Primetime Emmy Tally: Two
How She Got the Gold: For Outstanding Costumes for a Series for Homefront, in 1992 and 1993.
Now for the Noms: Paolo — whose credits as a costume designer include ER, Southland, Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder, Shameless and Animal Kingdom — has been nominated four times. Three noms were for ABC's Homefront and one was for NBC's The West Wing (in 2000).
Still a Thrill: "I was overwhelmed each time I was nominated. Winning the Emmy is such an affirmation by your peers and such an honor that it never gets old. I was more prepared the second time I won and actually wrote a speech... the first time I thought, 'No way,' and was completely unprepared."
Inspiration Station: "Both of my Emmy statues are on a bookcase in my den. My inspiration comes from the work, the writing, as well as the worlds that my team and I get to create. Having an Emmy or two certainly gives you confidence that you are up for a challenge."
Strong Start: "I was fortunate enough to win early on in my career. I will be always grateful that my fellow costumers felt that I was deserving. Winning fairly early left me with a real boost that elevated my work and made me strive for more and more interesting projects."
Art, Not Science: "I love starting each new show, and I find the challenge of creating a character to be so exciting. I hope I never feel that I have it down to a science. I love working on very different kinds of shows, because that keeps you fresh and inspired."
New Challenges: "There are so many things I love about my career — my team, the cast, but I really enjoy getting that new script in my hands, reading it and imagining where we will go with these new characters. I am so grateful to have found this world and to be working with such talented and inspiring collaborators."
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This article originally appeared in emmy magazine, Issue No. 4, 2019
