‘Prey’ earns six nominations but ‘Reservation Dogs,’ ‘The English’ get token nods
SANDRA HALE SCHULMAN
JUL 18, 2023
FX’s acclaimed "Reservation Dogs" series was largely snubbed by the 2023 Emmy Awards, with just one nomination for sound editing, sparking outrage in Indian Country. The film, "Prey" drew six nominations but "The English" also earned just one - for non-Native actress Emily Blunt. (Photo courtesy FX Networks)
Sandra Hale Schulman
Special to ICT
The good news is that Native entertainment is back in the spotlight with three productions earning nominations for the Emmy Awards.
The bad news is the glaring omissions — deemed outright “snubs” on social media and beyond — of some of the top films and television programming of the year featuring Indigenous stories.
Scoring big is “Prey,” the “Predator” prequel set in Comanche territory with a Native cast available on Hulu. The film received six nominations: for outstanding television movie; outstanding writing for Patrick Aison and Dan Trachtenberg; outstanding directing for Trachtenberg; outstanding editing; outstanding music composition; and outstanding sound editing.
But “Reservation Dogs,” the acclaimed FX hit on Hulu that has drawn high praise, was nominated only for sound editing, and “The English,” a period drama with an impressive Native cast that employed Pawnee advisors, also earned a single nod – for non-Native actress Emily Blunt.
The nominations did not land well in Indian Country.
“In 2022, ‘Reservation Dogs’ was recognized by The New York Times, Vulture and Rolling Stone, and has accumulated numerous honors, including AFI Television Program of the Year, two Independent Spirit Awards, a Gotham Award and a Peabody Award,” IllumiNative posted on Instagram.
“Today, Rez Dogs earned one Emmy nomination for Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series, while being snubbed in larger categories such as Outstanding Comedy Series. Despite this, audiences know the impact of Reservation Dogs will far outlast any awards or accolades,” , the women-led Indigenous rights organization posted.
It was a snub felt ‘round the industry, with media outlets also taking note on Instagram:
—“‘Rez Dogs’ exclusion is straight-up malpractice, the kind of snub that [further] discredits the Emmys. On the plus side, Harjo & Co. never needed their co-sign anyway,” @Time posted on Instagram.
—“To borrow the Rez Dogs’ favorite phrase, why do Emmy voters have to be a bunch of shitasses?” asked @RollingStone.
—“There are plenty of categories at the Emmys and plenty of spots where “Reservation Dogs” should be recognized. Voters just must not be watching.” - @IndieWire
—“Heading into the FX’s series final season, one has to wonder what’s the TV Academy’s problem with this Indigenous series from Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi?” - @Deadline
The Emmy Awards ceremony is set for Sept. 18, but the joint writers and actors strikes may force cancellation of the show, since striking guild members have agreed to boycott awards shows and other public appearances on behalf of the programs.
‘The Native factor’
On the “Prey” front, though, there is cause for celebration. Producer Jhane Myers, Comanche, told ICT she felt some divine guidance.
“I was waiting all morning to hear the news,” she said. “I woke up at three o'clock, woke up again at six o'clock. I was just nervous. My grandmother had raised me, and when I went back to sleep between three and six, I dreamt of my grandmother, and she was smiling and she looked really young and gorgeous."
The "Prey" movie, which started streaming in August 2022 on Hulu, features Amber Midthunder as the heroine. (Photo courtesy of Disney Studios)
“And I thought it was so great to see her, and then when I found out the nominations at 8:45 a.m. I was just shocked,” Myers said. “I was very hopeful just because of the way everybody loves the film. When marketing texted all the nominations, I couldn't believe it and I ran and grabbed my strongest glasses because I didn’t want to make a mistake. I thought we got six, but it might be a five or four so let me look at this again. I was shocked.”
Related stories:
—Comanche Nation vs. Predator
—‘Reservation Dogs’ fetches a sister act
—Western series ‘The English’ thrills with Pawnee authenticity
—Actors guild strike brings Hollywood to a halt
—Jhane Myers talks about ‘Prey’
“It’s amazing,” Myers said. “Just to know that in the bigger picture, people appreciate the work. That's what we all worked towards.”
