Emmys 2020: Nomination of 'Schitt's Creek' star Annie Murphy who won both fans and critics is long overdue
Murphy won for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy.
"Ew David!“ Alexis Rose's iconic words are going to remain synonymous with Pop TV's hit sitcom 'Schitt's Creek'. Played by Canadian actress Annie Murphy, the character has gained its own fan following since it first appeared in 2015 - fans have indulged themselves in Alexis Rose merchandise and paraphernalia across the world, and the ideas and determination that she displayed over the course of the show's run won hearts everywhere.
The character not only became a fan favorite but was also critically praised. Murphy earned nominations for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2019, a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and four Canadian Screen Awards. And while many would say she has earned her true due in the hearts of her fans, her first time Emmy nomination this year adds to the applause. The actress is nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series.
This feels like a long-overdue recognition. But Alexis' character began to gain depth over the course of the series and not immediately at the get-go. In the finale installment of the show, the character undergoes a complete transformation - bringing to fruition the hurdle that had placed her in Schitt's Creek in the first place. Thus Alexis Rose walks out of that small town a far better woman than she walked in. There was a time, however, when we might not have seen Murphy is the role - she was ready to give up on the profession altogether. She had not worked in over two years when she got an email inviting her to audition for the role she had revealed in the documentary that aired following the finale episode 'Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: A Schitt's Creek Farewell'.
In 2015, on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show', she had opened up about the struggles she had to face before she took over the role. "My house had just burned down," she said. "I had, like, $3 in my bank account. I hadn't worked in close to two years, and I had just blown my very first screen test. Like, blown it, blown it, blown it, blown it. I found myself crying in the Pacific Ocean, a very snotty cry," she continued. "And the universe was like, 'Don't do this anymore. This is not for you.' But then two days later I got the audition for 'Schitt's Creek.'"
And boy are we glad she did because, in hindsight, there is perhaps no one else who could do justice to the character as creator Dan Levy had imagined it. Murphy's natural spunk and zest added that differentiating factor to the character - a note than even Levy appreciated. Murphy deserves her win at the Emmy's this year. Not only did she give her all to the character but it is more than evident that it was more than a job for her - Alexis Rose touched Annie Murphy most of all.