PBS SoCal’s ‘Variety Studio: Actors on Actors’ Scores Two LA Area Emmy Nominations
By Tara Bitran
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – PBS SoCal’s “Variety Studio: Actors on Actors” specials have received two nominations for the 70th annual Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards.
Variety’s “ — TV Actors” received a nomination in the arts category, with Variety’s co-editor in chief Andrew Wallenstein and executive editor of TV Debra Birnbaum garnering nominations for their work on the series.
The nominated special featured conversations between Sarah Jessica Parker (“Divorce”) and Michelle Pfeiffer (“The Wizard of Lies”); Kevin Bacon (“I Love Dick”) and John Lithgow (“The Crown”); Oprah Winfrey (“The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks”) and Thandie Newton (“Westworld”); Freida Pinto (“Guerilla”) and Milo Ventimiglia (“This is Us”); and Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life”) and Constance Zimmer (“UnReal”).
The only other nominee in the arts category, “Take Me Home Huey,” also hails from PBS SoCal,
Variety’s “Actors on Actors — Film Actors” conversations earned a nomination for entertainment programming, with Variety’s deputy awards & features editor Jenelle Riley securing a nomination as well for her role as host. The nominated special featured conversations between Viola Davis (“Fences”) and Tom Hanks (“Scully”); Emma Stone (“La La Land”) and Molly Shannon (“Other People”); Nicole Kidman (“Lion”) and Casey Affleck (“Manchester by the Sea”); and Matthew McConaughey (“Gold”) and Jeff Bridges (“Hell or High Water”).
KVEA’s “Holiday Time en Disneyland” and “Lexus Amazing Performances: Artist Spotlight” from CBS2/KCAL9 round out the entertainment category.
Pubcaster KCET-TV Los Angeles and Univision’s KMEX-TV Los Angeles led the pack of nominees overall with 24 bids apiece. The top five list was rounded out by Telemundo’s KVEA (15), Spectrum Sports NetLA (13), and NBC4, CBS2/KCAL9, and ABC7 with 11 apiece.
In the races for best newscast honors, there are no nominations. All telecasts that enter the competition are contenders for the top prizes.
For regularly scheduled daily morning newscast, the contenders are: “Fox11 Morning News,” “KTLA5 Morning News at 6 a.m.,” “Noticiero Telemundo 52 a Las 6 a.m.,” KMEX’s “A Primera Hora,” and “Today in LA” at 6 a.m. on NBC4.
The category of regularly scheduled daily daytime newscast features: “CBS2 News at 6 p.m.,” “Fox11 5 o’clock News,” “KTLA5 News at 6 p.m.,” “NBC4 News at 4 p.m.,” “Noticias Univision a Las Seis on KMEX,” and “Noticiero Telemundo 52 a Las 6 p.m.” on KVEA.
For regularly scheduled daily evening newscast: “CBS2 News at 11 p.m.,” “Fox11 10 o’clock News,” “KTLA5 News at 10 p.m.,” “NBC4 News at 11 p.m.,” “Noticias Univision Solo a Las Once on KMEX,” and KVEA’s “Noticiero Telemundo 52 a Las 11 p.m.”
This season of Variety’s “Actors on Actors — TV Actors” will air in two episodes on PBS SoCal KOCE, the first on June 19 at 7 p.m. and the second on June 21 at 7 p.m. Both episodes will stream on pbssocal.org following their premieres.
Winners in 47 categories will be handed out July 28 at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center.
