Salli Richardson-Whitfield’s mid-career pivot has paid off.
The actress-turned-producer/director earned her first-ever Emmy nomination for her work on a critically acclaimed HBO series this year, casually making history as the first Black woman to be nominated in the category of Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series. Ironically, it was for her work on a show that was criminally cut short before its time, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.
But before she was dominating in the director’s seat, Richardson-Whitfield was a staple beauty of 90’s era film and TV. From Mo’ Money and A Low Down Dirty Shame to The Jamie Foxx Show, ROC, and even voicing the classic animated drama Gargoyles.
We caught up with Richardson-Whitfield just after news of her historic nomination dropped to learn what led to her transition from in front of to behind the lens, finding success in overlooked spaces, and finally getting invited to the party of a lifetime three decades into her Hollywood journey.
ESSENCE: Despite a career spanning nearly 35 years, 65 acting credits to your name, and 37 turns in the director’s seat, these two Emmy nominations are your first. What did you feel like when you heard you were nominated in not just one, but two categories?
Richardson-Whitfield: Completely blindsided! I was on set, and I was actually more focused on The Gilded Age because I know that HBO had been doing a push for the show, and so I hoping that they would get a nod, and when they did, I was like, “Great, I get to go to the party.” But nothing in my wildest dream said Winning Time was going to get several nominations, let alone for me as a directing nominee. So I’m very, very surprised.
It was surprising for many fans of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty in particular, since, unfortunately, the show has been canceled since September of last year.
Part of the reason I was very surprised was because the show had been canceled. Really out of any show that I’ve done so far in my career, I was really happy that it was that show and that particular episode because it was one that I was very proud of.
Unfortunately, I just think the show was put out at the wrong time. Some of the players were having issues with not being a part of it, and then we had COVID, and then the strike –– it was just a bad time. But I think that it’s going to be one of those shows that people look back at and go, “we really missed the boat on that one.” It’s a really cool show. Great characters and visually something different than I think has been on TV before.
For those not in the know, particularly some of us children of the 90s who know your face all too well specifically as an actress, explain how you ended up making a career in the director’s chair instead.
I would say it’s been about eight years full-time that directing took over. I was shooting Ava Duvernay’s first feature, I Will Follow. During that process –– probably because I was talking a little too much –– Ava said to me, ‘I think you’re a director and you don’t know it.’ And just her breathing those kind of words from God into me, I went, ‘huh…I do kind of think this way.’
Later, I was on a series called Eureka and spoke with them about maybe giving me a shot at directing. And of course, I did my due diligence and did some shadowing with other directors and read books, and Ava gave me some tapes on blocking. They trusted in me and gave me the opportunity. And after that first episode, I knew that, eventually this would be something I would transition into. It’s almost like all those 20, 25, 30 years of acting really was my training ground to be a director.
So how do you think this Emmys will be different from others you’ve been to in the past, now hitting the carpet as a nominee?
Well, I have never been to Emmys! So, I’m super excited.
Really?? That is shocking.
Again, that’s why I was so excited when The Gilded Age got nominated. I thought, “Okay, I produced this show. At least I get to go.” So the fact that it’s my first time and I’m nominated for two Emmys is going to make the party much better. Win or lose, at least I’m there.
What do you have coming up next, beyond the Emmys?
Well, I have a new show that I’m on my way to set right now for HBO, called Task, and it stars Mark Ruffalo. It is produced by the same showrunner, Brad Inglesby, who was behind The Mare of Easttown. So this is another one I’m just super excited for, a different sort of crime drama. I’ve done a little bit of that, but I really get to delve into this genre in a bigger way this time. And the cast is amazing. And hopefully, I’ll be there next year when it comes out for another Emmy nom.