The 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards will be an all-virtual event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a representative confirmed to The Verge, and it sounds like the new format could lead to peeks inside the lives of some of your favorite television stars, according to a letter from the executive producers (and host Jimmy Kimmel) that was published by Variety. USA Today also obtained a copy of the letter.
“We are assembling a top notch team of technicians, producers and writers to work closely with Jimmy Kimmel and with you and your team to make sure that we can film with you (and loved ones or whomever else you choose to be with) at your home, or another location of your choice,” reads part of the letter, which was reportedly sent to nominees yesterday.
Producers are still deciding which parts of the show will be live or whether to inform winners before the show airs, reports Variety. That could mean that some parts of the show will be taped in advance, and the producers could fill time between awards with pre-recorded skits or interviews with nominees.
It also raises interesting questions about how the awards themselves might work: if the production crew decides not to inform winners before the show, you can imagine a scenario where every nominee has to pre-record an acceptance speech, even if only one gets aired. (That’s actually what was done for the Daytime Emmys, which were held in June.) Or maybe the producers will roll the dice, hope the technology is reliable enough, and do it all live, including the winners’ reactions, just like previous Emmys.
No matter how much is live and how much is pre-recorded, though, it seems likely we’ll get some good opportunities to judge celebrity homes. This year’s Emmy nominees were announced yesterday, including Jason Bateman, Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston, and Zendaya. And streaming services made a big showing, with Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, and even Quibi grabbing their first nominations.
You’ll be able to see which nominees take home an Emmy when the show airs in its new virtual format on September 20th.