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“Prey” had a few advantages as part of a long and successful “Predator” franchise, even though this, the fifth installment, was a radical departure from the storyline and setting.
The nominations reflect technical and overall excellence, not any one actor in particular, though the Outstanding TV film nomination takes all that into account.
“We thought, ‘This will be great because we just get to be part of the franchise,’” Myers said. “And we wanted to live up to that; it's huge. That was our opportunity to do something different, to bring the Native factor into it, to do something that no one has ever done with the franchise.”
The film featured Amber Midthunder, Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux, in the lead role, with Trachtenberg serving as co-author and director.
“We just wanted to make the best work possible,” Myers said. “Dan Trachtenberg is brilliant. Amber Midthunder was amazing to show that a Native woman can carry a lead role. This film says a lot of things, as well as being just good entertainment. And we made it during the pandemic. I had the highest of hopes because it stands for so much.
“There is a market for Native people, Native American stories in the big sphere of all of Hollywood,” she said. “It's something that's going to stand the test of time.”
Myers said the cast and crew were scattered about when the nominations were announced, but immediately got on a group text.
“We were all just in a little cloud,” she said. “Because it's a lot, especially being a Native filmmaker. You just hope to get recognized once. Just recognize the film, or just recognize an actor. We're used to not having a lot of recognition, but the fact that we got six nominations, that's amazing for a sci-fi genre franchise. It's against all the odds, but it says a lot about the work.”
Myers said she doesn’t know why more Native shows didn’t get nominations.
“I'm so fairly new to this and I don't know the whole politics of that world,” she said. “I always just hope for the best, that as many Native people get recognized and Native shows get recognized. I watch everything and it's just such a thrill to be able to watch everybody's work and see what everybody's doing just on all different scales.
“I hope the best for us collectively, and it is a little disappointing when you see other shows didn't get recognized,” she said.
Ceremony in question
As usual, the biggest streaming and network shows with star casts and winning track records got the most nods, including 27 nominations for HBO alone. Three HBO drama series, “Succession,” “The Last of Us,” and “The White Lotus,” lead with the most nominations.
Newcomers don’t easily break in, even with lots of critical and viewer support.
But this may be a year when public recognition – or public protest – will not be given a televised platform.
Actor Chaske Spencer, Fort Peck Tribes, plays Pawnee scout Eli Whipp in a new Western miniseries, "The English," which premiered Nov. 11, 2022, on Amazon Prime. The film's writer and director, Hugo Blick, brought in IllumiNative's Crystal Echo Hawk, Pawnee, to help ensure authenticity.
(Photo courtesy of Prime Video)
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on strike July 14, joining what Writers Guild of America, whose members had been striking since May 2.
The heart of the contract issues are over new contracts with studios and streaming services as the industry has been upended financially by the rise of streaming, including the use of AI. The actors’ strike calls on members to avoid publicity appearances and award shows while the strike is ongoing.
“Our marketing team already sent out a memo and said they'll be updating us as they get details,” Myers said. “If we don't ever get details, then we'll know that they're not having a show.”
With the strikes ongoing – the first joint strike in more than 60 years – the Emmys may likely be handed out with an accompanying announcement, but not a big show.
“That's disappointing when there's not a big show,” Myers said, “because you work so hard to get to that tier. It’s the big shot. I want to go to the Oscars. And someday I want to go to Cannes, but if it goes that way, then that's the way it needs to go.”
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists went on strike July 14, joining what Writers Guild of America, whose members had been striking since May 2.
The heart of the contract issues are over new contracts with studios and streaming services as the industry has been upended financially by the rise of streaming, including the use of AI. The actors’ strike calls on members to avoid publicity appearances and award shows while the strike is ongoing.
“Our marketing team already sent out a memo and said they'll be updating us as they get details,” Myers said. “If we don't ever get details, then we'll know that they're not having a show.”
With the strikes ongoing – the first joint strike in more than 60 years – the Emmys may likely be handed out with an accompanying announcement, but not a big show.
“That's disappointing when there's not a big show,” Myers said, “because you work so hard to get to that tier. It’s the big shot. I want to go to the Oscars. And someday I want to go to Cannes, but if it goes that way, then that's the way it needs to go.”
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