“Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan, Christopher Storer of FX’s “The Bear” and Peter Hoar of HBO’s “The Last of Us” were the top winners Saturday night at the Directors Guild of America‘s 76th annual DGA Awards.
The DGA win seals Nolan’s frontrunner position to land the director Oscar at the March 10 Academy Awards. Celine Song took home the DGA medallion for first-time director for her much-praised A24 drama “Past Lives.” “Guys, this is so amazing,” Song told the crowd.
Judd Apatow hosted the three-hour ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The multi-hyphenate opened his monologue with a zinger rooted in the DGA’s image as being friendly with the studio CEOs and its history of never mounting a significant strike against Hollywood’s major studios. Apatow joked that his agents told him to hold out for more money for his fifth time as host of the DGA ceremony. “But in the spirit of the DGA I accepted their first offer,” he said.
DGA president Lesli linka Glatter opened the night with an acknowledgement of the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes that forced studios to suspend productions for six months last year.
“This year members need that connection [at the DGA Awards} over our shared craft even more now, because the last year was so fucking challenging. That was not on the telepromopter,” Glatter noted, then reeled off a host of issues that creative unions still need to address, including advances in AI. She noted that the DGA became the first union in the U.S. to achieve contract protections regarding the growing technology. “We have never needed the protection and strength of the DGA more,” she said.
Accepting the award for directorial achievement in comedy series, “The Bear’s” Christopher Storer — who was unable to accept his recent Emmy wins onstage due to a COVID diagnosis — nodded to one of the FX series’ most popular episodes: “I should probably thank every family dinner that got fucked up and weird.” Storer won for the “Fishes” episode of “The Bear’s” sophomore season.
Hoar won for directing the “Long, Long Time” episode of “Last of Us,” which emerged as a hit for HBO last year. He topped four different directors who were nominated for work done on the final season of HBO’s “Succession.”
TV veteran David Nutter was feted with the lifetime achievement award for television direction. Over his long career, Nutter has directed 24 pilots — 21 of which made it to series orders — and some 1,500 hours of TV, from “Game of Thrones” to “ER” to the “The X-Files.” In recent years he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Nutter gave an emotional speech that demonstrated his resilience as he deals with the symptoms of the progressive disease that attacks the central nervous system.
“I’m a better director for it,” Nutter said of working with Parkinson’s. “I’m more attached to the emotional heartbeat of an actor.”
Here is a full list of nominees and winners for the 76th annual DGA Awards
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film
GRETA GERWIG — “Barbie” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
YORGOS LANTHIMOS —“Poor Things” (Searchlight Pictures)
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN — “Oppenheimer” (Universal Pictures) – WINNER
ALEXANDER PAYNE — “The Holdovers” (Focus Features)
MARTIN SCORSESE — “Killers of the Flower Moon” (Apple Original Films / Paramount Pictures)
Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film
CORD JEFFERSON — “American Fiction” (Orion Pictures / Amazon MGM Studios)
MANUELA MARTELLI —“Chile ‘76” (Kino Lober)
NOORA NIASARI — “Shayda” (Sony Pictures Classics / ORIGMA 45)
A.V. ROCKWELL — “A Thousand and One” (Focus Features)
CELINE SONG —“Past Lives” (A24) – WINNER
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series
PETER HOAR — “The Last of Us,” “Long, Long Time” (HBO/Max) – WINNER
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Cecil O’Connor; First Assistant Director: Bethan Mowat
BECKY MARTIN — “Succession,” “Rehearsal” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Hilary Kehoe, Gabrielle Mahon; First Assistant Director: John Silvestri; Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte; Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario; Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
MARK MYLOD — “Succession,” “Connor’s Wedding” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Hilary Kehoe, Gabrielle Mahon; First Assistant Director: Christo Morse; Second Assistant Directors: Sahar Shmolevitz, Justin Bischoff; Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario; Additional Second Assistant Directors: Cris Iannucci, Norman Franklin, Kyle Burstein; Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
ANDRIJ PAREKH — “Succession,” “America Decides” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Hilary Kehoe, Gabrielle Mahon; First Assistant Director: John Silvestri; Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte; Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario; Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
ROBERT PULCINI & SHARI SPRINGER BERMAN — “Succession,” “Tailgate Party” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Hilary Kehoe, Gabrielle Mahon; First Assistant Director: Michelle Flevotomas; Second Assistant Director: Sahar Shmolevitz; Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario; Additional Second Assistant Directors: Isabel Sofia Cervantes, Nicole Kay Payson; Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
ERICA DUNTON — “Ted Lasso,” “La Locker Room Aux Folles” (Apple TV+)
BILL HADER — “Barry,” “wow” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Aida Rodgers; First Assistant Director: Gavin Kleintop; Second Assistant Director: Erin Stern Linares; Second Second Assistant Directors: Yarden Levo, George Williams
DECLAN LOWNEY — “Ted Lasso,” “So Long, Farewell” (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Mike Livanos (U.S. Unit); First Assistant Director: Jason Z. Kemp (U.S. Unit); Second Assistant Director: Christopher Cook (U.S. Unit)
CHRISTOPHER STORER — “The Bear,” “Fishes” (FX) — WINNER
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Tyson Bidner, Carrie Holt de Lama; First Assistant Directors: Duccio Fabbri, Pablo Gambetta; Second Assistant Director: Larissa Malarek; Second Second Assistant Directors: Olivia Dame, Hiro Taniguchi; Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas
