'Schitt's Creek' cast reacts to remarkable Emmys 2020 sweep

Sept. 20, 2020 6:33 PM PT

The little Canadian comedy that could, “Schitt’s Creek,” was a cult hit in America for its first several seasons. Then Netflix picked it up, and in its final season, it won some Emmys.

Make that all the Emmys. The show swept all seven comedy series awards announced in the national broadcast, including four acting Emmys, one directing, one writing and one series honor.

The avalanche was kicked off by lead actress Catherine O’Hara. It had been 38 years since the storied comic actress had won an Emmy, for co-writing the landmark sketch show, “SCTV Network.” She ended the drought with the prize for lead actress in a comedy as matriarch and thespian Moira Rose in the final season of “Schitt’s Creek.”

In her remote acceptance speech, delivered from a socially distant, masked party in Canada with many of her castmates, she thanked series creators Eugene and Daniel Levy for allowing her to portray “a woman of a certain age, my age, who gets to fully be her ridiculous self.”

Next it was her old “SCTV” pal Eugene Levy’s turn, collecting the award for lead actor in a comedy: “I guess it’s kind of ironical that the straightest role I’ve ever played lands me an Emmy for a comedy performance. So now I seriously have to question just what I’ve been doing for the past 50 years,” he said. After thanking others, including his wife and O’Hara, he said, “And that brings me to my multi-Emmy nominated partner: Daniel Levy, who took our show that we came up with and brilliantly guided it to this little me party tonight. So thank you, son.”

Then Daniel Levy won three straight Emmys, for writing, co-directing (with Andrew Cividino) and for his supporting work as his father’s on-screen son. On winning for writing, he said, “I just want to say thank you to my dad for giving me the reins to this show. Even though I didn’t have any experience in a writers room, which saying that out loud right now feels like a wild choice on your part, but I am very grateful for it.” Then he added, “I also want to recognize Issa Rae and the writers on ‘Insecure’ for writing some of the funniest, most heartfelt television of the year.”

On winning for direction, Levy said, “Andrew and I met in film school. I dropped out, he stayed in; I don’t know what that message is but this is a full-circle moment, and I’m happy to share it with you.”

Cidivino added, “I have just touched my face and hugged you like three times, so from a COVID perspective this is terrible. ... I really want to say a special thank you to Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy [for] their grace, their genius, and their generosity as it bubbles through the entire set. And they are role models, and I want to thank Dan for inviting me into the world of ‘Schitt’s Creek.’ That is a world that’s, you know, driven by love, and I’m very grateful that you led me into it, so thank you.”

Emmys 2020

In something of a surprise, Annie Murphy completed the sweep of individual awards, beating out reigning champ Alex Borstein of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” She said, “The six years that I have spent working on this show have been the best six years of my entire life. And I am so, so proud of the cast and the crew and the writers, and I can’t believe that Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara are my friends. And I’m so proud to be a part of a show that stands for love and kindness and inclusivity and acceptance, because those four things are things that we need more than ever right now.”

And on taking the big prize for comedy series to complete the sweep, Daniel Levy returned to the mike to say, “Our show at its core is about the transformational effects of love and acceptance — and that is something that we need more of now than we’ve ever needed before. I just wanted to say for any of you who have not registered to vote, please do so, and then go out and vote because that is the only way that we are going to have some love and acceptance out there. Please do that. I’m so sorry for making this political, but I had to.”

Though O’Hara was able to enjoy all her show’s wins with the people at the heart of the accomplishments, she told the worldwide audience at the end of her acceptance speech, “May you have as much joy being holed up in a room or two with your family as I have with my dear Roses. Thank you so much.”

Somewhere in the universe of “Schitt’s Creek,” Moira Rose is thanking the academy — with her own special pronunciations.