'Remarkably Bright Creatures' by Olivia Newman '12 Wins Emmy for Outstanding Movie
Update
The 78th Emmy Awards were held in Los Angeles on September 14, 2026 with numerous Columbia alums and their affiliated shows well-represented in both the Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards nominations.
Among the winners is Olivia Newman '12, director and executive producer of the Netflix film Remarkably Bright Creatures, which was nominated for three awards and won for Outstanding Movie as well as Outstanding Lead Actress in a limited or anthology series or movie, which was won by lead actress Sally Fields.
Adapted from the novel of the same name, by Shelby Van Pelt, Remarkably Bright Creatures follows the story of an unlikely friendship between Tova (played by Fields), a lonely 70 year old widow who has lost her son, and a giant Pacific octopus named Marcelleus in Washington state. When Tova is forced to take time off from work, her place and source of refuge, to nurse an injury, she’s temporarily replaced by an unemployed musician named Cameron, (played by Lewis Pullman), and Marcelleus’ sly and canny intelligence uncovers a mystery surrounding the death of Tova’s son. Following its release in May, Remarkably Bright Creatures debuted at number one on Netflix’s top ten ranking.
Sara Barone (CC '17) won Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie, alongside Sean Callery, for their score for The Beast in Me. The Beast in Me, an original Netflix series, which stars Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys as its two leads, follows an accomplished writer (Danes) grieving the recent death of her son and overcome by writer’s block as she becomes increasingly obsessed with her new neighbor (Rhys) who may be a murderer. In addition to this award, Matthew Rhys won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor, which he also won for his roles in Widow’s Bay and The Americans, the first actor in the award’s history to win in three categories in one evening.
Other wins connected to Columbia-affiliated projects include six awards for The Pitt, which stars Supriya Ganesh (CC '19). The beloved show took home Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding lead actor in a drama series for Noah Wyle, an award for Original Music and Lyrics for the song “Need Someone” by Andrew Bird and Gavin Brivik, Guest Actor in a Drama Series for Ernest Harden Jr., the award for best prosthetic makeup, and the award for casting for a mini series.
Hacks, written, created, and executively produced by Lucia Aniello (CC '04) took home Outstanding Lead Actress in a comedy series for Jean Smart, as well as Picture-editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series.
Fallout, which stars Dave Register '15, took home awards for Production Design for a Narrative Period or Fantasy show, and the award for outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi costumes.
The Bear, which stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach (CC '99), took home an Emmy for the late Rob Reiner’s guest role on an episode of the series.
Allison Janey took home an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress on a series for her role on The Diplomat, a show created, written, and executively produced by Debora Cahn (BC '93).
The Daily Show, executive produced by Ramin Hedayati (CC '02), took home awards for Outstanding Performer in Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (Desi Lydic) as well as the award for Writing for a Nonfiction Program for The Daily Show Presents: Jordan Klepper Fingers The Pulse: Give The Man A Prize.
A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms, co-executive produced by Sarah Adina Smith (CC '05), who has also directed three episodes, took home an Emmy for Stunt Performance.
Finally, for Paradise, whose VFX editor is Johanna Philipps (CC '12), Shailene Woodley took home an Emmy for Guest Actress in a Drama Series.
Bravo to all of our alumni!
For a complete list of winners, visit the official Emmys Website.
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On July 8, 2026, the Television Academy revealed its nominations for the 78th annual Primetime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards—and Columbia alums were all over the list. Let's break it down.
The Pitt—starring Supriya Ganesh (CC '19)—leads all nominees with 25 nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Directing for a Drama.
The popular medical drama is followed closely by the final season of Hacks—created, written, and executive produced by Lucia Aniello (CC '04)—with 24 nominations, a record for a single season of a comedy. The Hollywood buddy comedy starring Jean Smart and Hannah Einbinder, nominated in the Outstanding Lead Actress and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy categories respectively, is in the running for Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, and more.
