Isaiah Passes on Emmy
Isaiah Washington is in a no-win situation. At least when it comes to an Emmy.
Coming off a season racked with enough off-screen drama to rival the busiest day at Seattle Grace, the Grey's Anatomy star did not submit his name for Best Supporting Actor consideration this year, according to Washington's publicist.
"It's all about the acting, not the awards," rep Howard Bragman said Friday, the deadline for actors, producers and so on to throw their hats into the ring in time for the Sept. 16 ceremony.
Despite having scored his second acting honor in a row at the NAACP Image Awards last month and sharing in the Grey's Anatomy cast's win for Best Ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards earlier this year, perhaps Washington figured it would be best to lie low in the interim.
The 43-year-old actor nearly took a scalpel to his career in January when he told reporters backstage at the Golden Globes, where Grey's Anatomy had just been named Best Drama Series, that he never called costar T.R. Knight a "faggot" during an on-set dustup last October. "Never happened," Washington said.
After much condemnation from ABC, civil rights groups such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and costar Katherine Heigl (who called Knight her best friend and declared that she was "not okay" with what Washington said), Washington slowly climbed his way out of the doghouse by apologizing profusely, seeking treatment for his behavioral issues and throwing himself back into work with a vengeance.
Ironically, "Where the Boys Are," the male-bonding episode that supposedly left Washington in a huff regarding Knight's punctuality (the huff that purportedly prompted the nasty slur), won for Outstanding Individual Episode at the 18th Annual GLAAD Media Awards last weekend.
If Washington had scored an Emmy nod, it would have been his first for the hit show, which lost out to 24 for Outstanding Drama Series last year.
But instead of passing the time this summer waiting for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to announce the 59th Annual Primetime Emmy nominations, Washington will be busy filming the indie thriller The Least of These, playing a Catholic priest who returns to teach at the high school where he was sexually abused as a teenager.
Presumably Washington will be prepping for the fourth season of Grey's Anatomy, as well, although his name was listed among the list of players whose paychecks got bumped up last month, per trade reports. Online's Kristin Veitch reported Friday, however, that rumors suggesting he and Knight are leaving the show (to star in a redo of The Odd Couple, perhaps?) are "completely bunk."
Big Night For the NAACP Image Awards
Big Night For the NAACP Image Awards
For a host of Hollywood royalty, Valentine’s Day meant going to the 39th Annual NAACP Image Awards. And there were plenty of beautiful people at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium last night.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People brought out the stars, including actors and musicians. And everyone looked fabulous.
Janet Jackson wore an all-black dress with a train and an oversized gold belt buckle that beckoned the spirit of her “Rhythm Nation” days.
American Idol star Jordin Sparks looked ravishing in a strapless brown evening gown. She even won the Outstanding New Artist award.
Other notable attendees included Megan Good, Vanessa Williams, Megan Good, and Kate Walsh.
NAACP Images Awards executive producer Vicangelo Bulluck told press, “It’s a multicultural show from an African-American point of view. It’s definitely representative of the community, but it’s inclusive because most of the projects that get nominated and voted on speak to something in the human condition.”
To see the entire gallery from the NAACP Image Awards (February 14) - !