''Anacostia'' is a

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

web series A web series (also known as a web show) is a series of scripted or non-scripted online videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet, which first emerged in the late 1990s and became more prominent in the early 2000s. A single in ...

that premiered on October 15, 2009 on

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. 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 Mary Martha Byrne (born December 23, 1969) is an American actress, singer and television writer. She played the role of Lily Walsh Snyder on the soap opera ''As the World Turns'' from 1985 to 1989, then again from 1993 to 2008; as well as, from ...

later became an executive producer on the series. The series was nominated for
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 The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...

for Outstanding New Approaches Drama Series, and

won a Daytime Emmy the same year for Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series for her performance as Alexis Jordan.

Elizabeth Hubbard Elizabeth Hubbard is an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Dr. Althea Davis on '' The Doctors'' (1964–69, 1970–77, 1981–82), and as powerful businesswoman Lucinda Walsh on ''As the World Turns'' (1984-2010). She also pla ...

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 The Indie Series Awards (formerly the Indie Soap Awards) is an annual event hosted by ''We Love Soaps'', based in Los Angeles, California, honoring the best in independently produced, scripted entertainment created for the Internet. The ceremony ...

. In 2018, ''Anacostia'' was picked up by

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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) *

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) *

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

Episodes

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. 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 CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

soap opera ''

As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other s ...

'', joined the series in the role of high-powered madame Alexis Jordan in 2011. In September 2015, ''

Soap Opera Digest ''Soap Opera Digest'' is a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It features onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional in ...

'' reported that Byrne's former ''As the World Turns'' co-star

would also appear on ''Anacostia'' as Eva Montgomery, in scenes directed and co-written by Byrne. 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.

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

for Outstanding New Approaches Drama Series, and

won a Daytime Emmy the same year for Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series for her performance as Alexis Jordan.

was nominated in 2016 for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for her role as Eva Montgomery. 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. Jennifer Bassey was nominated in 2018 for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for her portrayal of Beverly Newman. To date, the series has won fourteen Indie Series Awards, 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. In December 2010, Anderson was named by ''

We Love Soaps There are multiple media outlets which focus primarily on television soap operas and telenovela A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television" ...

'' as one of the ''15 Most Fascinating People of 2010''. 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.

Gallery

File:Anacostia The Series Season 6 begins production.png, alt=

References

External links

* * * * * * * * {{US daytime soaps 2009 web series debuts 2000s American drama television series 2010s American drama television series African-American television English-language television shows 2000s American LGBT-related drama television series American drama web series Internet soap operas American LGBT-related web series Television shows set in Washington, D.C. 2000s YouTube series 2010s American LGBT-related drama television series 2010s YouTube series