunes.

Also, Caribbean food from Mia’s Kitchen was provided, while an open bar — remember those? They’re also back! — provided the drinks. Here was the menu, with explainers from Mia’s Kitchen founder Lisa Salinas:

Drink: “The Lover” (Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, orange, hibiscus, Caribbean spices, water, pure cane sugar, bourbon, apple, lemon, raspberries)

Cucumber & tomato chow (Chow is a light salad commonly enjoyed with meals in Trinidad and Tobago. It is made with fresh cucumber and tomatoes and seasoned with salt, pepper, light garlic, lemon and a touch of habanero.)

Doubles (Doubles are a snack-sized sandwich made of two soft flatbreads known as bara and filled with a curried chickpea filling, mango chutney, green seasoning, hot pepper sauce and cucumber.)

Macaroni pie (Trinidad macaroni pie is a Caribbean comfort food classic. It’s similar to a baked macaroni and cheese casserole. The pie is loaded with gluten free noodles, herbs, bitter and 3 cheeses, sharp cheddar, mozzarella and smoked gouda.)

Chicken roti (Dhalpuri roti is the quintessentia Trini flat bread that’s lovingly and expertly filled with ground and well-seasoned split peas and stuffed with delightful, curried chicken, potatoes, carrots, pumpkin and chickpeas.)

Currants roll (A flaky rolled pastry dough, with currants, butter, cinnamon and sugar.)

Set in 1980, “Lovers Rock” takes place over the course of an evening at a house party in London, featuring the music of the time — including reggae and lovers rock music, and dancehall toasting — while telling the story of young love and the Black youth who were unwelcome in white nightclubs. Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn, Micheal Ward, Shaniqua Okwok, Kedar Williams-Stirling, Ellis George, Alexander James-Blake and Kadeem Ramsay star. “Lovers Rock” was co-written by Courttia Newland and Steve McQueen.

2021 Los Angeles Area Emmy Nominations: KCET Once Again Leads All Local Stations

Public broadcaster KCET once again led all local TV stations in nominations for the Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards, announced on Tuesday by the Television Academy. KCET landed 23 nods this year overall, up from 20 last year. It was followed by Telemundo’s KVEA, which boasted 21 noms.

After that, with 19 nominations, was relative newcomer Spectrum News 1, the cable channel that launched in 2018 and has made waves for its enterprise reports, features and coverage of Southern California. Then came Univision’s KMEX, with 16.

Among the traditional English-language commercial broadcasters, KABC-TV led with 12 nominations. That’s quite a change from the days when management at the ABC-owned station declined to submit KABC in the local Emmy race.

Read more here.

How Elton John Wound Up at Saturday Night’s ‘Pose’ FYC Drive-In Event

Back in the before times, when there were in-person Emmy events every night, sometimes you’d get a heavyweight to show up and either promote their own project, or support another one. Remember when Bruce Springsteen actually performed at his Netflix FYC event for “Springsteen on Broadway”? Everyone’s thirsty!

What they’ll be talking about this year is Elton John and David Furnish, showing up at Saturday night’s FX/20th Television FYC event for “Pose.” Sitting on stage in front of a sea of cars honking their horns and flashing their headlights in delight, John and Furnish sat down next to “Pose” co-creator Steven Canals, as well as stars Billy Porter and Mj Rodriguez, and answered questions from executive producer Ryan Murphy. Scott Huver covered it for Variety:

Murphy unspooled an anecdote from his childhood that he’d long wanted to share with John, recalling being a gay 7-year-old with a traditional, hetero-masculine father he’d never quite connected to – until one day while riding with his father in the car, John’s 1975 hit “Philadelphia Freedom” came on the radio.

“I was like, ‘You know what, I’m just going to be me,’ and I performed the shit out of ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ in the back seat of that car, and my father saw me for the first time, thanks to Elton John,” Murphy recalled. ‘We pulled into my driveway and he looked at me and he goes, ‘You have a good voice,’ and it was the first time he had ever said anything kind to me. So you’re so a part of my life, Elton, in a way that you’ll never know.”

Apparently John and Furnish were scheduled to end their Los Angeles vacation before Saturday’s event, but extended it in order to attend the FYC event for “Pose.” They weren’t paid to be there, but rather, simply offered to show up because they are fans.

John and Furnish had reached out to Murphy and offered to support the show in any way they could after falling in love with “Pose,” which they lauded for its depiction of the fight for LGBTQ rights in the 1980s, and even more critical, the push for AIDS/HIV awareness and research back then. Writes Huver:

“I lived the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s,” said John, who revealed how profoundly taken he’s been by the authenticity of the show’s storylines and characters. “This series touched me more than any other series because of the journey that these people are on… They’re real people, and they’re trans people who’ve made their life possible, but by god, they had to fight for it — and they still have to fight for it. And they shouldn’t have to fight for it. They should never have to fight for it.”

