Northern Pictures’ ‘Love on the Spectrum US’ wins three Emmys

by Jackie Keast
September 5, 2022

Love on the Spectrum US, produced by Northern Pictures, has taken home all three of the Emmy Awards for which it was nominated, including Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program.

The Netflix series also won Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program, recognising Rachel Grierson-Johns, Simon Callow-Wright and John Rosser; and Outstanding Casting For A Reality Program, acknowledging Australian Laura Ritchie and US-based casting directors Kat Elmore and Jeffrey Marx.

Love on the Spectrum US follows people on the autism spectrum as they navigate the unpredictable world of dating and relationships. The American adaptation of the Australian format – originally commissioned by the ABC – is made by the same team, including executive producers Northern Pictures head of factual and executive producer Karina Holden and showrunner/director Cian O’Clery.

“We couldn’t be prouder of our Aussie team hitting the Hollywood red carpet and picking up three Emmy Awards for our work on Love on the Spectrum US,” said Holden.

“Being able to celebrate this occasion in person with the US cast and crew has been an honour for our Australian production and post team. Cian O’Clery and I have had such a blast bringing this show together, and it is so rewarding to see it be recognised in the cream of Primetime programs.”

On winning the award, Cian O’Clery said: “When we were asked to make an American version of the show, I was scared. I thought, ‘Oh no, it’ll never be the same. You’ll never find another Michael. You’ll never have the heart and soul of the original series.’ But it was an amazing process and Netflix totally supported our vision. Thank you to the whole producing team, the amazing editors who’ve come over from Australia… The most important people to thank are the cast. We wouldn’t be here without the participants in the show, so thank you. You’re the reason we’re here tonight.”

The 74th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards were presented in Los Angeles, with a second ceremony to be held today (September 4 US time).

Other Down Under winners include the primarily New Zealand-based team behind Peter Jackson’s The Beatles: Get Back, which won Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fiction Series, as well directing, picture editing, sound editing and sound mixing gongs.

Other Australians nominated for Emmy Awards this year include actors Sarah Snook for Succession, Toni Collette for The Staircase and Murray Bartlett for The White Lotus. The main awards ceremony takes place September 12 US time.

The 74th Emmy Awards will be broadcast locally on Foxtel, September 13 10am AEST, with an encore screening at 8.30pm AEST (FOX Arena and on demand).