UNCSA alumni nominated for 2017 Emmy Awards

Several alumni of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) have been nominated for Emmy Awards or are affiliated with Emmy-nominated shows. The nominations were announced July 13 and the Emmys will be awarded on Sept. 17.

NBC’s “This is Us” scored 11 nominations, including two for UNCSA alumni. School of Filmmaking alumna Vera Herbert (’11) is a producer (and writer) for the series, which was nominated for Outstanding Drama Series. In addition, School of Drama alumna Tiffany Little Canfield (’00) was nominated for Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series. She works for Bernard Telsey Casting.

Netflix’s “Master of None” received eight nominations, including one for School of Filmmaking alumnus Cody Beke (’01), who was nominated for Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series. “Master of None” was also nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series.

School of Filmmaking alumnus Matthew Goldberg (’04) was nominated for Netflix’s “The Keepers,” which was nominated for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. He was Co-Executive Producer. School of Filmmaking alumnus Zach Seivers ('06) also worked on the series as Re-recording Mixer, Sound Designer and Supervising Sound Editor. 

Dri Sommer (Filmmaking ’17) is employed by Here Be Dragons, which was nominated for USA’s “Mr. Robot The Virtual Reality Experience” for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media Within a Scripted Program. She also worked with Here Be Dragons last summer. 

Alumnus Tanase Popa (Design and Production ’06) was assistant producer on “Feud: Bette and Joan,” which received 18 nominations, including Outstanding Limited Series.

Alumna Rachel Fowler (Filmmaking ’12) was the editor of the title sequence for “Feud: Bette and Joan,” which was also nominated for Outstanding Main Title Design.

Alumna Melissa Fecher (School of Filmmaking ’08) is the Technical Supervisor for A&E Networks, which received 24 Emmy nominations across all brands.

Other UNCSA connections include:

• Julia Festa Hobgood (Filmmaking ’13) is assistant to Greg Nicotero, who was nominated for Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup for a Series, Limited Series, Movie or Special for AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”
  
  
• Liz Benjamin (Dance ’83) was a Co-executive Producer on Amazon’s “The Man in the High Castle,” which was nominated for four Emmys. 
  
  
• Tyler Blythe (Filmmaking ’11) was Second Unit Sound for FX’s “Atlanta,” which was nominated for six Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series.
  
  
• Meredith Kelley Hannah (Filmmaking ’13) was a Production Assistant on Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” which was nominated for 18 Emmys, including Outstanding Drama Series. Hannah was also an Art Department Production Assistant for “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” which was nominated for Outstanding Television Movie. 
  
  
• Eddie Barbash (HS Music ’07) is in the house band for CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” which was nominated for Outstanding Variety Talk Series.
  
  
• Evan Rachel Wood, daughter of UNCSA Drama alumnus Ira David Wood of Raleigh’s Theatre in the Park, and niece of recently retired School of Filmmaking faculty member Carol Wood, was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for HBO’s “Westworld.”
  
  
• Mandy Patinkin, who was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Acting in a Drama Series for Showtime’s “Homeland,” was UNCSA’s commencement speaker and received an Honorary Doctorate in 2001.

by Marla Carpenter