Anacostia (web series) explained

Creator:	Anthony Anderson
Director:	Anthony Anderson
Country:	United States
Language:	English
Num Seasons:	6
Num Episodes:	60
Last Aired:	present

Anacostia is a soap opera web series that premiered on October 15, 2009 on YouTube. It was created by Anthony A. Anderson (not to be confused with the actor of the same name), who also stars in, writes, produces, and directs the series. Anacostia chronicles the drama among residents of the titular community in Washington, D. C. Guest star Martha Byrne later became an executive producer on the series.

The series was nominated for a 2022 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor In A Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (Anthony Anderson). Anthony Anderson became the first actor in history to be nominated for both a Daytime and Primetime Emmy for the same role.

The series was also nominated for a 2015 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding New Approaches Drama Series, and Martha Byrne won a Daytime Emmy the same year for Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series for her performance as Alexis Jordan. Elizabeth Hubbard was nominated in 2016 for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for her role as Eva Montgomery, and Anthony Anderson made history becoming the first African American to be nominated in 2017 for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for his role as Sean Williams-Grey. In 2017, actress Jennifer Bassey received the show's fifth nomination, in the Outstanding Guest Performer digital category. Anacostia has the most wins at the Indie Series Awards.

In 2018, Anacostia was picked up by Amazon Video for a multi year run on the streaming platform.

Cast

Anthony Anderson as Sean (2009–present)
William Lash as Scott (2009–present)
Tamieka Chavis as Mia (2009–present)
Marion Akpan as Nancy (2009–present)
Pasha Diallo as Dominique (2009–present)
Kena Hodges as Nicole (2009–present)
Christopher Bair as Cliff (2009–present)
Antonio Harrison, Jr. as Que (2010–present)
Kelvin Terrell as Ray (2011–present)
Martha Byrne as Alexis Jordan/JoAnne Edwards (2011–present)
India Doy as Jennifer (2011–present)
Tandrea Parrott as Desiree' (2010–present)
Rolfini Whidbee as Maurice (2011–present)
Luis Valdez as Eric (2012–present)
Alexis Robinson Smith as Melissa (2014–present)
Tremayne Norris as Carlos (2014–present)
Melan Perez as Salina (2014–present)
Elizabeth Hubbard as Eva Montgomery (2015–present)
Jennifer Bassey as Beverley Newman (2017–present)
Lauren B. Martin as Chevonne (2018–present)
Walter Maxfield Jones as Michael (2009–present)
Chanté Bowser as Salina (2009–2012)
Jermaine McNeal as Andrew (2009–2011)
Kareem Petteway as Creeko (2009)
Rabon Hutcherson as Andre (2009–)
Deidra Taylor as Lashawn ("Cherry") (2011–2013)
Darnell Lamont Walker as Julian (season 2 - 3)
Carey Green as Jack (2010–present)
Giselle Gant as Madison (2011–2013)
Darnerien McCants as Cyrus (2011–2016)
Tye Frazier as Brian (2011–2012)
Tiana Harris as Ashley (2011–2012)
Yohance Fleming as Chauncey (2011)
Ashleigh McGill as April (2014)
Dai Boggan as Tim (2015)
Chris Deloatch as Clay (2015)
Lauren Dorsey as Donatella
Devin Nikki Thomas as Tracee James (2017–Present)

Series overview

Series Summary!Season!# ofEpisodes!First Aired!Last Aired
1	10	2009	2010
2	10	2010	2011
3	10	2011	2012
4	10	2014	2015
5	10	2015	2017
6	10	2018	2021

Episodes

Season 1!No. InSeries!No. InSeason!Episode Title!Written By!Directed By!Viewers(in thousands)
1	1	Covet Thy Neighbor	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.032
2	2	Breaking The Surface	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.015
3	3	Beware of The Fine Print	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.013
4	4	Always Bet on Black (Part 1)	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.011
5	5	Always Bet on Black (Part 2)	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.017
6	6	L.O.V.E.	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.011
7	7	Bad Girl	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.011
8	8	You've Got The Look	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.009
9	9	The End Is Coming	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.013
10	10	Arrivals & Departures	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.012

