Australian production company Northern Pictures is once again making headlines in Hollywood, securing two Emmy Awards in Los Angeles.
At the 76th annual event, Northern Pictures was celebrated for its US spin-off of “Love on the Spectrum”, a reality series that has captivated viewers globally with its heartfelt and insightful depiction of individuals on the autism spectrum navigating the complexities of dating and relationships.
The production company — which is also responsible for “Austin”, starring “Love On The Spectrum: Australia” favourite Michael Theo — took out the trophies for Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program and Outstanding Directing for a Reality Program.
Speaking to Variety AU/NZ, co-creators Karina Holden and Cian O’Clery said the “Love on the Spectrum” franchise, “is such a joy and privilege to make.”
“We created this series with the idea of love and belonging being something everyone deserves,” they said. “It’s not easy to choose what moments may have contributed to the wonderful recognition the series has received.
“One of the great things about the show for us is that different people respond to different cast members and different moments, whether it be the first experience of hand holding, a passionate first kiss, a song shared in Africa between a couple who met on the show, or a beautiful, poignant and quiet family moment,” they added.
“The cast are all so open, honest and real, they are the reason we are being recognised with these awards.”
The Northern Pictures team also received nominations for Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program and Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program.
The two Emmys add to “Love on the Spectrum U.S.”’s impressive Emmy track record. The series previously secured three awards at the 2022 Emmy Awards, for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program, Outstanding Picture Editing for an Unstructured Reality Program, and Outstanding Casting for a Reality Program.
Now clocking five Emmys in total, co-creators Karina Holden and Cian O’Clery told Variety AU/NZ the reason the show resonated so strongly both here and overseas comes down to “the tone of the series.”
“There’s no artifice, competition, no villains,” they said. “This is something that has hopefully been refreshing for US audiences. To experience the characters’ unfiltered stories makes it such a rewarding watch.”
Over in the U.K., Northern Pictures’ Australian comedy series “Austin” was recently picked up by public service broadcaster juggernaut, the BBC.
The eight-part scripted series, which stars Ben Miller, Sally Phillips, and “Love on The Spectrum” favourite Michael Theo, is now available on BBC iPlayer and TV channels thanks to an acquisition deal with ITV Studios.
The series was created and written by Darren Ashton (“Spreadsheet”), Ben Miller (“The Armstrong and Miller Show”), Lloyd Woolf, Joe Tucker (“Black Ops”), Adam Zwar (“Squinters”) and Kala Ellis (“Spreadsheet”).
“Austin” follows the tale of popular children’s author Julian Hartswood (Ben Miller) who inadvertently unleashes a social media storm, a moment of stupidity that threatens to prematurely end his career and that of his illustrator wife Ingrid (Sally Phillips).
Enter Michael Theo as the titular character, the neurodivergent son that Julian never knew existed.
DNA tests, awkward family dinners and flirty moments follow, and Austin finds himself in the U.K. on a journey that he describes as the “single best thing I’ve ever done.”
Speaking on the Variety AU/NZ podcast in June, Michael Theo said stepping into his role was both a career highlight and a personal victory.
“[Darren] actually took me by surprise by offering me an acting role, which I did not expect,” he says on the podcast episode. “I saw it as a chance to pursue acting all over again [because] it’s one of my main passions.”
For “Austin” director Darren Ashton, honouring how Michael felt about certain decisions, like casting his on-screen mother, was an important part of the creative process.
“The idea of representing neurodiversity and a neurodivergent character, you have a responsibility to that,” he said in the podcast. “But I always go on my gut instinct and what is important for a story on a human level.”
Both seasons of “Love on the Spectrum U.S.” are currently available to stream on Netflix, with the third season expected to arrive soon.