Anacostia (web series)


Anacostia is a soap opera web series that premiered on October 15, 2009 on YouTube. It was created by Anthony A. Anderson, 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 . 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.
WWW amazon.com/dp/B07H5VGLRC

Cast

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

Series overview

Season# of
Episodes		First AiredLast Aired
11020092010
21020102011
31020112012
41020142015
51020152017
61020182021

Episodes

No. In
Series		No. In
Season		Episode TitleWritten ByDirected ByViewers
11Covet Thy NeighborAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.032
22Breaking The SurfaceAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.015
33Beware of The Fine PrintAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.013
44Always Bet on Black Anthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.011
55Always Bet on Black Anthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.017
66L.O.V.E.Anthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.011
77Bad GirlAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.011
88You've Got The LookAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.009
99The End Is ComingAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.013
1010Arrivals & DeparturesAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.012

No. In
Series		No. In
Season		Episode TitleWritten ByDirected ByViewers
211Where Do We Go From HereAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.013
222Only In My DreamsAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.034
233Sign Your NameAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.024
244Helping HandsAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.023
255The Bigger They AreAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.028
266Show and TellAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.023
277The Gangs All HereAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.021
288The Power of GoodbyeAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.038
299Break-up To Make-upAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.028
3010Till Death Do Us PartAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.025

No. In
Series		No. In
Season		Episode TitleWritten ByDirected ByViewers
411You AgainAnthony Anderson & Martha ByrneAnthony Anderson & Martha Byrne0.013
422Why Me Anthony Anderson & Martha ByrneAnthony Anderson & Martha Byrne0.010
433Why Me Anthony Anderson & Martha ByrneAnthony Anderson & Martha Byrne0.006
444I Can See YouAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.007
455Road KillAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.004
466Speak No EvilAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.003
477The KnockAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.003
488Call It By Its NameAnthony AndersonAnthony Anderson0.002
499Lost and FoundAnthony Anderson & Martha ByrneAnthony Anderson & Martha Byrne0.002
5010ConfessionsAnthony Anderson & Martha ByrneAnthony Anderson & Martha Byrne0.004

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 soap opera As the World Turns, joined the series in the role of high-powered madame Alexis Jordan in 2011. 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.
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.
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. 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. 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 and is also the leader for overall Nominations at the Indie Series Awards.
YearAwardCategoryIndividualResult
20101st Indie Soap AwardsBest EnsembleWon
20112nd Indie Soap AwardsOutstanding Lead ActorAnthony AndersonWon
20112nd Indie Soap AwardsBreakthrough PerformancePasha DialloWon
20123rd Indie Soap AwardsBest Guest Appearance Martha ByrneWon
20123rd Indie Soap AwardsBest Writing Anthony AndersonWon
20134th Indie Soap AwardsBest Supporting Actress Pasha DialloWon
201542nd Daytime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding New Approaches Drama SeriesNomitated
201542nd Daytime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama SeriesMartha ByrneWon
20156th Indie Series AwardsBest Ensemble Won
201643rd Daytime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Actress in a Digital Daytime Drama SeriesElizabeth HubbardNomitated
20167th Indie Series AwardsBest Lead Actress Tamieka ChavisNomitated
20167th Indie Series AwardsBest Supporting Actress Tia DaeNomitated
20167th Indie Series AwardsBest Guest Actress Elizabeth HubbardNomitated
20167th Indie Series AwardsBest Ensemble Nomitated
2017-----
201744th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Lead Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama SeriesAnthony Anderson as Sean Williams-GreyNomitated
20178th Indie Series AwardsBest Lead Actor Anthony AndersonNomitated
20178th Indie Series AwardsBest Supporting Actress Marion A. AkpanNomitated
20178th Indie Series AwardsBest Guest Actor Tremayne NorrisWon
20178th Indie Series AwardsBest Guest Actress Elizabeth HubbardNomitated
20178th Indie Series AwardsBest Ensemble Nomitated
20178th Indie Series AwardsBest MakeupLora LeeNomitated
20189th Indie Series AwardsBest DramaNomitated
Best Lead Actor Anthony AndersonNomitated
Best Supporting Actor Wil LashWon
Best Guest Actress Dee FreemanNomitated
Best Guest Actress Jennifer BasseyNomitated
Best Guest Actress Judi BlairNomitated
Best Guest Actor Tremayne NorrisNomitated
45th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Guest Performer in a Digital Daytime Drama SeriesJennifer BasseyNomitated
201910th Indie Series AwardsBest Guest Actress Lauren B. MartinWon
46th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama SeriesWil LashNomitated-
202274th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy AwardsOutstanding Actor in a Short Form Comedy or Drama SeriesAnthony A. AndersonNomitated-

In December 2010, Anderson was named by We Love Soaps 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.