The event ended with a stirring performance by Porter, and duet by Porter and Rodriguez. Especially impressive when you realize they were singing on a stage to a bunch of people in cars (all listening to their car radios) and not quite seeing any reaction or even really hearing themselves!

Emmy FYC Season Is Under Way

 

This year, the TV Academy is sticking with virtual Emmy For Your Consideration events -- with the exception of Drive-In screenings. Bravo took advantage of that opportunity to kick off the first Emmy Drive-In event of the season, at the Rose Bowl, for "Top Chef." Doing a Drive-In made extra sense as the entire episode revolves around the contestants cooking for a Drive-In crowd (including the show's judges). The FYC event caterers took the recipes from the winning dishes and recreated them for attendees -- and yes, that was worth attending.  Among the dishes: Korean fried chicken with a kimchi dipping sauce, a pupusa with braised jerk pork and cheddar masa, and popcorn sprinkled with chicken-skin furikake and spiced caramel.

And even a milkshake at the end.

Variety Cover Story: Damon Lindelof, a Day After His 'Watchmen' Wins

Interview Damon Lindelof and then write a Variety cover story, in the span of eight hours? Also post a behind the scenes Emmy story and blast out my Awards HQ newsletter at the same time? Sure! Whew, whatta end of Emmy season! Great chat with Damon as always, hope you enjoy a recap of *his* amazing weekend.

An excerpt:

Damon Lindelof admits he’s a little wary when celebrities use fashion to promote a cause. But when the Television Academy told nominees that there was no dress code for this year’s Emmy Awards, he knew he had to do something.

That’s why, as “Watchmen” won the Emmy on Sunday night for limited series (as well as a writing nod and acting awards for stars Regina King and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), Lindelof’s T-shirt proclaimed, “Remember Tulsa ’21.”

The HBO show opens with a depiction of the 1921 Tulsa massacre — the real-life tragedy in which the city’s vibrant Greenwood District (also known as “Black Wall Street”) was destroyed. He and his writers used that event to examine the history of systemic racism in America, and the resulting trauma that’s been passed down from generation to generation.

Lindelof printed up the shirt and others — he passed them out at his COVID-compliant Emmy party — because he had asked writer Cord Jefferson to give the acceptance speech if the two of them won the Emmy for outstanding writing for a limited series or movie. That way, in case “Watchmen” didn’t win the limited series Emmy, Lindelof would still get his message out.

“This part of our history was erased, and it’s not [like] now everybody knows about it,” says Lindelof, who warns that cultural forces could very well bury it again. “You can feel the writing in the sand and the tide coming in.”

Read the full story here.

MIKE ON TV: Recapping the Most Unusual 2020 Emmys

I spoke via Skype with Spectrum News 1's on Sept. 21, 2020, to discuss the big wins ("Watchmen," "Succession," "Schitt's Creek") and snubs of the 72nd Emmys, and the show itself. Watch above! And below, with my Variety colleagues Audrey Yap and Danielle Tuchiano, we do the same right after the show.

Variety Cover Story: Andre Braugher's Laugh Track

For this week's Variety magazine, I talked to Andre Braugher about a career that has gone in interesting directions, while he also paid attention to what matters most. We also talked about "Brooklyn Nine Nine," and how the cop comedy will need to address the times we live in.

I write:

Cop roles are prevalent for actors, given how often law enforcement is the story engine in film and television. But now, in the wake of a nationwide conversation about systemic racism and police brutality — following the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and so many others — the creative community is starting to reflect on its role in perpetuating the “heroic cop” narrative without any nuance. Braugher, among the preeminent Black actors known for these kinds of roles, admits he’s taking a look at his past projects with a new lens.

“I look up after all these decades of playing these characters, and I say to myself, it’s been so pervasive that I’ve been inside this storytelling, and I, too, have fallen prey to the mythology that’s been built up,” he says. “It’s almost like the air you breathe or the water that you swim in. It’s hard to see. But because there are so many cop shows on television, that’s where the public gets its information about the state of policing. Cops breaking the law to quote, ‘defend the law,’ is a real terrible slippery slope. It has given license to the breaking of law everywhere, justified it and excused it. That’s something that we’re going to have to collectively address — all cop shows.”

Read the full story here.

MIKE ON TV: Emmy Nominations in a Time of COVID

I spoke via Skype with the Spectrum News 1's Kelvin Washington on July 28, 2020, to discuss the big news (Netflix's 160 noms and "Watchmen's" 26), surprises ("The Mandalorian") and snubs of Emmy 2020 nominations.



