South African creatives win Emmys for their work on “African Queens” by Jada Pinkett Smith.
According to a report by News24, two South Africans, Warren Gray and Gale Shepherd received Emmys for their work on the Jada Pinkett Smith-produced Netflix series “African Queens: Njinga.” They both won Daytime Emmys in the categories of Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design and Hairstyling and Makeup, respectively.
Also, lauded casting director, Christa Schamberger received a Daytime Emmy for the Netflix docuseries “African Queens: Njinga.” She won the Outstanding Casting award at the 51st Daytime Creative Arts & Lifestyle Emmys alongside UK-based Olissa Rogers for the series.
Unfortunately, Christa did not make it to the event to accept her award. She said,
“Winning such a prestigious, international award is a huge honour and, specifically in terms of casting, it also shines a well-deserved spotlight on our wonderful South African actors who undoubtedly brought their A-game to this challenging shoot.”
The Call Sheet reports that she also shared her hopes that the Daytime Emmy win will encourage a broader appreciation of the casting director’s process and the value they bring to a project.
“I think that perhaps the role of the Casting Director is somewhat misunderstood in South Africa, so I hope that the award will encourage a broader appreciation of what the Casting Director’s process entails and what value a Casting Director can bring to a project.”
