Whereas Ryan Murphy has discovered success within the TV business, he’s additionally confronted his justifiable share of controversies.
Murphy is most well-known for creating and producing a number of common sequence together with Glee, American Horror Story, Pose and extra. Over the course of his profession, he’s earned six Primetime Emmy Awards from 36 nominations, a Tony Award from two nominations and two Grammy Award nominations.
Alongside along with his accomplishments, Murphy has additionally confronted a sequence of controversies. Talking about his time on Glee, Murphy described the times on set because the “the perfect” and “the worst time” in his life as he navigated behind-the scenes drama with the forged.
“There was a whole lot of infighting. There was lots of people sleeping collectively and breaking apart,” he recalled in a 2016 interview with Leisure Weekly. “It was good coaching for being a father or mother, I’ll let you know that a lot. However I additionally made a mistake: All of us received too private.”
Preserve scrolling to see Murphy’s ups and downs through the years:
2004
Murphy, who received his begin in TV by cocreating the 1999 WB sequence In style, received his first style of success after creating his FX present Nip/Tuck, which aired for six seasons. The drama sequence scored him his first-ever Emmy nomination for Excellent Directing for a Drama Sequence.
2009
5 years after the prosperity of Nip/Tuck, Murphy returned to TV with Glee. He earned his first Emmy for steering the pilot episode. All through the present’s six seasons, it took dwelling six Emmys, 9 Golden Globes, 14 Teen Alternative Awards, one SAG award and extra. The recognition of the sequence led to the spinoff actuality present, The Glee Challenge, which Murphy additionally created in an try to search out new expertise for the sequence.
Together with the musical dramedy gaining reputation the forged additionally confronted a number of controversial and tragic occasions. Whereas filming the sequence, Lea Michele was accused of poisonous conduct and bullying on set. Forward of taking pictures season 5 in 2013, Cory Monteith died at age 31 from an unintended drug overdose. After the present wrapped up in 2015, two extra forged members died: Mark Salling, who by suicide in 2018, and Naya Rivera, who by accident drowned in 2020.
2011
Murphy went on to cocreate the critically acclaimed American Horror Story. The anthology sequence has earned 4 Critics Alternative awards, 16 Emmys, two Golden Globes and extra. As of 2023, AHS is in its twelfth season. Murphy later created AHS’ sister present, American Horror Tales, in 2021.
2018
Murphy continued to create extra TV exhibits together with Pose, 9-1-1 and its subsequent spinoff, 9-1-1 Lonestar. Murphy earned a sequence of reward for his work on Pose as the primary season had the biggest forged of trans actors in a community sequence. On the time, he revealed his plans to donate his earnings from the LGBTQ drama to a number of non-profits concerned locally together with the Sylvia Rivera Legislation Challenge, Transgender Authorized Protection & Training Fund, and Callen-Lorde Neighborhood Well being Middle.
“The factor that struck me in speaking to so lots of them, was how a lot they’ve struggled, how beneath assault they really feel, what number of of them discover it tough getting healthcare and discovering jobs,” Murphy advised Selection. “I simply determined I have to do extra than simply making a present for this neighborhood. I wish to attain out and assist this neighborhood.”
In that very same 12 months, Murphy signed a $300 million cope with Netflix to create unique content material for the streaming service.
2020
After information broke of Rivera’s tragic dying, Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan introduced they have been placing collectively a school fund for the late actress’ son Josey. Nevertheless, one 12 months later, Naya’s father, George Rivera, claimed that Murphy didn’t honor his promise and by no means established a fund for Josey.
“When you find yourself a part of the Hollywood elite, some individuals deal with others as they’re ‘lower than’ …. vocalize a superb recreation, however it’s as shallow because the units on stage, that they create,” he tweeted on the time. “Guarantees made in public, solely to fade with time and excuses … even in an unexplainable tragedy.”
Murphy responded to the claims and shared that he had been in touch with the “acceptable executors” of Naya’s property to create the fund.
2022
Murphy’s Netflix present Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which chronicled the lifetime of the notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmner, confronted backlash amongst its viewers for the way it portrayed the victims’ perspective. A number of members of the family of Dahmer’s victims additionally argued that the Netflix program dramatized the reality. Regardless of the controversy, Murphy stood by the sequence.
“It’s one thing that we researched for a really very long time,” he mentioned at a Dahmer occasion on the time, per The Hollywood Reporter. “And we, over the course of the three, three and a half years once we have been actually writing it, engaged on it, we reached out to twenty — round 20 of the victims’ households and associates making an attempt to get enter, making an attempt to speak to individuals and never a single particular person responded to us in that course of.”
Angelica Ross, Ryan Murphy Getty Photos(2)
2023
In the course of the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, Murphy was criticized for allegedly refusing to halt manufacturing for AHS season 12 and in addition threatened to sue the previous WGA strike captain Warren Leight. Following the backlash, Murphy launched a fund beginning with $500k to assist previous and present actors and crew members in his initiatives through the strike.
In September 2023, Angelica Ross — who labored on Pose and AHS — claimed that Murphy had ghosted her over a possible AHS spinoff.
“Keep in mind your thought a couple of HORROR season starring black girls? Properly I’m doing it,” Murphy seemingly wrote to Ross, in keeping with the screenshot by way of X on the time. “Unsure of the story but, however we’ll begin a writers room within the fall.”
Ross shared her pleasure in regards to the undertaking and let Murphy know she was and supplied some solutions for different potential forged members. In a separate alleged trade, Ross reached out to Murphy to observe up in regards to the undertaking since she was nonetheless beneath contract with him and seemingly by no means heard again.
“Thoughts you, marvel had known as twice now. I haven’t heard from him since,” she famous. “Please ask someone about me. If I’m on the level of publicly exhibiting receipts you’ll be able to imagine I don’t have any f—ks left to offer when it comes right down to it. And I’m not even carried out pulling out the receipts.”
