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Ryan Murphy’s Ups and Downs Over the Years on September 22, 2023 at 10:01 pm Us Weekly

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While Ryan Murphy has found success in the TV industry, he’s also faced his fair share of controversies.

Murphy is most well known for creating and producing several popular series including Glee, American Horror Story, Pose and more. Over the course of his career, he’s earned six Primetime Emmy Awards from 36 nominations, a Tony Award from two nominations and two Grammy Award nominations.

Along with his accomplishments, Murphy has also faced a series of controversies. Speaking about his time on Glee, Murphy described the days on set as the “the best” and “the worst time” in his life as he navigated behind-the scenes drama with the cast.

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“There was a lot of infighting. There was a lot of people sleeping together and breaking up,” he recalled in a 2016 interview with Entertainment Weekly. “It was good training for being a parent, I’ll tell you that much. But I also made a mistake: We all got too personal.”

Keep scrolling to see Murphy’s ups and downs over the years:

2004

Murphy, who got his start in TV by cocreating the 1999 WB series Popular, got his first taste of success after creating his FX show Nip/Tuck, which aired for six seasons. The drama series scored him his first-ever Emmy nomination for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.

Jen Lowery/startraksphoto.com

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2009

Five years after the prosperity of Nip/Tuck, Murphy returned to TV with Glee. He earned his first Emmy for directing the pilot episode. Throughout the show’s six seasons, it took home six Emmys, nine Golden Globes, 14 Teen Choice Awards, one SAG award and more. The popularity of the series led to the spinoff reality show, The Glee Project, which Murphy also created in an attempt to find new talent for the series.

Along with the musical dramedy gaining popularity the cast also faced several controversial and tragic events. While filming the series, Lea Michele was accused of toxic behavior and bullying on set. Ahead of shooting season 5 in 2013, Cory Monteith died at age 31 from an accidental drug overdose. After the show wrapped up in 2015, two more cast members died: Mark Salling, who by suicide in 2018, and Naya Rivera, who accidentally drowned in 2020.

2011

Murphy went on to cocreate the critically acclaimed American Horror Story. The anthology series has earned four Critics Choice awards, 16 Emmys, two Golden Globes and more. As of 2023, AHS is in its 12th season. Murphy later created AHS’ sister show, American Horror Stories, in 2021.

Araya Diaz/Getty Images

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2018

Murphy continued to create more TV shows including Pose, 9-1-1 and its subsequent spinoff, 9-1-1 Lonestar. Murphy earned a series of praise for his work on Pose as the first season had the largest cast of trans actors in a network series. At the time, he revealed his plans to donate his profits from the LGBTQ drama to several non-profits involved in the community including the Sylvia Rivera Law Project, Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, and Callen-Lorde Community Health Center.

“The thing that struck me in talking to so many of them, was how much they’ve struggled, how under attack they feel, how many of them find it difficult getting healthcare and finding jobs,” Murphy told Variety. “I just decided I need to do more than just making a show for this community. I want to reach out and help this community.”

In that same year, Murphy signed a $300 million deal with Netflix to create original content for the streaming service.

Michael Buckner/Getty Images

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2020

After news broke of Rivera’s tragic death, Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Ian Brennan announced they were putting together a college fund for the late actress’ son Josey. However, one year later, Naya’s father, George Rivera, claimed that Murphy did not honor his promise and never established a fund for Josey.

“When you are part of the Hollywood elite, some people treat others as they are ‘less than’ …. vocalize a good game, but it’s as shallow as the sets on stage, that they create,” he tweeted at the time. “Promises made in public, only to fade with time and excuses … even in an unexplainable tragedy.”

Murphy responded to the claims and shared that he had been in contact with the “appropriate executors” of Naya’s estate to create the fund.

2022

Murphy’s Netflix show Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, which chronicled the life of the infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmner, faced backlash amongst its viewers for how it portrayed the victims’ perspective. Several family members of Dahmer’s victims also argued that the Netflix program dramatized the truth. Despite the controversy, Murphy stood by the series.