Shrinking, in which Jason Segel stars as a worn-down therapist who starts telling patients what he really thinks of them, is up against Hacks for Outstanding Comedy Series, along with eight other nominations. The series is executive produced by James Ponsoldt '05, who also directed episode seven of season three: "I Will Be Grape." Ponsoldt also directed two episodes of the debut season of Wonder Man—the meta superhero series in which a small-time actor (Yahya Abdul-Mateen) struggles with newfound superpowers—which received a nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
In 2023 and 2024, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (CC '99) won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy for his role as Richie "Cousin" Jerimovich in The Bear. (Last year, he was nominated again). Now, the culinary dramedy is back with eight nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.
Only Murders In The Building, which stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as neighbors and amateur sleuths on the Upper West Side, collected five nominations, landing it in the competition for Outstanding Comedy Series as well. Their directing team includes the husband-and-wife duo, Shari Springer Berman '95 and Robert Pulcini '94, who directed two episodes from season five together. Keeping busy, Berman and Pulcini also directed two episodes for season two of The Four Seasons, which received a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. The Tina Fey dramedy following three married couples whose decades-long friendship is tested when one couple divorces, was co-created, written, and executive produced by co-showrunner Lang Fisher (CC '02), who also directed several episodes.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms, for which Sarah Adina Smith (CC '05) served as co-executive producer and director for three episodes, received nine nominations, including Outstanding Drama Series. The competition is stacked. The fantasy is up against the dark-comedy-crime-drama, Your Friends & Neighbors, starring Amanda Peet (CC '94), for which Jessica Caldwell '12 served as co-producer and writer on season two; The Gilded Age (eight total nominations), starring Cynthia Nixon (BC '88), Taylor Richardson (GS '25), and Hannah Shealy '23; Paradise (seven total nominations), for which Joanna Phillips (CC '12) served as VFX Editor; and The Diplomat (seven total nominations), a political drama created, written, and executive produced by Debora Cahn (BC '93), who also serves as showrunner.
Also up there is Fallout—the post-apocalyptic drama featuring Dave Register '15 as Chet, a bunker-dwelling former Los Angelean—with nine nominations recognizing its production design, cinematography, sci-fi costume design, and more.
The Daily Show, executive produced by Ramin Hedayati (CC '02), and its spinoffs received seven nominations including Outstanding Variety Series, up against Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (three total nominations). Among the honorees for Oliver's late night show are senior writer Joanna Rothkopf (JRN '14) and executive producer and writer Tim Carvell (CC '95).
Remarkably Bright Creatures, starring Sally Field, who was nominated in the accompanying Lead Actress category, also scored nominations for Outstanding Movie and Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Limited Or Anthology Series or Movie. Olivia Newman '12 served as director and executive producer of the quirky, heartfelt film in which unlikely friends are brought together by a giant pacific octopus.
The 2026 Oscars received nine nominations, including Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, highlighting the work of writer Berkley Johnson '05, among others.
Rafa, a behind-the-scenes look at tennis star Rafael Nadal, was nominated for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series; Drew Blatman '11 served as editor.
Stumble—the mockumentary cheerleading sitcom for which Yana Gorskaya '96 directed six episodes—received a nomination for Outstanding Choreography for Scripted Programming.
Ponies—the spy thriller co-created, written, directed, and executive produced by Susanna Fogel (CC '02)—and IT: Welcome To Derry, the Stephen King-inspired supernatural horror series co-created, written, and executive produced by Jason Fuchs (CC '09), were both nominated for Outstanding Title Design. IT, for which Fuchs was also co-showrunner, was also nominated for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Season or a Movie.
Beyond the Primetime Emmys, Mariana van Zeller (JRN '02) won multiple Emmy awards as a host and executive producer of Trafficked with Mariana van Zeller at the 2026 News & Documentary Emmy Awards. Bryce-Loren Walker (NUR '26) won two Emmys at the 2026 Children's and Family Emmy Awards as a producer for Sesame Street: Outstanding Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Series, and Outstanding Short Form Live Action Program for Elmo and Andrew Garfield Explain Grief.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Mariska Hargitay (who you may know as detective Olivia Benson from Law & Order: SVU) at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, will air on Monday, September 14, 2026 at 8 PM ET, broadcast on CBS and streaming live on Paramount+. The 2026 Creative Arts Emmys will take place across two nights on Saturday, September 5 and Sunday, September 6, 2026, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, and will be available to stream on The Emmys official website shortly afterward. Follow our coverage to find out which Columbia grads come out on top.