The $60,000 Aussie film which beat Harry and Meghan for Emmy nod
Serena DC is a 40-something single mum whose low-budget film “My Transparent Life” is in the running to claim one of the world’s most prestigious awards.
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She’s a 40-something single mum who moved to LA a year ago to chase a dream – and after self-funding a $60,000 film close to her heart, is now up for an Emmy.
Serena DC is up against some of the world’s biggest names in the Best Documentary category for the September 18 ceremony – and films that cost hundreds of millions of dollars to create. Still reeling from the news which was so unexpected, she didn’t even check the ballot until late the night it was released.
“It’s just unbelievable, really, when you’re up against literally the biggest names in the whole world, and your little movie actually makes it to the Emmys – it’s surreal,” Serena DC tells Insider from her US home this week.
“The announcements come out in the trades, so Variety and things like that, but it was a Wednesday morning and I knew the announcements had come out, but I just didn’t check because, in my mind, I was like ‘there’s no way’.
“So I waited until midnight and, just before going to bed, I looked on my phone and My Transparent Life was one – and I didn’t even believe that, I had to check on like five different sites until I was sure.
“It was pretty crazy.”
My Transparent Life, in which she is the star, executive producer, director and writer, was inspired by meeting Caitlyn Jenner for her controversial talk series Hollywood Disclosure, which is now in its second season. In it, Serena DC bring stories of personal transformation and inspiration to the world, and Jenner – speaking about the intense struggles faced by people who transition and the horrific stories about how trans people are treated – along with Serena’s close friend Briannah Jayde – a transwoman who also appears in the film – were who inspired it.
“Initially, when I wanted to interview Caitlyn, I was more intrigued … but as a person, she was so beautiful and sweet and kind, and to be sitting on her couch and holding her hand and looking in her eyes as she shed tears, talking about the way the world has treated her – and her own family at the time had treated her – in her transition, it just made me so mad,” she says.
“And when I made friends with a few people in the trans community here in LA, it made me realise that this is an epidemic – these people are in danger.
“This is like coming out as gay in the ’80s.
“One in two trans women in America will experience sexual violence in their lifetime – it is just unbelievable.
“I’m proud of the cast for opening up their homes and telling and sharing their stories, because it’s a very vulnerable movie where nothing is secret.
“It was very brave of them, and there were many times during filming where they certainly second guessed like the decision to do it – because they knew that, once the movie came out, there was no hiding anymore.
“There was no being in any form of closet.
“But I think they wanted to tell their story because I hope it will help other trans people, people that are trans that want to come out there, and help them to have the courage to be able to so.”
Up against industry heavyweights Pamela: A Love Story, Still: A Michael J.Fox Movie, Being Mary Tyler Moore, and Judy Blume Forever in the Best Documentary category, My Transparent Life edged out high profile films such as Selena Gomez: My Mind and Me, Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields, Love Lizzo and, most notably, the polarising Duke and Duchess of Sussex documentary, Harry & Meghan.
“I literally love talking about this because at least sounds a bit braggy – but, whatever, I’m gonna say it anyway,” she laughs.
“So I believe Prince Harry and Meghan Markle got paid $100 million from Netflix to make their documentary, and I think the Selena Gomez documentary about her life was around $150 million to make – and neither of them made it on to the ballot.
“Mine cost $60,000 and made it.
“You can throw as much money as you want at a story, but it doesn’t matter – I’m so proud of the Academy for picking our documentary, because it’s about something that’s really, really, important. Really important.
“They weren’t looking for star power, or celebrity or huge budgets – they just watched it and they were like, ‘yep, people need to see this’ – and I love that.”
Serena DC was on Channel 7 show reality show Insta Hotels back in 2017, and along with fellow castmates, was bullied and trolled incessantly. Co-star Shay Razaei took her own life in 2020.
“Honestly, it was really hard,” she says.
“I was just lucky because I had family around to support me, so when I was depressed and you get into those moods where you just want to cry for hours and not talk to people and self isolate, I was lucky that I had people around me to pull me out of that state.
“But Shay was a little bit younger – she was such a star and she got bullied just like I did, and it actually got to a point where she didn’t have a support system in place and she actually ended up passing away.
“It was definitely a combination of a lot of stress, a lot of anxiety and self worth issues that all came from being on the show where we weren’t offered any counselling or support, and had to deal with a tidal wave of hate.
“So I use her as my motivation with a lot of the things I do over here – I say our shows and our films are powered by Shay, because she’s not here anymore, but her energy still is
“Bullying is tough.
“I interviewed Tara Reid recently for my talk show Hollywood Disclosure, and man, she gets bullied to the stage just relentlessly – every single day of her life is just bullying, bullying, bullying.”
Today, as well as an Emmy nomination, Serena DC has five films opening in the next five months – films she didn’t have to self-fund. It seems the big life move to LA was worth it – even her kids, aged 14 and 17, think so.
“I went back and forth for years, but then it was during Covid I had a show come out in America on Hulu and I made the decision that it time to move over and take things seriously,” she says.
Today, as well as an Emmy nomination, Serena DC has five films opening in the next five months – films she didn’t have to self-fund. It seems the big life move to LA was worth it – even her kids, aged 14 and 17, think so.
“I went back and forth for years, but then it was during Covid I had a show come out in America on Hulu and I made the decision that it time to move over and take things seriously,” she says.
“So I uprooted my entire life and my kids and my baby daddy, who was really supportive as well – and wow, it’s been a pretty wild ride.
“My kids are teenagers and they didn’t want to leave their friends.
“But I think we made a decision that as a mother, you make a lot of sacrifices in your life and in your career, and you put your kids first all the time – and that had been my life forever, and I think (the kids) can see that.
“Something big was starting to happen over in America so they said, ‘Mum, maybe it’s time you put yourself first’.”
She’s still deciding who her plus-one will be or what she’ll wear – but an Australian designer is a must for the loyal Aussie.
“I know that sounds really cheesy, but I’m so proud of you being the filmmaker that’s doing something over here in America,” she says.
“I just want to really carry the flag over here at the Emmys and hopefully bring one home for all of us.”
There are more than 20,000 voting members of the Academy and this year’s nominations recorded the highest voter participation in Emmy history. Serena DC will join Australian nominees Sarah Snook for Foxtel’s Succession, Murray Bartlett (Welcome to Chippendales and The Last of Us), The Crown’s Elizabeth Debicki and Anna Torv (The Last of Us), as well as directors Kim Gehrig and Fletcher Moules, and composer Allyson Newman.
The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards will be held in LA on September 18.
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