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“It’s something that we researched for a very long time,” he said at a Dahmer event at the time, per The Hollywood Reporter. “And we, over the course of the three, three and a half years when we were really writing it, working on it, we reached out to 20 — around 20 of the victims’ families and friends trying to get input, trying to talk to people and not a single person responded to us in that process.”

Angelica Ross, Ryan Murphy Getty Images(2)

2023

During the 2023 SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, Murphy was criticized for allegedly refusing to halt production for AHS season 12 and also threatened to sue the former WGA strike captain Warren Leight. Following the backlash, Murphy launched a fund starting with $500k to support past and current actors and crew members in his projects during the strike.

In September 2023, Angelica Ross — who worked on Pose and AHS — claimed that Murphy had ghosted her over a potential AHS spinoff.

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“Remember your idea about a HORROR season starring black women? Well I’m doing it,” Murphy seemingly wrote to Ross, according to the screenshot via X at the time. “Not sure of the story yet, but we will start a writers room in the fall.”

Ross shared her excitement about the project and let Murphy know she was interested and offered some suggestions for other potential cast members. In a separate alleged exchange, Ross reached out to Murphy to follow up about the project since she was still under contract with him and seemingly never heard back.

“Mind you, marvel had called twice now. I haven’t heard from him since,” she noted. “Please ask somebody about me. If I’m at the point of publicly showing receipts you can believe I don’t have any f—ks left to give when it comes down to it. And I’m not even done pulling out the receipts.”

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic While Ryan Murphy has found success in the TV industry, he’s also faced his fair share of controversies. Murphy is most well known for creating and producing several popular series including Glee, American Horror Story, Pose and more. Over the course of his career, he’s earned six Primetime Emmy Awards from 36 nominations, 

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DJ Shinski Brings AfriqueFest To Life

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AfriqueFest: Pan-African Musical Experience — World Cup Edition is set to take over Noto Houston on Sunday, June 28, bringing together East, South, and West African sounds in one immersive celebration of music, culture, and connection. Presented by Experience Noir and Bolanle Media, the event is designed as a cinematic night for the culture, blending global energy with Houston nightlife in a way that feels elevated, intentional, and deeply rooted in African creativity.

Spotlight on DJ Shinski

At the heart of this year’s experience is DJ Shinski. Born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya and now based in Houston, DJ Shinski has built an international name off high-energy sets that move effortlessly across Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip‑hop, dancehall, reggae, and electronic sounds.

He has also become Africa’s most‑subscribed DJ on YouTube, crossing the 2‑million‑subscriber mark and turning his mixes into a global destination for music lovers.

DJ Shinski’s style is precise but unpredictable: one moment it’s classic Afrobeats, the next it’s East African anthems, then a run of throwback hip‑hop or R&B that still feels fresh. That ability to read a room and connect multiple worlds in a single set is exactly why AfriqueFest is building so much of the night’s energy around him.

At AfriqueFest, DJ Shinski helps drive the Safari Grooves segment, representing East and Central Africa from 4 PM to 6 PM. Expect a journey that moves from Nairobi to Dar es Salaam, Kampala, Addis, and beyond, all filtered through his signature “vibes on vibes” approach behind the decks.

DJ Tunez and the rest of the night

Supporting that energy, DJ Tunez leads the Gold Coast Beats chapter from 8 PM to 10 PM, bringing his own Nigerian‑American Afrobeats pedigree to the stage. Together with the Diamond Rhythms segment (South) and a curated roster of DJs, the night stretches across the continent in three distinct musical chapters, all connected by a single dance floor.

Hosted by @chris_gone_crazy, @kingdrewwskyy, @roselynomaka, and @samsnewleaf, AfriqueFest is positioned as more than a party—it’s a celebration of sound, style, and Pan‑African identity in Houston, with DJ Shinski anchoring the experience from the moment doors open.

Brought to you by Bolanle Media & Experience Noir

Brought to you by Bolanle Media and Experience Noir, this World Cup edition of AfriqueFest is crafted as a night where global DJs, storytellers, and music lovers collide and create a shared cultural memory. With DJ Shinski front and center—and DJ Tunez helping close the night—guests can expect a show that reflects both the future of African nightlife and the power of the diaspora to create unforgettable live moments.

