HBO Max Plans to Enter Emmy Race, Starting With Anna Kendrick’s ‘Love Life’ (EXCLUSIVE)
HBO has dominated the Emmy race for years. Now, sibling streamer HBO Max is looking to get into the game.
HBO Max launches on May 27 — just four days before the Television Academy’s May 31 cutoff for Emmy eligibility. But that’s still enough time for the streaming service to enter the awards race this year with two shows: Competition series “Legendary” and half-hour anthology series “Love Life.”
Variety has confirmed that those two shows will be the first to be submitted by HBO Max for Emmy consideration. The streamer plans to create an awards campaign for both.
“Love Life” will bring Anna Kendrick into the Emmy conversation, as the Oscar nominee stars in the anthology series’ first season, along with Zoë Chao, Peter Vack and Sasha Compère. The half-hour anthology “follows a different protagonist’s quest for love each season, with each half-hour episode telling the story of one of their relationships,” according to the streamer’s description.
Because the show tells a complete story each season, “Love Life” could be submitted as either a limited series or a comedy; HBO Max is still deciding where to place it. Thanks to Kendrick’s A-list status, such a decision could shake up either the comedy lead actress or the limited series/TV movie lead actress race.
Sam Boyd is the creator and co-showrunner of “Love Life,” which is produced by Lionsgate Television and Feigco Entertainment. Kendrick, Paul Feig, Bridget Bedard and Dan Magnante are executive producers.
Ironically, Kendrick could be competing with herself should “Love Life” enter the limited series field, as her starring role on the Disney Plus movie “Noelle” is also eligible. (Disney Plus isn’t expected to mount a campaign for “Noelle,” however.) Meanwhile, she’s also the star of the Quibi series “Dummy,” although it’s still unclear how the short-form video service plans to submit for Emmy consideration.
As for “Legendary,” that show will be eligible in multiple unscripted categories, including competition series and reality or competition host. The series, led by Master of Ceremonies Dashaun Wesley, follows the underground ballroom community as teams (“houses”) compete in fashion-forward balls to win “legendary” status.
Jameela Jamil, Megan Thee Stallion, Law Roach and Leiomy Maldonado are judges on “Legendary,” while DJ Mike Q handles the in-house music. Scout Productions’ David Collins, Rob Eric and Michael Williams are executive producers, while Jane Mun and Josh Greenberg are executive producers/showrunners.
Both shows premiere May 27, the day of HBO Max’s launch, with 10 episodes each.
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