Getty Marsha Stephanie Blake, Ethan Herisse, Asante Blackk, Caleel Harris, Niecy Nash, Jharrel Jerome and Aunjanue Ellis attend Netflix's "When They See Us" Screening & Reception at Paramount Theater on the Paramount Studios lot on August 11, 2019 in Hollywood, California.
When They See Us was based on the true story of the Central Park Five, the teens who were falsely convicted in the brutal rape and beating of a Central Park jogger on April 19, 1989.
The court case made headlines for years, and the Netflix miniseries brought the true story of injustice to the next generation. The four-part series, directed by Ava DuVernay, tell the story of Korey Wise, Raymond Santana, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, and Kevin Richardson.
The men were exonerated after spending years of their lives in prison for a crime they did not commit. They were between 14 and 16 years old when they were arrested. Santana, Salaam, McCray and Richardson spent seven years in prison, while Wise spent 13 years in prison. The case divided New York City over racial lines. The true assailant, Matias Reyes, was a serial rapist who confessed to the crime in 2002, and DNA linked him to the case. The men sued over the wrongful convictions and New York City agreed to a $40 million settlement in 2014, CBS reported.
The limited series was watched on 23 million accounts, according to Deadline.
“Imagine believing the world doesn’t care about real stories of black people. It always made me sad,” DuVernay wrote on Twitter. “So when Netflix just shared with me that 23M+ accounts worldwide have watched #WhenTheySeeUs, I cried. Our stories matter and can move across the globe. A new truth for a new day.”
The series was nominated a total of nine times for Emmy awards in 2019, according to the Emmys nominee list. The Emmy Awards will air live on Fox Sunday, September 22, 2019 at 8 p.m. ET.
Here are the nominations:
Outstanding Limited Series
When They See Us was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series.
The other nominees are:
Chernobyl
Escape at Dannemora
Fosse/Verdon
Sharp Objects
Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
Jharrel Jerome was nominated for his role in When They See Us. He played Korey Wise.
The other nominees are:
Mahershala Ali, True Detective
Benicio Del Toro, Escape at Dannemora
Hugh Grant, A Very English Scandal
Jared Harris, Chernobyl
Sam Rockwell, Fosse/Verdon
Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Both Aunjanue Ellis and Niecy Nash were nominated for this award for their roles in When They See Us.
The other nominees are:
Amy Adams, Sharp Objects
Patricia Arquette, Escape at Dannemora
Joey King, The Act
Michelle Williams, Fosse/Verdon
Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie
When They See Us was nominated three times in this category. John Leguizamo, Michael K. Williams and Asante Blackk were each nominated for best supporting actor in a limited series or movie.
The other nominees are:
Ben Whishaw, A Very English Scandal
Stellan Skarsgard, Chernobyl
Paul Dano, Escape at Dannemora
Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie
Both Marsha Stephanie Blake and Vera Farmiga were nominated for best supporting actress in a limited series for their roles in When They See Us.
The other nominees are:
Emily Watson, Chernobyl
Margaret Qualley, Fosse/Verdon
Patricia Clarkson, Sharp Objects
Patricia Arquette, The Act