Emmy nominations have been announced (see below) with Game of Thrones leading the pack with 24 nominations. KCRW has gone behind the scenes with a number of the nominees to find out what it takes to make their nomination-worthy work.
Better Call Saul was nominated for four Emmys, including outstanding drama series. On an episode of KCRW’s The Spin-off, you can hear fromBob Odenkirk and Jonathan Banks. Steve Levitan, co-creator of Modern Family, nominated for outstanding comedy talked to Kim Masters on The Business. Jill Soloway, who was nominated for Transparent, also talked to Masters about her groundbreaking show. If you’re a Wolf Hall fan, listen to Hilary Mantel and the show’s producer. Bloodline creators talked to The Business about how they cast their show. Empire’s co-creator talks about creating Cookie’s character and great lines. The Voice producer Mark Burnett talked to The Business about his nominated show. Matt Weiner talked to The Treatment about the final season of Mad Men.
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
“Better Call Saul”
“Downton Abbey”
“Game of Thrones”
“Homeland”
“House of Cards”
“Mad Men”
“Orange is the New Black”
OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES
“Louie”
“Modern Family”
“Parks and Recreation”
“Silicon Valley”
“Transparent”
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
“Veep”
LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA
Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”
Kyle Chandler, “Bloodline”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”
Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”
LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA
Taraji P. Henson, “Empire”
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Viola Davis, “How to Get Away with Murder”
Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”
LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Timothy Hutton, “American Crime”
Ricky Gervais, “Derek Special”
Adrien Brody, “Houdini”
David Oyelowo, “Nightingale”
Richard Jenkins, “Olive Kitteridge”
Mark Rylance, “Wolf Hall”
LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Felicity Huffman, “American Crime”
Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story”
Queen Latifah, “Bessie”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “The Honorable Woman”
Frances McDormand, “Olive Kitteridge”
Emma Thompson, “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street”
LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY
Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”
Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes”
Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”
Will Forte, “The Last Man On Earth”
Louis C.K., “Louie”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”
LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY
Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace And Frankie”
Amy Schumer, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Amy Poehler, “Parks And Recreation”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”
REALITY-COMPETITION SERIES
“The Amazing Race”
“Dancing With The Stars”
“Project Runway”
“So You Think You Can Dance”
“Top Chef”
“The Voice”
VARIETY SERIES
“The Colbert Report”
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“Late Show With David Letterman”
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
LIMITED SERIES
“American Crime”
“American Horror Story: Freak Show”
“The Honorable Woman”
“Olive Kitteridge”
“Wolf Hall”
VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
“Drunk History”
“Inside Amy Schumer”
“Key & Peele”
“Portlandia”
“Saturday Night Live”
TELEVISION MOVIE
“Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Curtain, Poirot’s Last Case”
“Bessie”
“Grace of Monaco”
“Hello Ladies: The Movie”
“Killing Jesus”
“Nightingale”
SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA
Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul”
Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline”
Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”
Peter Dinklage, “Game Of Thrones”
Alan Cumming, “The Good Wife”
Michael Kelly, “House Of Cards”
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA
Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”
Lena Headey, “Game Of Thrones”
Emilia Clarke, “Game Of Thrones”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Uzo Aduba, “Orange Is The New Black”
GUEST ACTOR, DRAMA
Alan Alda, “The Blacklist”
Michael J. Fox, “The Good Wife”
F. Murray Abraham, “Homeland”
Reg E. Cathey, “House of Cards”
Beau Bridges, “Masters Of Sex”
Pablo Schreiber, “Orange Is The New Black”
GUEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Margo Martindale, “The Americans”
Diana Rigg, “Game of Thrones”
Rachel Brosnahan, “House Of Cards”
Cicely Tyson, “How To Get Away With Murder”
Allison Janney, “Masters Of Sex”
Khandi Alexander, “Scandal”
SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY
Andre Braugher, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
Adam Driver, “Girls”
Keegan-Michael Key, “Key & Peele”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
Tituss Burgess, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Tony Hale, “Veep”
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY
Mayim Bialik, “The Big Bang Theory”
Niecy Nash, “Getting On”
Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”
Allison Janney, “Mom”
Kate McKinnon “Saturday Night Live”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Transparent”
Jane Krakowski, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Anna Chlumsky, “Veep”
GUEST ACTOR, COMEDY
Mel Brooks, “The Comedians”
Paul Giamatti, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Bill Hader, “Saturday Night Live”
Louis C.K., “Saturday Night Live”
Bradley Whitford, “Transparent”
Jon Hamm, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
GUEST ACTRESS, COMEDY
Christine Baranski, “The Big Bang Theory”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Girls”
Pamela Adlon, “Louie”
Elizabeth Banks, “Modern Family”
Joan Cusack, “Shameless”
Tina Fey, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Richard Cabral, “American Crime”
