As if Blade readers need a reason to tune in to tonight’s Golden Globes spectacle — seen locally at 8 on WNWO-TV, Channel 24 — other than to savor host Ricky Gervais’ acerbic deflation of massive celebrity egos, there’s always this local angle: Empire Co-Executive Producer Ayanna A. Floyd.
The wildly successful Fox primetime, hourlong drama is about a dysfunctional family in the world of hip hop music. It stars Terrence Howard as hip-hop mogul and CEO of Empire Entertainment Lucious Lyon and Taraji Henson as Lucious’ ex-wife, Cookie Lyon, and is up for two Golden Globes: Best Television Series — Drama, and Henson for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Drama. And Floyd is a product of the Old West End.
A longtime television writer with credits including Gideon’s Crossing, Family Law, Strong Medicine, Medical Investigation, Private Practice, Hit the Floor, Falling Skies, and Hannibal, Floyd is a 1989 graduate of Macomber-Whitney High School where she studied nursing — which may or may not explain her affinity for network medical dramas. After nearly two decades of living in Hollywood, she still credits her hometown and her mother for her career success.
“Growing up in Toledo gave me a solid foundation, which has helped me to stay grounded in Hollywood,” Floyd recently told The Blade via email. “My mother played a huge part in supporting me in my dreams. Although she didn’t always understand what I was trying to do — she was a factory worker at GM and rarely does a child grow up in Toledo wanting to be a TV writer — she always believed I could do anything I put my mind to. She instilled in me a phenomenal work ethic and always gave me a sense that there was a world out there beyond my four walls that I should explore.”
In a recent Q&A, Floyd talked about Empire’s initial success, as well as an honest assessment of its “season two slump” this fall and how the show will regain its momentum when it returns in March.
Q: To what do you ascribe Empire’s immense popularity, and how does that affect your approach as well as that of the show’s other writers and producers?
A: First, I think it touched a nerve because there’s nothing on television like it. The central characters are African-American, dynamic, interesting, and possess a cultural specificity you never see on broadcast TV. A lot of broadcast TV is cookie cutter (no pun intended). For example, in the pilot when Lucious tells Hakeem to get his foot off of his expensive table — that’s real and fresh — and not a typical network TV moment. Also, I believe everyone can relate to the family dynamics and dysfunction. Most of us have some dysfunction in our families so we can relate to someone in the Lyon clan.
Q: Empire was a breakout success for a network (Fox) that hasn’t had much success with prime-time dramas. Empire is still winning its Wednesday time slot, but ratings overall are down this year. Why do you think that’s happening and can the show maintain its momentum? Is there any thought on pursuing those viewers who aren’t watching Empire in its second season?
A: Good question and I’ll try to answer as honest as I can without [ticking] anyone off. LOL. Yes, the show has struggled with what we in the industry like to call the “season two slump.” In part, I’m sure it’s due to too many cooks being in the kitchen. When a show is a mega hit like Empire, everybody has an opinion and thinks they know the secret to why it’s a success. So as a result, the show’s focus may meander a bit. I do think the show can regain its momentum and hopefully when it returns in March, the audience will feel like there have been some improvements. As for viewers who aren’t watching this season, it’s very hard to win people back. I think we have to get super focused on telling the best stories possible and hope word of mouth can entice them back. When all else fails, you always have to get back to the characters. And the good thing is the foundation is strong with Lucious, Cookie, and the three sons.
Q: You’ve written for many TV dramas and genres. What’s your basic approach to writing scripts? Is one genre easier to write than others?
A: I’m not sure if one genre is easier than the other, but every show I work on definitely has a learning curve. When I worked on Falling Skies I had to write for aliens when I had never worked on a science fiction show before. Medical shows like Private Practice came easy to me — I’ve worked on lots of medical shows — so any departure from that has stretched me creatively and that’s a good thing. Hannibal, a psychological thriller, was definitely outside my box. How do you write for such an iconic character like Hannibal Lecter? My basic approach is always to start with the characters — who are they and what do they want? When I start there, I can always navigate my way through a script and emerge with something that I can be proud of.
Q: Has the binge-watching phenomenon changed you as a TV writer and producer? Would you prefer that audiences watch weekly installments of your shows, with the time necessary to fully absorb and reflect on story twists and character actions, rather than burn through a season of episodes in a matter of hours?
A: I have no preference, as long as they’re watching. The main thing is binge watching is forcing everyone to up the ante. If you’re a network TV show, you really have to bring the drama and be superb if you want to keep the attention of the audience from week to week. You have that first or second episode to win people over and then it’s pretty much a wrap. With Netflix, Amazon, etc., all producing original material, and some impressive material at that, it’s too easy for audiences to tune you out and watch something else. Even my attention span is short! So, in that respect, there is pressure on TV writers to come up with bigger, more plot-twisty storylines each week. No one wants a slow burn anymore.
Q: How has the TV industry changed since you’ve been involved? And is it for the better or worse?
A: It’s better! There are so many outlets and so many opportunities for writers. I remember back in the late ’90s when I used to tell people I wanted to be a television writer, people didn’t even know what to do with that. They thought I just wanted to be some creative free spirit who didn’t want to work. They also thought, “Someone writes TV? Don’t actors just make it up as they go?” Now there are TV writers who are household names — Shonda Rhimes, Vince Gilligan, etc. It’s a great time to work in television for sure.
Q: Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder feature African-American actresses as their leads and Empire is mostly a black cast. Talk about the importance of such diversity in prime time.
A: It’s utterly important and it’s exhausting at times when we’re in 2015, and you still have to keep saying this and proving it to people. Diversity means you now have more writers in the room with different points of view, which leads to more layered characters, better storytelling, fresher ideas, etc. Who wouldn’t want this on their TV show? Look at commercials and how much diversity they feature. The advertising world gets it, but somehow broadcast TV has been slow to come around to it. Hopefully the success of Empire will help but who knows. I feel like every 10 years I see an article on “diversity in Hollywood” and we’re starting the conversation all over again — when we should be past it or further along. Empire shouldn’t be the only TV drama on broadcast TV with a black cast. Where’s the rest of them?
Q: In 2010 Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious) became the first African-American to win a screenwriting Oscar. Four years later and John Ridley became the second (12 Years a Slave). As a former vice president of the Organization of Black Screenwriters do you see the long-overdue industry recognition as significant progress? What’s taken this long and how did things start to change?
A: I see it as endless, painfully slow progress. Writers in Hollywood know what an amazing writer John Ridley is — he has been for years and many of us have admired him. But I can’t say he’s gotten the opportunities and/or accolades that his white male counterparts have. And Geoffrey Fletcher … I don’t even know where he is now. Is he working? My guess is that unfortunately Hollywood isn’t beating down his door to write the next Oscar track movie or big blockbuster franchise movie. Things will only start to change with more African-American writers getting more opportunities to write the projects that Hollywood cares about. We’re out there but it’s all a numbers game. You can’t get an Oscar if you’re not even considered for the movie project.
Contact Kirk Baird at kbaird@theblade.com or 419-724-6734.
First Published January 10, 2016, 5:00 a.m.
