| The Andy Warhol Diaries | |
|---|---|
.png) Promotional poster | |
| Genre | Documentary |
| Based on | |
| Written by | Andrew Rossi |
| Directed by | Andrew Rossi |
| Narrated by | Bill Irwin, using Resemble AI to simulate Andy Warhol's voice[1] |
| Opening theme | "Nature Boy" byNat King Cole |
| Composers |
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| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Maya E. Rudolph |
| Cinematography |
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| Editor | Steven Ross |
| Running time | 53–78 minutes |
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |
| Network | Netflix |
| Release | March 9, 2022 (2022-03-09) |
The Andy Warhol Diaries is an Americandocumentary television limited series from writer and directorAndrew Rossi,[2][3][4][5] and executive producerRyan Murphy, based on the 1989book of the same name byAndy Warhol, as edited by Pat Hackett. The series simulates the famedpop artist narrating his own diary entries through the use ofartificial intelligence technology.[6]Netflix debuted the series of six episodes on March 9, 2022.[7]
TheAndy Warhol Robot helped inspire the concept for theAI voice in the series,[6] along with Warhol's cultivated image as an "asexual robot" atThe Factory in the 1960s,[8] and his claim that "Machines have less problems."[9] ActorBill Irwin provided the narration that was morphed by the AI software.[1]
Warhol began dictating diary entries via phone in 1976, taking stock of his life in great detail. Longtime friend and collaborator Pat Hackettmaintained the diary for eleven years and reflects on the life of the artist. The series traces Warhol's relationships with interior designerJed Johnson,Paramount Pictures executiveJon Gould, and artistJean-Michel Basquiat.[10][11]
Others interviewed for the series includeBob Colacello,Christopher Makos,Rob Lowe,Jerry Hall,Mariel Hemingway,Tony Shafrazi,Mary Boone,Vincent Fremont, Shelly Dunn Fremont,Jamie Wyeth,Glenn Ligon,Larry Gagosian, José Carlos Diaz,David LaChapelle,Wilfredo Rosado, Peter Wise,Donna De Salvo,Jay Johnson,Kenny Scharf,Alan Wanzenberg,Michael Chow, Patrick Moore,John Waters,Greg Tate,Julian Schnabel,Marc Balet,Lee Quiñones, Donald Warhola,Futura 2000, Daniela Morera,Debbie Harry,Paige Powell, John Reinhold,Gigi Williams, Jay Gould,Jeffrey Deitch, Jessica Beck,Cornelia Guest, Madelyn Kaye,Lisa Birnbach,Fab 5 Freddy,R. Couri Hay, Benjamin Liu,Lucy Sante,Tama Janowitz, Katy Dobbs,Whit Stillman, andJane Holzer.[12][13]
| No. | Title | Directed by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Smoke Signals" | Andrew Rossi | March 9, 2022 (2022-03-09) | |
Traces Warhol's path from Pittsburgh into the New York City art scene. | ||||
| 2 | "Shadows: Andy & Jed" | Andrew Rossi | March 9, 2022 (2022-03-09) | |
Warhol takes on the role of portrait painter for the illustrious. Meanwhile, hisStudio 54 haunting and partaking disrupts his domestic life with his longtime boyfriendJed Johnson. | ||||
| 3 | "A Double Life: Andy & Jon" | Andrew Rossi | March 9, 2022 (2022-03-09) | |
Warhol takes on modeling and early reality TV while he has a love affair with thecloseted youngParamount Pictures executiveJon Gould. | ||||
| 4 | "Collab: Andy & Basquiat" | Andrew Rossi | March 9, 2022 (2022-03-09) | |
Focuses on Warhol's artistic collaborations and personal relationship withJean-Michel Basquiat amidst New York City's booming 1980sgraffiti art scene. | ||||
| 5 | "15 Minutes" | Andrew Rossi | March 9, 2022 (2022-03-09) | |
Warhol enters prime time viaSaturday Night Live andThe Love Boat as his friendship with Basquiat sours. | ||||
| 6 | "Loving the Alien" | Andrew Rossi | March 9, 2022 (2022-03-09) | |
AsAIDS hits New York City, Warhol beginsThe Last Supper series and unexpectedly dies after its completion | ||||
OnRotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 96% based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Employing some risky stylistic flourishes that Andy Warhol himself might have approved of, theseDiaries are a revelatory glimpse into the inner life of a purposefully unknowable artist."[14] OnMetacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[15]
Jack Seale ofThe Guardian described the series as "a startling biopic told with the artist's own words".[16] Daniel D'Addario ofVariety wrote that "the series both summons Warhol's affectless voice and insists on finding the intellect and emotion behind the coolly evaluating gaze".[5]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series | Ryan Murphy,Andrew Rossi,Josh Braun,Alexis Martin Woodall, Stanley Buchthal, Dan Braun, Stacey Reiss, and Maya E. Rudolph | Nominated | [17] [18] |
| Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program | Andrew Rossi(for "Shadows: Andy & Jed") | Nominated | |||
| Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Programming | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program | Wolfgang Held(for "Collab: Andy & Basquiat") | Nominated | |||
| Gotham Independent Film Awards | Breakthrough Nonfiction Series | The Andy Warhol Diaries | Nominated | [19] | |
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Original Song — Documentary Series - TV | Daniel Braun(for "So Afraid to Lose You") | Won | [20] |