Denis O’Hare, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Finn Wittrock, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Michael Kenneth Williams, “Bessie”
Bill Murray, “Olive Kitteridge”
Damian Lewis, “Wolf Hall”
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE
Regina King, “American Crime”
Sarah Paulson, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Angela Bassett, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Kathy Bates, “American Horror Story: Freak Show”
Mo’Nique, “Bessie”
Zoe Kazan, “Olive Kitteridge”
WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Joshua Brand for The Americans, “Do Mail Robots Dream Of Electric Sheep?” from FX Networks, Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions
Gordon Smith for Better Call Saul, “Five-O” from AMC, Sony Pictures Television and Gran Via Productions
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for Game Of Thrones, “Mother’s Mercy” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead, Television 360, Startling Television and Generator Productions
Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner for Mad Men, “Lost Horizon” from AMC, Lionsgate Television and UROK Productions
Matthew Weiner for Mad Men, “Person To Person” from AMC, Lionsgate Television and UROK Productions
DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Tim Van Patten for Boardwalk Empire, “Eldorado” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Leverage, Closest to the Hole Productions, Sikelia Productions and Cold Front Productions
David Nutter for Game Of Thrones, “Mother’s Mercy” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead, Television 360, Startling Television and Generator Productions
Jeremy Podeswa for Game Of Thrones, “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Bighead, Littlehead, Television 360, Startling Television and Generator Productions
Lesli Linka Glatter for Homeland, “From A To B And Back Again” from Showtime, SHOWTIME Presents, Fox 21, Teakwood Lane Productions, Cherry Pie Productions and Keshet
Steven Soderbergh for The Knick, “Method And Madness” from Cinemax, Cinemax Entertainment in association with Ambeg Screen Products, Anonymous Content and Extension 765
WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik for Episodes, “Episode 409″ from Showtime, SHOWTIME Presents, Hat Trick Productions and Crane Klarik Productions
Will Forte for The Last Man On Earth, “Alive In Tucson” (Pilot) from FOX and 20th Century Fox Television
Louis C.K. for Louie, “Bobby’s House” from FX Networks, Pig Newton, Inc. and FX Productions
Alec Berg for Silicon Valley, “Two Days Of The Condor” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with
Judgemental Films, Alec Berg, Altschuler Krinsky Works and 3 Arts Entertainment
Jill Soloway for Transparent, “Pilot” from Amazon Instant Video and Amazon Studios
Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche for Veep, “Election Night” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions
DIRECTING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller for The Last Man On Earth, “Alive In Tucson” (Pilot) from FOX and 20th Century Fox Television
Louis C.K. for Louie, “Sleepover” from FX Networks, Pig Newton, Inc. and FX Productions
Mike Judge for Silicon Valley, “Sand Hill Shuffle” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Judgemental Films, Alec Berg, Altschuler Krinsky Works and 3 Arts Entertainment
Jill Soloway for Transparent, “Best New Girl” from Amazon Instant Video and Amazon Studios
Armando Iannucci for Veep, “Testimony” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Dundee Productions
WRITING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
John Ridley for American Crime, “Episode One” from ABC and ABC Studios
Dee Rees, Christopher Cleveland, Bettina Gilois and Horton Foote for “Bessie” from HBO, HBO Films in association with Flavor Unit Entertainment and the Zanuck Company
Stephen Merchant, Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg for “Hello Ladies: The Movie” from HBO, HBO Entertainment in association with Four Eyes Entertainment, Quantity Entertainment and ABC Studios
Hugo Blick for “The Honorable Woman” from SundanceTV, Drama Republic and Eight Rooks Productions for BBC TWO, co-produced by SundanceTV
Jane Anderson or “Olive Kitteridge” from HBO, HBO Miniseries in association with Playtone
Peter Straughan for “Wolf Hall” from PBS, A Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures Production for BBC and MASTERPIECE in association with BBC Worldwide, Altus Media and Prescience
DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED SERIES, MOVIE OR DRAMATIC SPECIAL
Ryan Murphy for “American Horror Story: Freak Show” from Monsters Among Us, FX Networks and 20th Century Fox
Dee Rees for “Bessie” from HBO, HBO Films in association with Flavor Unit Entertainment and the Zanuck Company
Hugo Blick for “The Honorable Woman” from SundanceTV, Drama Republic and Eight Rooks Productions for BBC TWO, co-produced by SundanceTV
Uli Edel for “Houdini” from HISTORY, Lionsgate Television and A+E Studios for History
Tom Shankland for “The Missing” from Starz, New Pictures & Company Pictures in association with Two Brothers Pictures, Playground Entertainment & the BBC
Lisa Cholodenko for “Olive Kitteridge” from HBO, HBO Miniseries in association with Playtone
Peter Kosminsky for “Wolf Hall” from PBS, A Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures Production for BBC and MASTERPIECE in association with BBC Worldwide, Altus Media and Prescience
HOST, REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Tom Bergeron, “Dancing with the Stars”
Jane Lynch, “Hollywood Game Night”
Heidi Klum, Tim Gunn, “Project Runway”
Cat Deeley, “So You Think You Can Dance”
Anthony Bourdain, “The Taste”
STRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
“Antiques Roadshow”
“Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives”
“MythBusters”
“Property Brothers”
“Shark Tank”
“Undercover Boss”
UNSTRUCTURED REALITY PROGRAM
“Alaska: The Last Frontier”
“Deadliest Catch”
“Intervention”
“Million Dollar Listing New York”
“Naked And Afraid”
“Wahlburgers”
VARIETY SPECIAL
“Bill Maher: Live From D.C.”