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If you want to experience DJ Shinski live at AfriqueFest, now is the time to lock in your spot. Purchase your tickets now at AfriqueFest.com and get ready for a night of music, movement, and culture at Noto Houston.

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STREAMING PREMIERE · JUNE 13, 2026

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Laughter Meets Inspiration: Our Ladies Show Lands on The Roku Channel

A bold new sketch comedy series for women premieres June 13 across the U.S., U.K., and Canada — arriving on the back of a festival-winning run that has critics and audiences already paying attention.

It isn’t every day a brand-new comedy arrives already wearing a row of trophies. Our Ladies Show does. The seven-episode inspirational sketch comedy series — created, written by, and starring Christin Jezak — begins streaming on The Roku Channel on Friday, June 13, 2026, available free to viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.

Produced in partnership with global media services leader Encompass Digital Media, the series sets out to do something rare in today’s streaming landscape: make women laugh out loud and leave them lifted. In a media moment crowded with noise and cynicism, Our Ladies Show is a deliberate counterweight — comedy with a conscience, built for women of every age and background.

A Show Built Around Real Life — and Real Laughs

Each of the seven episodes opens with a monologue from one of the cast members introducing the theme, then rolls into three or more sketches that hit the subject from every comedic angle. The series tackles the things women actually carry: holding grudges, comparison, beauty, patience, gift giving, the importance of community, and dealing with anxiety.

The comedy comes from a place of warmth rather than mockery — a “laugh at ourselves” spirit that runs through a gallery of unforgettable characters: a nosey neighbor, an overwhelmed mom, relentlessly optimistic flight attendants, beauty pageant winners past their prime, and a crew of unruly campers with a counselor who simply cannot hold it together.

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Then the show does something most sketch series don’t. In the final segment of every episode, the cast gathers in a living-room setting and invites the audience in — sharing real inspiration drawn from the theme, the sketches, and their own personal stories. It’s the moment the laughter turns into something that stays with you.

The Women Behind the Show

Our Ladies Show brings together three performers with serious range:

  • Christin Jezak — creator, writer, and star (Miracle at Manchester, Raising Hope, Jimmy Kimmel Live!)
  • Hillary Hawkins — (Primal, Nick Jr.’s Play Along, Gullah Gullah Island)
  • Sarah Hernandez — (Nefarious, Unplanned, House of Payne)

“In a world with so much division and depression, I hope women of all ages and backgrounds will watch this show, laugh, be reminded of how beautiful, unique, and loved they are, and remember how much we need each other.”— Christin Jezak, Creator & Star

Already a Festival Favorite

The series’ recurring long-form sketch, Neighborhood Watch, didn’t arrive quietly. Originally released as a web series and revamped for Our Ladies Show with new footage, sound, and music, it has been sweeping the festival circuit:

  • 🏆 Best Webseries — 2026 New Media Film Festival (Los Angeles)
  • 🏆 Best Web/TV Series — Paris Film Awards
  • 🏆 Best Web Series — Dallas Movie Awards
  • 🏅 Additional wins at the London Movie Awards, Florence Film Awards, and Hollywood Gold Awards
  • 🎬 Official Selection — 2026 Harvard Divinity School Film Fest
  • ⭐ Finalist — Houston Comedy Film Festival
  • 📣 Three nominations — 2025 Content Christian Media Conference, including Best Actress in a TV and Web Series nods for both Christin Jezak and Sarah Hernandez

Where and When to Watch

Our Ladies Show premieres Friday, June 13, 2026, streaming on The Roku Channel — the home of premium and free entertainment — in the U.S., U.K., and Canada. All seven episodes deliver the series’ signature blend of sharp sketch comedy and genuine encouragement.

Click Here To Get Tickets

Watch the trailer now on your platform of choice:

For more information, visit www.ourladiesshow.com and follow @ourladiesshow on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.


