It’s been a good few years for the FX network, which has asserted itself in the longform races at the Emmys by re-popularizing the anthology format with “American Horror Story,” which has won 15 Emmys out of 78 nominations. Then “Fargo” and “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” won Best Limited Series in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Now comes “Feud,” whose first installment, “Bette and Joan,” could become one of the year’s most awarded programs thanks to A-list ensemble cast and impressive production values.
The eight-episode “Feud” chronicles the rivalry between acting legends Bette Davis (played by Susan Sarandon) and Joan Crawford (played by Jessica Lange) and the sexist Hollywood system that plagued both of their careers. Like “American Horror Story” and “American Crime Story” it was created by Emmy winner Ryan Murphy. With the combined notoriety of Murphy, Lange, Sarandon and FX, “Feud” undoubtedly has the right pedigree to appeal to Emmy voters, and telling a story of classic Hollywood history will likely appeal to the industry insiders who make up the television academy.
We’ve interviewed eight cast and crew members from the limited series to discuss the show. Click the “Watch Now” links below to be taken to their complete interviews.
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Jessica Lange (Best Movie/Mini Actress): “Really what I hope people understand about her is the tremendous complexity like all human beings. It’s not this or that; it’s not black and white. There’s a lot of area, contradictions. What we tried to do is be very honest and sympathetic.” (Watch Now)
Susan Sarandon (Best Movie/Mini Actress): “Her seeming lack of vanity led to very raw performances. So much of her reputation and her advancement in her career came about because she played parts that nobody else wanted… She didn’t mind playing ugly people or mean people or women who were desperate or a murderess. She just bit into it and went crazy with it.” (Watch Now)
Alfred Molina (Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actor): “The best drama comes from those moments in life where characters contradict themselves or behave against type. As in real life, the most interesting moments are when we’re not doing what’s expected of us.” (Watch Now)
Stanley Tucci (Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actor): “He was almost in a strange way a caricature of himself or people of his ilk. [Jack Warner was a] very smart, a savvy businessman, incredibly misogynistic, and he took advantage probably of everybody that he came in contact with.” (Watch Now)
Jackie Hoffman (Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actress): “When I read it, it was top secret and I didn’t know what I was reading for … When I found out it was Mamacita, they had to peel me up off the floor… How nourishing a character she was and how full of life it was.” (Watch Now)
Alison Wright (Best Movie/Mini Supporting Actress): “Everybody really wanted to be there. TV can be pretty brutal, but there was a real fervor for everyone that worked there. Everyone was really bringing their ‘A’ game and working with wonderful people. Hopefully there will be a lot of (Emmy) nods for the people that worked on that.” (Watch Now)
Helen Hunt (Best Movie/Mini Directing): “I’m still reeling from what Ryan Murphy has accomplished, just to put his big, giant arms around everything from bullying to violence against women, to women trying to stay relevant in the business. It’s thrilling.” (Watch Now)
Mac Quayle (Best Music Composition): “Ryan wanted it to sound like the early ’60s. He wanted it to be an orchestral sound, so we knew that would be the pallet. The emotion would speak to the tension between the two women, and also the sadness in what they went through in their lives, and how they were treated by Hollywood.” (Watch Now)
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