“The Kennedy Center Honors”
“Mel Brooks Live At The Geffen”
“The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special”
“Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga: Cheek To Cheek LIVE!”
WRITING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
“The Colbert Report”
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”
“Inside Amy Schumer”
“Key & Peele”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
WRITING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
“The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards”
“Key & Peele Super Bowl Special”
“Louis C.K.: Live At The Comedy Store”
“Mel Brooks Live At The Geffen”
“The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special”
DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SERIES
James Hoskinson for The Colbert Report, “Show 11040″ from Comedy Central, Hello Doggie, Inc. with Busboy Productions and Spartina Productions
Chuck O’Neil for The Daily Show With Jon Stewart, “Show 20103″ from Comedy Central, Central Productions
Amy Schumer and Ryan McFaul for Inside Amy Schumer, “12 Angry Men Inside Amy Schumer” from Comedy Central and Jax Media
Jerry Foley for Late Show With David Letterman, “Show 4214″ from CBS and Worldwide Pants Inc.
Dave Diomedi for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, “Show 203″ from NBC, Universal Television and Broadway
DIRECTING FOR A VARIETY SPECIAL
Natalie Johns for “Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live In Concert” from PBS, A Tricycle Logic Production in association with Blue Note Records and THIRTEEN Productions LLC for WNET
Louis J. Horvitz for “The Kennedy Center Honors” from CBS and The Stevens Company
Hamish Hamilton for “The Oscars” from ABC and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Don Roy King for “The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special” from NBC, SNL Studios in association with Universal Television and Broadway Video
Glenn Weiss for “68th Annual Tony Awards” from CBS and White Cherry Entertainment
SPECIAL CLASS PROGRAM
“Beyoncé And Jay Z On The Run”
“The 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards”
“The Oscars”
“Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street”
“68th Annual Tony Awards”
SHORT-FORM LIVE-ACTION ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAM
“Between Two Ferns With Zach Galifianakis: Brad Pitt”
“Billy On The Street With First Lady Michelle Obama, Big Bird And Elena!!!”
“Childrens Hospital”
“Key & Peele Presents Van And Mike: The Ascension”
“Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show Starring Katy Perry”
SHORT-FORM NONFICTION PROGRAM
“American Horror Story: Extra-Ordinary Artists”
“Parks And Recreation: Behind The Final Season”
“30 For 30 Shorts”
“Transparent: This is Me”
“A Tribute To Mel Brooks”
INTERACTIVE PROGRAM
“@midnight With Chris Hardwick”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“Saturday Night Live: SNL40″
“Talking Dead”
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”
CHILDREN’S PROGRAM
“Alan Alda And The Actor Within You: A YoungArts Masterclass”
“Degrassi”
“Dog With A Blog”
“Girl Meets World”
“Nick News With Linda Ellerbee: Coming Out”
NARRATOR
Neil deGrasse Tyson for “Hubble’s Cosmic Journey”
Anthony Mendez for “Jane The Virgin”
Miranda Richardson for “Operation Orangutan”
Peter Coyote for “The Roosevelts: An Intimate History”
Henry Strozier for “Too Cute!”
DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SPECIAL
“The Case Against 8″
“Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief”
“Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck”
“Sinatra: All Or Nothing At All”
“Virunga”
DOCUMENTARY OR NONFICTION SERIES
“American Masters”
“Cancer: The Emperor Of All Maladies”
“The Jinx: The Life And Deaths Of Robert Durst”
“The Roosevelts: An Intimate History”
“The Sixties”
INFORMATIONAL SERIES OR SPECIAL
“Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown”
“Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways”
“Inside The Actors Studio”
“StarTalk With Neil deGrasse Tyson”
“Vice”
EXCEPTIONAL MERIT IN DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKING
“Citizenfour”
“The Great Invisible”
“Hot Girls Wanted”