The 2018 Daytime Emmy Award nominations were announced yesterday, and critically-acclaimed LGBT series EastSiders received not one, not two but SIX nominations overall!
The show, which just completed its third season, received nods for Outstanding Digital Daytime Drama Series, Best Writing and Directing (Kit Williamson), Best Actor (Van Hansis), and two for Best Supporting Actor (Stephen Guarino & John Halbach).
Williamson, who is also known for playing the role of Ed Gifford on the final two seasons of Mad Men says, “The Daytime Emmy Awards are at the vanguard of the indie TV revolution, and I think it’s amazing that they have expanded the categories for digital series this year. We’re incredibly grateful to be recognized with this many nominations!”
Other accolades for EastSiders include two previous Daytime Emmy Nominations, a Satellite Award Nomination from The International Press Academy, two Indie Series Awards for Best Ensemble, the Queerty Award for Best Digital Series, and the LA Weekly Web Award for Best Drama.
Executive produced by Williamson and his husband John Halbach, season three of EastSiders follows the cross-country misadventures of Cal (Williamson) and Thom (Hansis). It was shot on location in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and California and features guest appearances from Constance Wu (ABC’s Fresh Off The Boat), Wilson Cruz (Star Trek Discovery), Tuc Watkins (Desperate Housewives, the upcoming Broadway revival of Boys in the Band), Brianna Brown (The CW’s Dynasty), Matthew McKelligon (You're Killing Me), Colby Keller (High Maintenance), Stephen Guarino (I’m Dying Up Here), Willam Belli (RuPaul’s Drag Race), social media superstar Max Emerson, and Traci Lords (Swedish Dicks).
It was all made possible from a Kickstarter campaign that raised over a quarter of a million dollars from eager fans.
“We have to thank our incredible fanbase for their support and Netflix for exposing the series to a huge, international audience,” continues Williamson. “The positive response from all around the world has been beyond anything we could have hoped for.”
All three seasons of EastSiders have been translated into more than two dozen languages. In addition to Netflix and DVD, the series is available worldwide through WolfeOnDemand.com and Vimeo, as well as through various streaming services in the USA and Canada including Amazon Video, Google Play and iTunes.