Season 2!No. InSeries!No. InSeason!Episode Title!Written By!Directed By!Viewers(in thousands)
11	1	Scar Tissue	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.012
12	2	What Will I Tell My Heart?	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.010
13	3	Hello Like Before	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.042
14	4	The Wheels on The Bus	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.012
15	5	Checks and Balances	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.011
16	6	One For The Road	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.009
17	7	A House Is Not a Home	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.010
18	8	Business as Usual	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.008
19	9	Sins of The Past	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.010
20	10	And Justice For All	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.011

Season 3!No. InSeries!No. InSeason!Episode Title!Written By!Directed By!Viewers(in thousands)
21	1	Where Do We Go From Here	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.013
22	2	Only In My Dreams	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.034
23	3	Sign Your Name	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.024
24	4	Helping Hands	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.023
25	5	The Bigger They Are	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.028
26	6	Show and Tell	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.023
27	7	The Gangs All Here	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.021
28	8	The Power of Goodbye	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.038
29	9	Break-up To Make-up	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.028
30	10	Till Death Do Us Part	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.025

Season 4!No. InSeries!No. InSeason!Episode Title!Written By!Directed By!Viewers(in thousands)
31	1	Don't Leave Me This Way	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.015
32	2	Once Upon a Time	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.016
33	3	Never Say Never	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.014
34	4	What Happens In Vegas	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.010
35	5	R.S.V.P	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.007
36	6	Do Unto Others	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.007
37	7	Choices	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.006
38	8	What a Fool Believes	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.006
39	9	When The Bough Breaks	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.007
40	10	Proxy	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.008

Season 5!No. InSeries!No. InSeason!Episode Title!Written By!Directed By!Viewers(in thousands)
41	1	You Again	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	0.013
42	2	Why Me (Part 1)	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	0.010
43	3	Why Me (Part 2)	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	0.006
44	4	I Can See You	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.007
45	5	Road Kill	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.004
46	6	Speak No Evil	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.003
47	7	The Knock	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.003
48	8	Call It By Its Name	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.002
49	9	Lost and Found	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	0.002
50	10	Confessions	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	Anthony Anderson & Martha Byrne	0.004

Season 6!No. InSeries!No. InSeason!Episode Title!Written By!Directed By!Viewers(in thousands)
51	1	Aftermath	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.010
52	2	Like Father, Like Son	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.008
53	3	15 Minutes	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson	0.008
54	4	One Wish	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson
55	5	Man In The Mirror	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson
56	6	The Life Of A Liar	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson
57	7	Let Me Love You	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson
58	8	Fourth Of July	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson
59	9	Secrets, Lies & Rollercoaster Rides	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson
60	10	Stormy Weather	Anthony Anderson	Anthony Anderson

Production

Anacostia was created in 2009 by Anderson, who also writes, executive produces and stars in the series. Byrne serves as executive producer. Lora Lee, Jamie Misiak and Alexis Robinson Smith are among the series' line producers. Marion Akpan, Christopher Bair, Pasha Diallo, India Doy-Young, Antonio Harrison Jr., Kena Hodges, William Lash, Rolfini Whidbee, and Spencer Bruttig serve as producers.^[1] ^[2] Previous producers include Fritz Brekeller, the seasons 1-5 supervising producer, Tommy Zamberlan, as the seasons 1-5 Senior Producer, and Benjamin Bryant as co-executive producer of seasons 1-5.

Byrne, known for her longtime role on the defunct CBS soap opera As the World Turns, joined the series in the role of high-powered madame Alexis Jordan in 2011.^[3] In September 2015, Soap Opera Digest reported that Byrne's former As the World Turns co-star Elizabeth Hubbard would also appear on Anacostia as Eva Montgomery, in scenes directed and co-written by Byrne.^[3] ^[4] ^[5]

In early 2021, after an 18 month production hiatus, Spencer Bruttig was added to the team as the show's Cinematographer and producer.

