| Genre: | Documentary |
| Director: | Andrew Rossi |
| Narrated: | Bill Irwin, using Resemble AI to simulate Andy Warhol's voice |
| Open Theme: | "Nature Boy" by Nat King Cole |
| Composer: | Brad Oberhofer |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Num Episodes: | 6 |
| Producer: | Maya E. Rudolph |
| Editor: | Steven Ross |
| Runtime: | 53–78 minutes |
| Network: | Netflix |
The Andy Warhol Diaries is an American documentary television limited series from writer, director Andrew Rossi,[1] [2] [3] [4] and executive producer Ryan Murphy, based on the 1989 book of the same name by Andy Warhol, as edited by Pat Hackett. The series simulates the famed pop artist narrating his own diary entries through the use of artificial intelligence technology.[5] Netflix debuted the series of six episodes on March 9, 2022.[6]
The Andy Warhol Robot helped inspire the concept for the AI voice in the series, along with Warhol's cultivated image as an "asexual robot" at The Factory in the 1960s,[7] and his claim that "Machines have less problems."[8] Actor Bill Irwin provided the narration that was morphed by the AI software.[9]
Warhol began dictating diary entries via phone in 1976, taking stock of his life in great detail. Longtime friend and collaborator Pat Hackett maintained the diary for eleven years and reflects on the life of the artist. The series traces Warhol's relationships with interior designer Jed Johnson, Paramount Pictures executive Jon Gould, and fellow artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.[10] [11]
Others interviewed for the series include Bob Colacello, Christopher Makos, Rob Lowe, Jerry Hall, Mariel Hemingway, Tony Shafrazi, Mary Boone, Vincent Fremont, Shelly Dunn Fremont, Jamie Wyeth, Glenn Ligon, Larry Gagosian, José Carlos Diaz, David LaChapelle, Wilfredo Rosado, Peter Wise, Donna De Salvo, Jay Johnson, Kenny Scharf, Alan Wanzenberg, Michael Chow, Patrick Moore, John Waters, Greg Tate, Julian Schnabel, Marc Balet, Lee Quinones, Donald Warhola, Futura 2000, Daniela Morera, Debbie Harry, Paige Powell, John Reinhold, Gigi Williams, Jay Gould, Jeffrey Deitch, Jessica Beck, Cornelia Guest, Madelyn Kaye, Lisa Birnbach, Fab 5 Freddy, R. Couri Hay, Benjamin Liu, Lucy Sante, Tama Janowitz, Katy Dobbs, Whit Stillman, and Jane Holzer.[12] [13]
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 96% based on 23 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Employing some risky stylistic flourishes that Andy Warhol himself might have approved of, these Diaries are a revelatory glimpse into the inner life of a purposefully unknowable artist."[14] On Metacritic, the series has a weighted average score of 78 out of 100, based on 7 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[15]
Jack Seale of The Guardian described the series as "a startling biopic told with the artist's own words".[16] Daniel D'Addario of Variety wrote that "the series both summons Warhol's affectless voice and insists on finding the intellect and emotion behind the coolly evaluating gaze".[4]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series | Ryan Murphy, Andrew Rossi, Josh Braun, Alexis Martin Woodall, Stanley Buchthal, Dan Braun, Stacey Reiss, and Maya E. Rudolph | [17] [18] | ||
| Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program | Andrew Rossi | ||||
| Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction Programming | |||||
| Outstanding Cinematography for a Nonfiction Program | Wolfgang Held | ||||
| Gotham Independent Film Awards | Breakthrough Nonfiction Series | The Andy Warhol Diaries | [19] | ||
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Original Song — Documentary Series - TV | Daniel Braun | [20] | ||