The dream continues for Nick Murray. When he was hired to director “RuPaul’s Drag Race” in its third season, he hadn’t a clue of the glory to come – both for him and the series. It was still just an unheralded little niche reality series starring drag icon RuPaul Charles that had launched on the little-known Logo TV network in 2009. Sixteen seasons and three networks later, it’s a genuine global phenomenon that’s taken drag mainstream boasting a mind-boggling 29 Emmy wins (including five times for Best Reality Competition Program). And Murray himself has won for reality directing twice, earning another nomination this year. “It’s like a cultural juggernaut that keeps on rolling down the hill, taking everybody with them on this joyous, amazing, phenomenal, colorful, wonderful ride,” he says. “It’s just been incredible to see how this show has changed, how I’ve changed, how society as a whole sort of culturally has changed – all because of our little show.”
Murray spoke to Gold Derby as part of our “Meet the Emmy Nominees” TV directors panel. Watch our exclusive video interview above.
The intention from the start, emphasizes Murray, was always “to move drag and take it to a wider audience. And I think we’ve certainly done that thanks to Ru, the amazing cast and crew, (production company) World of Wonder, Logo, VH1 and MTV. This show is now watched all over the world on multiple platforms, and Ru’s become an international icon for many different movements, not just the gay movement. I mean, it’s humbling. I’m humbled and proud to play a small part in this over the past 15 years.”
This past year on “Drag Race” has been both the same and different. It was the same in that it featured plenty of star power, with guest judges including Charlize Theron, Kyra Sedgwick and Ronan Farrow. “There’s a lot of diehard celebrity fans that want to go on this show,” Murray maintains. “And it’s a big commitment for them. They have to spend a good seven, eight hours on set, which is quite unusual. So it’s a testament to the show that we have celebrities and other people willing to dedicate that kind of time. One, you’ve got to be really invested in the show; two, you have to love the queens and Ru; and three, you have to be up for having a good time and getting into the spirit of the show. I think that comes across with every guest that we have on.”
As far as what was different this past season, Murray points to the episode for which he’s nominated, the season-ending “Grand Finale.” The production team decided to take the production out of the traditional theater where it’s been the past several seasons and took it into RuPaul’s house. “We brought in some screens and extra production design on the main stage of the show,” he notes. “”We amped up the judge’s panel and laid down enough seating for a good-sized audience to experience the finale in an intimate yet grand way. We were going for a more intimate show than 900, 1,000 people in a big theater and present the viewer with the way people there were experiencing it live. And I think we achieved that.”
Beyond that, Murray is just thrilled to be able to make a living doing what he’s dreamed about his whole life. “I wanted to direct from the age of 12 because my parents were in the business in the UK with the BBC,” he recalls. “I remember sitting in the back of the control room when I was 12, pointing to the guy in the middle who was orchestrating whatever he was shooting – I think it was a news show – and I said, ‘That’s the guy I want to be. I want to be the TV director’.” It seems to be working out pretty well.”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” received 10 Emmy nominations in all for its 16th season, including top reality competition program. It airs on MTV and streams over Paramount+.
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