Andrew Barnsley Celebrates Schitt’s Creek’s Historic Night at Emmys

“Never in my wildest dreams had I ever considered I would get to experience what I experienced on Sunday night.”

Toronto Film School’s Andrew Barnsley joined together with his Schitt’s Creek family at Casa Loma over the weekend to celebrate what turned out to be a history-making night of Emmy wins for the sixth and final season of the CBC/Netflix hit comedy.

With its total of nine victories at this year’s virtual Emmy Award ceremonies, Schitt’s Creek not only became the most Emmy-awarded comedy in a single year, but also goes down in the history books as the first television show ever – comedy or drama – to sweep all four Emmy acting categories in a single year.

“The entire team was speechless as the awards kept coming in,” recalled Barnsley, who serves as both an executive producer on Schitt’s Creek, as well as Toronto Film School’s Executive Producer in Residence.

“It all happened so fast that we couldn’t fully grasp that we were making Emmy history with our beloved Canadian series. What a thrill to have this team, this industry, and this country recognized on one of the highest profile stages in the world. We are all still in shock.”

In addition to its win for Outstanding Comedy Series, the Schitt’s Creek team also took home awards for directing, writing, casting and costumes, not to mention the fact that every member of the main cast walked away with a statue all their own – Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy for their leading roles as the formerly affluent Moira and Johnny Rose, and Daniel Levy and Annie Murphy for their supporting roles as their riches-to-rags children David and Alexis Rose.

“Our show, at its core, is about the transformational effects of love and acceptance and that is something we need more of now than ever before,” Daniel Levy said in one of the four acceptance speeches he delivered for his wins in the Outstanding Comedy Series, Supporting Actor, Directing and Writing categories.

That sentiment was echoed by castmate Annie Murphy, a recent guest of Toronto Film School’s In Conversation speaker series, in her own speech following her win in the Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series category.

“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,” she said.

For Barnsley, winning his first Emmy as the show’s Executive Producer, made him especially proud to celebrate Schitt’s Creek’s homegrown roots.

“I have never felt more proud to be a Canadian,” he said of the GTA-shot series’ Emmy haul.

“Schitt’s Creek has proven to the world that Canada is a force to be reckoned with. The talent here is world-class both on-screen and off, the stories are impactful and universal, and the world is now looking to us to be creative leaders during these unprecedented times.”

It also made him ever more hopeful that the student body at Toronto Film School will soon be able to graduate with the full knowledge and confidence in their ability, as Canadian artists, to achieve greatness right here at home.

“Emerging talent and new students should be inspired by the story of Schitt’s Creek. Heck, I’m inspired by the story of Schitt’s Creek,” he said.

“We’ve now seen that there are no limits to what can be achieved in Canada, there are no limits to what can be achieved with the right team, there are no limits to what can be achieved with the right creative vision – and it’s now proven that the cream will rise to the top.”

Here’s the full list of Schitt’s Creek’s Emmy wins:

Outstanding Comedy Series – Schitt’s Creek

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series – Catherine O’Hara as Moira Rose

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series – Eugene Levy as Johnny Rose

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series – Daniel Levy as David Rose

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series – Annie Murphy as Alexis Rose

Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series – Daniel Levy and Andrew Cividino for “Happy Ending”

Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series – Daniel Levy for “Happy Ending”

Outstanding Casting For A Comedy Series – Lisa Parasyn and Jon Comerford

Outstanding Contemporary Costumes – Debra Hanson and Darci Cheyne