The show has been photographed using RED, Sony and Blackmagic cinema cameras.

Over the series' successive seasons, Anderson has attempted to address a number of social issues through the series soap operatic lens, including realistic takes on mental illness, incest, male-male rape, and the real-life gentrification of the iconic D.C. neighborhood.^[5]

Awards and recognition

Anacostia was nominated for a 2022 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actor In A Short Form Comedy or Drama Series (Anthony Anderson).

Anacostia was also nominated for a 2015 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding New Approaches Drama Series, and Martha Byrne won a Daytime Emmy the same year for Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series for her performance as Alexis Jordan.^[6] Elizabeth Hubbard was nominated in 2016 for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for her role as Eva Montgomery.^[7] ^[8] In 2017, Anthony Anderson was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for his role as Sean Williams-Grey.^[9] Jennifer Bassey was nominated in 2018 for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for her portrayal of Beverly Newman.^[10]

To date, the series has won fourteen Indie Series Awards,^[11] and has been nominated for several more. Anthony Anderson holds the record for most Acting Nominations (18) and is also the leader for overall Nominations (26) at the Indie Series Awards.

Year	Award	Category	Individual
2010	1st Indie Soap Awards	Best Ensemble
2011	2nd Indie Soap Awards	Outstanding Lead Actor	Anthony Anderson
2011	2nd Indie Soap Awards	Breakthrough Performance	Pasha Diallo
2012	3rd Indie Soap Awards	Best Guest Appearance (Drama)	Martha Byrne
2012	3rd Indie Soap Awards	Best Writing (Drama)	Anthony Anderson
2013	4th Indie Soap Awards	Best Supporting Actress (Drama)	Pasha Diallo
2015	42nd Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding New Approaches Drama Series
	42nd Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series	Martha Byrne
	6th Indie Series Awards	Best Ensemble (Drama)		^[12]
2016	43rd Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama Series	Elizabeth Hubbard
	7th Indie Series Awards	Best Lead Actress (Drama)	Tamieka Chavis	^[13]
		Best Supporting Actress (Drama)	Tia Dae
		Best Guest Actress (Drama)	Elizabeth Hubbard
		Best Ensemble (Drama)
2017
	44th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series	Anthony Anderson as Sean Williams-Grey
	8th Indie Series Awards	Best Lead Actor (Drama)	Anthony Anderson	^[14]
		Best Supporting Actress (Drama)	Marion A. Akpan
		Best Guest Actor (Drama)	Tremayne Norris	^[15]
		Best Guest Actress (Drama)	Elizabeth Hubbard
		Best Ensemble (Drama)
		Best Makeup	Lora Lee
2018	9th Indie Series Awards	Best Drama
		Best Lead Actor (Drama)	Anthony Anderson
		Best Supporting Actor (Drama)	Wil Lash
		Best Guest Actress (Drama)	Dee Freeman
		Best Guest Actress (Drama)	Jennifer Bassey
		Best Guest Actress (Drama)	Judi Blair
		Best Guest Actor (Drama)	Tremayne Norris
	45th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding Guest Performer in a Digital Daytime Drama Series	Jennifer Bassey
2019	10th Indie Series Awards	Best Guest Actress (Drama)	Lauren B. Martin
	46th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series	Wil Lash
2022	74th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards	Outstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series	Anthony A. Anderson

In December 2010, Anderson was named by We Love Soaps as one of the 15 Most Fascinating People of 2010.^[16]

In 2017, Gothamist Washington D.C. affiliate DCist named Anacostia "one of the best," in an article highlighting series set in the Washington D.C. area.^[17]

