Eugene and Dan Levy discuss father-son 'chemistry' and 'bickering' ahead of Emmys hosting
Eugene and Dan Levy, the father-son stars of "Schitt's Creek," who saw great success at the 2020 Emmy Awards four years ago, are returning to the show, this time as hosts.
Ahead of their primetime spot, the pair sat down with ABC News' Chris Connelly to discuss the big event as part of a "20/20" special "The 76th Emmys: A Night of Firsts" with Robin Roberts, which airs Friday, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. ET.
"Means we're the first, doesn't it?" Eugene said when asked what it meant to be a part of the first father-son duo to host the show.
"Yeah, I don't know. I think in prepping for this thing, you can't really overthink the firsts," added son Dan. "My biggest obstacle was fear. And I feel like if fear is your biggest obstacle, you have to do it," he said of the decision to host the event.
"I told my wife that we were asked to host. She said, 'Well, you're not doing it," Eugene recalled with a laugh. "There was electricity that was kinda drawing us into it, right, I mean, the challenge of it," he added.
Dan explained what the pair's main goal is ahead of the ceremony.
"The challenge is not humiliating yourself on national television in front of millions and millions of people," he said.
The father-son duo best described their chemistry as a continuous, humorously confrontational back and forth.
"Bickering." said Dan when asked how the pair communicates together.
"Yeah. It's kind of a bicker, kinda back and forth. It's a general lack of respect," said Eugene.
"I think we're fortunate enough to have a kind of chemistry that works on an award show," Dan added.
Eugene reflected on Dan developing his comedic chops as a child -- chops which helped "Schitt's Creek" score nine Emmy wins. "He found it at some point. He found his comedic voice," said Eugene, 77. "He was able to put the family away with a single word or a phrase."
Dan, 41, said it was this real-life family dynamic that helped make "Schitt's Creek" such a success.
"I do remember having an understanding of what really kind of pushed my dad to the edge, using that in our show as much as I possibly could."
Eugene and Dan also touched on the possibility of some fan favorites from "Schitt's Creek" -- which aired its final season in 2020 -- reappearing for the Emmys.
"It's at this point maybe a possibility," Eugene said. "You might see them, just in ways you don't expect," Dan added, with a wink.
The 76th Emmy Awards will feature some of the biggest titles in television competing for trophies. "Shōgun" is the most-nominated series this year, scoring 25 total nominations. Following close behind are "The Bear" with 23 nods and "Only Murders in the Building" with 21 nominations.
Dan said they'll host the event with "heart and kindness," though he noted they are focused on "not losing the edge of what people come to expect from a host."
"We've gotta be funny,"Eugene added. "We really hope that it's just a fun vibe."
"Personally, for me, comedy's all about -- if I'm gonna go down, I wanna take somebody with me," he joked.
Watch the extended conversation on "The 76th Emmys: A Night of Firsts" with Robin Roberts, which airs Friday, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. ET.
