Small screen: OJ Simpson knocks out Emmys; see full list of diverse Emmy winners
It wasn’t even a battle against OJ Simpson.
Behind just HBO’s Game of Thrones, which unsurprisingly took home the most awards, FX’s The People Vs. OJ Simpson took home five trophies at the 2016 Emmys on Sunday, the second highest number. Jimmy Kimmel mentioned this was the most diverse Emmys in history in his opening monologue, and the winners list represented that accomplishment well. To see the full list of winners of color, and other stories such as Netflix adding at least three movie-to-show adaptations soon, read on:
Emmys: The People Vs. OJ Simpson claimed five Emmys, including Outstanding Limited Series and Courtney B. Vance and Sarah Paulson for Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress in a Limited Series. Sterling K. Brown also won for Outstanding Supporting Actor, and D. V. DeVincentis won Best Writing for the show. “A lot of you may not have known who I was, but you checked the box anyway, and that makes me very very happy,” Brown said in an emotional acceptance speech. The show’s trophy haul comes after a long list of successes, including dominating at the Television Critics Awards.
American-Egyptian actor Rami Malek hacked the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for USA Network for his role in Mr. Robot. “Please tell me you’re seeing this too,” the actor joked in his acceptance speech, referencing his character’s paranoia. His character Elliot suffers from social isolation and often hacks people online rather than interacting with them in person. “I think like so many of us, [Elliot] is profoundly alienated,” Malek said. “But I want to honor the Elliots. There’s a little bit of Elliot in all of us.”
Backstage, Malek expressed surprise at winning, and talked about progressivism in the country. “For me to stand here as not the typical leading man and to have come home with this [Emmy] speaks a lot about where we’re headed,” he said. “I think we can keep going a lot further in that direction, not just in entertainment, but socially and politically, and strive to be as progressive as possible.”
Regina King took home Outstanding Supporting Actress for her role in ABC’s American Crime. This is her second win for the show in the second consecutive year. “I am so proud of this show and to have the opportunity to promote stories that promote conversation, necessary conversation,” King said.
Other winners of color include Key & Peele for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series, and Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang for Outstanding Writing on Netflix’s Master of None, which Ansari also stars in. “Asian parents out there, if you could do me a favor. If just a couple of you could get your kids cameras instead of violins, we’ll be all good,” Yang said, citing lack of Asian film and television in the US.
Online: Netflix has gotta have Spike Lee. The streaming service has picked up a 10-episode season based on the director’s 1986 indie film, She’s Gotta Have It. Lee will direct all episodes and executive produce with his wife, Tonya Lewis. The original movie followed an artist as she tries to divide her time between her friends, her job and three lovers, set in Brooklyn. Having just celebrated the movie’s 30th anniversary, the show was originally in development for Lifetime. This marks Lee’s first foray in television.
Speaking of Netflix, the streaming service is filling out the cast for its upcoming series Dear White People. The show, set to premier some time in 2017, is based on Justin Simien’s 2014 Sundance Award winning film, which starred Tyler Jesse Williams and Tessa Thompson. Pretty Little Liar’s Brant Daugherty was recently cast as a college athlete, joining already-announced Logan Browning and Brandon Bell. The original film, a quirky comedy with strong political undertones, followed a college radio talk show host (Browning) who stirs a race war on campus.
In its third movie-to-show adaptation, Netflix will adapt Lost in Space and has cast Taylor Russell as the lead, TVLine learned. The 1960s family science fiction followed the Robinson family navigating the universe in their spaceship, where danger often found them. Russell previously appeared in drama Falling Skies. The 10-episode season is set to drop in 2018.
Cable: It didn’t take long for Roselyn Sanchez to devise a new plan after Devious Maid’s cancellation. The actress will headline Lifetime’s Death of a Vegas Showgirl, a television movie that will follow the true story of a dancer who disappeared the night before she was set to make her debut as the lead in a high profile show. The movie will also star Danso Gordon (Witches of East End) as Sanchez’s lover who played a role in her disappearance. Sanchez will executive produce, along with her husband Eric Winters.
Network: In casting news, FOX’s Rosewood and CW’s Supergirl both have a fresh face joining their casts. Destiny’s Child alum LeToya Luckett and Camille Spirlin will join season two of Rosewood. Luckett will play a new romantic interest for Morris Chestnut, the show’s lead, and Spirlin (Marvin Marvin) will play her daughter. Meanwhile, Supergirl will take a chance on Dichen Lachman to play Roulette. The super baddie will run an underground alien fighting ring in National City. This isn’t Lachman’s first superhero venture, previously appearing on Agents of SHIELD.