About Christin Jezak

Christin Jezak has worked for over 15 years in the entertainment industry. She created and stars in Our Ladies Show and the award-winning web series Neighborhood Watch. She produced the EWTN TV program For the Sake of the Gospel and the all-women web series Ladies Keepin’ It Real, played Dr. Sam in Miracle at Manchester (starring Dean Cain, Daniel Roebuck, and Eddie McClintock), and voices Agnes in the podcast Confessions of a Catholic Single. She held a lead role in a short film for NTT Data directed by Academy Award–winning cinematographer Janusz Kamiński, has co-starred on Raising Hope, and appeared in Jimmy Kimmel sketches and a Grubhub Super Bowl commercial.

About The Roku Channel

Roku pioneered streaming on TV and is the #1 TV streaming platform in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico by hours streamed (Hypothesis Group, Dec. 2025). The Roku Channel is the home of premium and free entertainment, alongside Roku’s Howdy and Frndly TV services. Roku is headquartered in San Jose, California.

About Encompass Digital Media

Encompass Digital Media is a global managed services company — technology-driven, software-defined, and people-powered. Trusted by world-leading broadcasters, networks, sports rights-holders, and OTT platforms, it processes over 25,000 hours of content daily, serves 850 channels to 84 countries, distributes over 243,000 live events annually, and reaches 400 million radio listeners weekly worldwide. Learn more at www.encompass.tv.

Media & Interview Requests: To interview creator Christin Jezak or the cast, contact Christin at cjezak@p2ptheatre.com.

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What Filmmakers Should Actually Steal From Euphoria

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Most of the talk about Euphoria asks one question: was it realistic? That’s the wrong question if you make films. The better one is simpler. How did Sam Levinson get an audience to feel addiction from the inside? And what did it cost him to end the show the way he did?

Strip away the noise and Euphoria is a clinic in three choices: point of view, style, and the ending. Here’s what’s worth taking — and what isn’t.

1. Put the Camera Inside the Character

Most shows about drugs watch from across the room. Euphoria doesn’t. When Rue is high, the camera is high too. Walls breathe. Floors tilt. Time skips. You’re not watching her — you’re stuck inside her head.

That’s the lesson: point of view is a decision you make with the camera and the cut, not a mood you add later in color. Levinson builds it into the lens, the blocking, and the edit.

So before you shoot a scene through a character’s eyes, ask one thing on set: whose eyes is this lens standing in for? Then make every cut respect that.

2. Your Style Has to Mean Something

The glitter. The slow push-ins. The impossible club lighting. Euphoria‘s look got copied everywhere. That’s the trap.

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The style worked because it carried weight. The beauty wasn’t decoration — it was the lie addiction tells you, the reason the next high looks worth it. The camera made self-destruction gorgeous on purpose.

The copies missed that. A thousand music videos took the look and left the meaning behind, and you can feel how hollow they are. So here’s the test: if your signature style could be swapped onto any other project and still “work,” it’s not a style. It’s a filter. Every choice should have a reason behind it.

3. The Ending Tells the Audience What It All Meant

When Euphoria ended for good in Season 3, Levinson killed Rue — an accidental, fentanyl-laced overdose. He called it “the honest ending,” saying he wanted to tell a true story about addiction and grief in a time when one mistake can be the last one. Reportedly, that wasn’t the original plan; the death of Angus Cloud, who played Fezco, changed the script.

Forget whether you agree with the choice. Study how it works. An ending is the last instruction you give your audience about how to read everything before it.

By ending on consequence instead of recovery, Levinson reframed seven years of beautiful chaos as a story about cost — not a celebration of it.

It’s also the show’s most debatable move, and that’s worth noticing too. A show that spent years making pain look beautiful had to fight to make that pain land as loss. Did it earn the ending, or enjoy the wreckage too long to stick it? Smart filmmakers will disagree — and that argument is exactly what a good ending is supposed to start.

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What Not to Take

The neon grief is the most copied part. It’s also the least useful. Take the surface — the colors, the slow-mo, the trauma-as-texture — and you get the costume without the body.

The real craft is underneath. Commit your camera to a real point of view. Make every stylistic choice earn its place. Treat your ending as the point of the whole thing. Do that, and your work won’t look like Euphoria. It’ll do what Euphoria did.


This piece touches on addiction and substance use. If you or someone you know is struggling, support is available through the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.

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