And also, I spoke with Spectrum News 1's Bianca Rae on July 27, 2020, to the discuss how the pandemic changed and impacted Emmy nominations.

Emmys: Behind the Scenes with This Year's Winners, Including Phoebe Waller-Bridge

So the reviews for the 71st Emmy Awards weren't great. But most of the wins were — including some honest-to-goodness surprises. It was a reminder that no one knows anything, and predicting these things can be tough. Take the night's biggest winner, Phoebe Waller-Bridge (above, with her "Fleabag" cohorts). "Fleabag" was one of the best TV programs of the year, but it was hard to tell whether the Television Academy voters had watched it. But they did, and honored the show with best comedy, as well as Waller-Bridge for best comedy actress and best comedy writing.

That shockingly blocked "Veep" from any wins, despite star Julia Louis-Dreyfus seemingly being a lock. Again, no one knows anything. As usual, I was backstage in the press room during the ceremony, and I snapped these pics as the winners made it backstage.

Best drama actress winner Jodie Comer ("Killing Eve")

Best drama director Jason Bateman ("Ozark")

Best drama actor Billy Porter ("Pose")

Best supporting drama actor Peter Dinklage ("Game of Thrones")

Best drama "Game of Thrones"

Best limited series actor Jharrel Jerome ("When They See Us")

Best variety/talk show "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver"

Best supporting limited series actress Patricia Arquette ("The Act")

Best limited series actress Michelle Williams ("Fosse/Verdon")

Best supporting limited series actor Ben Whishaw ("A Very English Scandal")

Best comedy actor Bill Hader ("Barry")

Best competition series/reality host "RuPaul's Drag Race"

Best supporting comedy actor and actress Tony Shalhoub and Alex Borstein ("The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel")

A Visit to 'The Good Place': Exploring TV's Most Thoughtful, Pun-tastic Comedy Up Close

NBC recently held a "For Your Consideration" Emmy event on the Universal lot for "The Good Place," and Maria and I couldn't resist seeing the setting up close — especially because (spoiler alert), the show has moved on from this world, so who knows how much longer it will be this way. But for now, "The Good Place" outdoor setting still stands, and it even is a popular sight on the Universal Studios tram ride.

At the event, the popular (and ambitious) episode "Dance Dance Resolution" was screened, followed by Q&A with the show's stars and producers — including, of course, Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, and creator Mike Schur. 

These photos don't do the town justice, but suffice to say, the pun game is strong.

Emmys 2017: Backstage With Winners Donald Glover, Alec Baldwin and More

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Donald Glover, and "Master of None" writer Lena Waithe were among the winners who broke new ground at Sunday night's ceremony. And the streaming TV biz passed the ultimate Emmy threshold on Sunday night, as Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” made history. “Handmaid’s Tale” picked up the win for outstanding drama series, which represents the first time a streaming service had one won of the top Emmy series prizes. It was just four years ago, in 2013, that Netflix became the first streaming platform to win an Emmy, as “House of Cards” picked up a handful of victories. Read all about it here. I covered the news from backstage; a few highlights:

Alec Baldwin

Laura Dern

Kate McKinnon

Donald Glover

Dave Mandel, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the cast and producers of "Veep"

More "Veep"

Sterling K. Brown

Lena Waithe and Aziz Ansari

Elisabeth Moss and the cast and producers of "The Handmaid's Tale"

Check out IndieWire's full Emmy coverage here.

Behind the Scenes at the 67th Emmy Awards

Another year, another Emmys! Once again I was backstage for TV Guide Magazine covering the 67th annual event; here are a few of my most recent Emmy pieces:

Emmys Producer on His Tracy Morgan Surprise, HBO's Dominance, Spoilers and Why The Ratings Were Down

Emmy Ushers in a New Age with Game of Thrones, Veep Series Wins

Mad Men's Jon Hamm on Finally Winning the Emmy, and Letting Go of Don Draper

Andy Samberg Is Ready to Host the Primetime Emmys

And some pics from Emmy weekend 2015 (mostly from the press room backstage):


Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Jeffrey Tambor (Amazon's "Transparent")


Outstanding Sketch Variety Series winner Amy Schumer (Comedy Central's "Inside Amy Schumer")


Outstanding Actress in a Drama Viola Davis (ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder")



Outstanding Actor in a Drama Jon Hamm (AMC's "Mad Men")


The return of Tracy Morgan, who presented the final award


Outstanding Actress in a Comedy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus (HBO's "Veep") with Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy winner Allison Janney (CBS' "Mom")


Outstanding Talk/Variety series "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" (Comedy Central)


Fierce rivals "Entertainment Tonight," "Access Hollywood" and "Extra" sit side-by-side in winner's row

The "Veep" table at HBO's Emmys afterparty


Jakob Dylan performs at Showtime's Saturday night party