Four Apple Originals receive 2021 American Film Institute Awards

Today, the American Film Institute (AFI) announced that four Apple Originals have been selected as recipients of the prestigious AFI Awards 2021, including acclaimed Apple Original Films “CODA” and “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” as well as global hit original series “Ted Lasso” and “Schmigadoon!”
Apple TV+ blockbuster series Ted Lasso
AFI honorees will be celebrated on January 7, 2022 at the annual AFI Awards in Los Angeles, CA.
“Schmigadoon!” premiered globally on Friday, July 16, 2021, exclusively on Apple TV+.
“CODA” and “The Tragedy of Macbeth” have been named to the list of AFI Movies of the Year, and “Schmigadoon!” and “Ted Lasso” are honored among AFI’s Television Programs of the Year.

This year’s AFI Awards honors mark the first for Apple Original Films, and the second recognition for “Ted Lasso,” which was named as an official section for AFI’s Television Programs of the Year at the AFI Awards 2020.
AFI Awards honorees include 10 outstanding films and 10 outstanding TV programs deemed culturally and artistically representative of this year’s most significant achievements in the art of the moving image.
Celebrating film and television arts’ collaborative nature, the AFI Awards is the only national program that honors creative teams as a whole, recognizing those in front of and behind the camera. All of the honored works advance the art of the moving image, inspire audiences and artists alike, enhance the rich cultural heritage of America’s art form and make a mark on American society. When placed in a historical context, these stories provide a complex and rich visual record of our modern world.
Since the debut of Apple TV+ just over two years ago, Apple Original series and films have earned 174 wins and 623 nominations, and have recently received recognition from the Academy Awards, SAG Awards, Critics Choice Awards, Critics Choice Documentary Awards, NAACP Image Awards, as well as past Daytime and Primetime Emmy Awards, plus more.
“The Tragedy of Macbeth”
Apple Original Films presents an A24 and IAC Films production, “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” based on the play by William Shakespeare and written for the screen and directed by Joel Coen. The film stars Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling and Brendan Gleeson. The producers are Joel Coen, Frances McDormand and Robert Graf. The film features casting by Ellen Chenoweth, music by Carter Burwell, costumes by Mary Zophres, editing by Lucian Johnston and Reginald Jaynes, production design by Stefan Dechant, and cinematography by Bruno Delbonnel.
“CODA”
Seventeen-year-old Ruby (Emilia Jones) is the sole hearing member of a deaf family — a CODA, child of deaf adults. Her life revolves around acting as interpreter for her parents (Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur) and working on the family’s struggling fishing boat every day before school with her father and older brother (Daniel Durant). But when Ruby joins her high school’s choir club, she discovers a gift for singing and soon finds herself drawn to her duet partner Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo). Encouraged by her enthusiastic, tough-love choirmaster (Eugenio Derbez) to apply to a prestigious music school, Ruby finds herself torn between the obligations she feels to her family and the pursuit of her own dreams.
Written and directed by Siân Heder (“Tallulah,” “Little America”), “CODA” was presented in the US Dramatic Competition category at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and went on to be honored with an unprecedented four awards at the festival: the Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast, the Directing Award, the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize.
“Ted Lasso”
After garnering a record-breaking 20 nominations, freshman comedy “Ted Lasso” was recently honored with seven Emmy Awards, including Best Comedy Series. The series was also honored this year with an esteemed Peabody Award for excellence in storytelling, and Jason Sudeikis won Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series Award at the 2021 Screen Actors Guild Awards. Additionally, the hit show received three CCA awards last year.
In “Ted Lasso,” Sudeikis plays a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer. In addition to starring, Sudeikis serves as executive producer, alongside Bill Lawrence (“Scrubs”) via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television and Universal Television, a division of NBCUniversal Content. Doozer’s Jeff Ingold also serves as an executive producer with Liza Katzer as co-executive producer. The series was developed by Sudeikis, Lawrence, Joe Kelly and Brendan Hunt, and is based on the pre-existing format and characters from NBC Sports.
“Schmigadoon!”
A parody of iconic musicals, “Schmigadoon!” stars Cecily Strong and Keegan-Michael Key as a couple on a backpacking trip designed to reinvigorate their relationship who discover a magical town living in a 1940s musical. They then learn that they can’t leave until they find “true love.” The six-episode season also stars Alan Cumming, Kristin Chenoweth, Aaron Tveit, Dove Cameron, Ariana DeBose, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski and Ann Harada. Martin Short guest stars.
Hailing from Broadway Video and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, “Schmigadoon!” is co-created by Cinco Paul and Ken Daurio. Paul serves as showrunner, and wrote all of the original songs for the series. Barry Sonnenfeld directs and executive produces. In addition to starring, Strong serves as producer, and Daurio serves as consulting producer and writer. Andrew Singer executive produces with Lorne Michaels on behalf of Broadway Video.
MacDailyNews Take: Congratulations to all of the casts and crews of the four Apple Originals that have been selected as recipients of the 2021 AFI Awards!
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