External links

- - Web site: Why Is Anacostia: The Web Series So Brilliant? It's Only Sort of a Race Thing. . . Shani . Hilton . November 22, 2011 . September 29, 2015.
Web site: East Los High and 32 Other Web Dramas Upstaging TV With Their Diversity . . Aymar Jean . Christian . July 31, 2014 . September 29, 2015.
Web site: Anacostia Anthony Anderson on Daytime Emmy Nods, Faith and His Message For Ron Carlivati. April 20, 2015 . Jamey . Giddens . Daytime Confidential . October 1, 2015 .
Web site: Crossroads Today ANACOSTIA's Anthony Anderson Speaks to the Power of Daytime Drama to Tackle Sensitive Issues in New Interview . February 23, 2017 . March 11, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170313124154/http://www.crossroadstoday.com/story/34582257/anacostias-anthony-anderson-speaks-to-the-power-of-daytime-drama-to-tackle-sensitive-issues-in-new-interview . March 13, 2017 . dead . mdy-all .
Web site: Kinja ANACOSTIA's Anthony Anderson tackles male/male rape (and gentrification!) in season five of the soap opera, and feels the responsibilities of African American storytellers . February 22, 2017 . March 11, 2017 . March 13, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170313044751/http://benjaminbryant.kinja.com/anacostia-showrunner-anthony-anderson-talks-tackling-ma-1792659968 . dead .
Web site: DCist Ten D.C.-Based Web Series You Should Watch . Staff Writer . . March 9, 2017 . March 11, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170311213505/http://dcist.com/2017/03/best_of_dc_web_series.php . March 11, 2017 .

Notes and References

Web site: General Hospital, Ellen DeGeneres, CBS Lead Daytime Emmy Nominations . . Cynthia . Littleton . March 31, 2015 . September 17, 2015.
Web site: General Hospital Leads 42nd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations . . Briana . Rodriguez . March 31, 2015 . September 17, 2015.
Web site: Exclusive! Elizabeth Hubbard Joins Anacostia . . September 17, 2015 . September 29, 2015.
Web site: Web Series Anacostia is Staging The Mother of All As The World Turns Reunions . Daytime Confidential . Jamey . Giddens . September 22, 2015 . September 29, 2015.
Web site: Anacostia Anthony Anderson Speaks to the Power of Daytime Drama to Tackle Sensitive Issues in New Interview . . Benjamin . Bryant . February 23, 2017 . March 11, 2017.
Web site: CBS, PBS and The Bold and the Beautiful Lead Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Winners . . September 26, 2015. April 25, 2015.
Web site: The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces the 43rd Annual Daytime Emmy® Award Nominations . . March 24, 2016 . March 24, 2016 . December 11, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201211193508/http://emmyonline.com/day_43rd_nominations . dead .
Web site: Young & Restless Leads Daytime Emmy Noms But Ceremony Won't Be on TV . Variety . March 24, 2016 . March 24, 2016.
Web site: The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Announces Nominations For the 44th Annual Daytime Emmy® Awards . National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences . March 22, 2017 . March 22, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170413073340/http://cdn.emmyonline.org/day_44th_nominations_v04.pdf . April 13, 2017 .
Web site: 2018 Daytime Emmy Awards Nominees. Daytime Emmy Awards. 13 April 2018 . National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. New York City. April 27, 2018.
Web site: Indie Series Awards History and Archive of Past Winners . Indie Series Awards . September 27, 2015.
Web site: 6th Annual Indie Series Awards: Complete List of Winners . . April 2015 . September 17, 2015.
Web site: Nominations Announced For 7th Annual ISAs . February 3, 2016 . . March 22, 2016.
Web site: Nominations Announced For 8th Annual Indie Series Awards . February 1, 2017 . Indie Series Awards . February 1, 2017.
Web site: 8th Annual Indie Series Awards Winners . Indie Series Awards . April 14, 2017.
Web site: We Love Soaps TV's 15 Most Fascinating People of 2010 . Kevin . Mulcahy, Jr. . . December 22, 2010 . September 30, 2015.
Web site: DCist Ten D.C.-Based Web Series You Should Watch . Staff Writer . . March 9, 2017 . March 11, 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170311213505/http://dcist.com/2017/03/best_of_dc_web_series.php . March 11, 2017 .