The recent Emmy nominations have undoubtedly arrived at a peculiar juncture for Hollywood. On July 12, while the industry eagerly awaited the nominations, SAG-AFTRA declared an impending strike. Consequently, actors, still permitted to engage in promotional work for their projects, took the opportunity to discuss their nominations with the media.
The celebration was tinged with somberness for the writers nominated, as the WGA strike had already been ongoing for two months. Despite occupying multiple roles on their respective projects, some of the nominees managed to comment on their achievements. Yet, in every instance, the emotions were complex – a mix of pride for the recognition and a profound awareness of the ongoing struggle surrounding them.
According to reports, Bill Hader, a triple nominee for acting, writing, and directing in the final season of Barry, aptly described the situation, saying, “It’s weird, but your parents are getting divorced.” Hader was actively involved in multiple guilds.
Such conflicting sentiments were evident in statements issued to the press, notably from Craig Mazin, the showrunner of The Last of Us, who also received an individual writing nomination for the episode “Long, Long Time.” Expressing his gratitude for the Academy’s recognition, he emphasized that his current priority was to ensure fair treatment for all entertainment industry artists and craftspeople involved in creating profit-yielding content for companies. In light of this, he pledged to focus promotional efforts on supporting the nominated crew of The Last of Us, adhering to union rules.
Beau Willimon, a former WGA East president nominated for writing “One Way Out” from Disney+’s Andor, underscored the significance of the ongoing strike while appreciating the celebration of writers’ value. He acknowledged the 11,000 writers currently on strike. All united to protect the value of every writer in every show, resolving this struggle is the most important prize of all.
Celebrating writers’ value is a poignant reminder to studios of their essential role in the television ecosystem. For Cody Heller, the showrunner of Jury Duty, whose show was nominated for best comedy series with an individual writing nomination for Mekki Leeper, the nomination experience was bittersweet. In her statement to THR, she expressed hope that the corporations profiting from writers’ work would be reminded of storytellers’ immense power and strive to reach a fair deal, allowing everyone to return to their beloved craft.
With the ongoing Hollywood labor strike casting uncertainty, the fate of the Emmy Awards ceremony remains to be determined. As of now, no official announcement regarding a plan change has been made. The scheduled date for the ceremony is September 18, to be broadcasted on Fox.
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