RAMY YOUSSEF — “The Bear,” “Honeydew” (FX)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Tyson Bidner, Carrie Holt de Lama; First Assistant Directors: Kit Bland, Pablo Gambetta; Second Assistant Director: Larissa Malarek; Second Second Assistant Directors: Olivia Dame, Hiro Taniguchi; Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series
SHAWN LEVY— “All the Light We Cannot See” (Netflix)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Scott Elias; First Assistant Director: Josh McLaglen; Second Assistant Director: Simeon Jones
TARA MIELE — “Lessons in Chemistry,” “Introduction to Chemistry” (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Chris Hayden; First Assistant Director: Katie Carroll; Second Assistant Director: Alexis Olsen Colwell
MILLICENT SHELTON — “Lessons in Chemistry,” “Poirot” (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Chris Hayden; First Assistant Director: Kristofer Kolpek; Second Assistant Director: Deborah Chung
SARAH ADINA SMITH — “Lessons in Chemistry,” “Her and Him” (Apple TV+) — WINNER
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Steven Brown; First Assistant Director: Kristofer Kolpek; Second Assistant Director: Deborah Chung
NZINGHA STEWART — “Daisy Jones & The Six,” ” Track 10: Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” (Amazon)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Michael Nelson; First Assistant Director: Anna Notarides; Second Assistant Director: Samantha Hollingsworth; Second Second Assistant Directors : Tarin Squillante, Jeff Tavani, Alex Lee Bonner, Matthew Kramer; Location Manager: Batou Chandler
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in PvNew/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming
PAUL G. CASEY — “Real Time with Bill Maher,” “Episode 2117” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Stacy Talbot; Stage Managers: Brian Anderson, Patrick Whitney
JIM HOSKINSON — “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Jan. 19, 2023: Rep. Adam Kinzinger; Meet Me at the Altar; Special appearance by Harvey Guillén” (CBS)
Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Yvonne DeMare, Karen Yaeger; Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib
MICHAEL MANCINI & LIZ PATRICK — “Saturday Night Live,” — WINNER
“Pedro Pascal / Coldplay” (NBC) Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Janine DeVito, Michael Poole, Laura Ouziel-Mack; Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly, Eddie Valk
DAVID PAUL MEYER — “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” “Singer Charley Crockett Performs “Name on a Billboard” and Discusses New Album with Jordan Klepper ” (Comedy Central)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Adrienne Ford; Stage Managers: Bennymar Almonte, Tyler Goldman
PAUL PENNOLINO — “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “Episode 1018: Dollar Stores” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Elliot Mendelson; Stage Managers: Craig Spinney, Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib, Steven Van Patten
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in PvNew/Talk/News/Sports – Specials
JOEL GALLEN — “Chris Rock: Selective Outrage” (Netflix)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Robin Mishkin Abrams; Stage Manager: Arthur Lewis
STAN LATHAN — “Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer” (Netflix)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Jill Dove; Stage Manager: Valdez Flagg
LINDA MENDOZA — “Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer” (Netflix)
Directorial Team: Stage Manager: Dan Frank
PAUL MILLER — “Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love” (NBC) – WINNER
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Sara Niimi; Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Christopher McDonald, Jackie Stathis
GLENN WEISS — “The 95th Annual Academy Awards” (ABC)
Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Ricky Kirshner, Susan Kopensky, Lori Margules, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Sara Niimi, Kristen Patterson Terry, Michael Polito; Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Alexis Brusig, Rita Cossette, John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Doug Fogel, Chris Hines, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Arthur Lewis, Roxanne Lozano, Donna Parker, Ron Paul, Tammy Raab, Jason Seligman, Jackie Stathis, Cheryl Teetzel-Moore, Ari Woog
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs
NIHARIKA DESAI — “Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss,” “Happiness is a Bottle of Cod Liver Oil” (Peacock) — WINNER
KEN FUCHS — “The Golden Bachelor,” “Premiere” (ABC)
Directorial Team: Stage Manager: Isaiah Fuchs
JOSEPH GUIDRY & ALEXANDRA LIPSITZ — “Project Greenlight: A New Generation,” “PGL vs. Gray Matter Problem” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Lizzie MacPherson; Stage Manager: T.J. Ganser
RICH KIM — “Lego Masters,” “Is It Brick?” (Fox)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Ryan Bunnell; Stage Managers: Will Baker, Dan Shepard
PATRICK McMANUS — “American Ninja Warrior,” “Season 15 Finale” (NBC)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Dave Massey; Stage Managers: Sara Brown, Sean P. Galvin, T.J. Ganser, Joseph R. Osborne, Matthew Patrick, Greg Rosa, Louise Story
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs
JAMES BOBIN — “Percy Jackson and the Olympians,” “I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher” (Disney+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Jim Rowe; First Assistant Director: Pete Whyte; Location Manager: David Occhino
DESTIN DANIEL CRETTON — “American Born Chinese,” “What Guy Are You” (Disney+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Erin O’Malley; First Assistant Director: Katie Hausmann; Second Assistant Directors: Randin Brown Hargrave, Morgan Willis
ROB LETTERMAN — “Goosebumps,” “Say Cheese and Die” (Disney+)
AMY SCHATZ — “Stand Up & Shout: Songs From a Philly High School” (HBO/Max) — WINNER
DINH THAI — “American Born Chinese,” “A Monkey on a Quest” (Disney+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Erin O’Malley, Stacy Murphy Gold; First Assistant Director: Michael Risoli; Second Assistant Director: Morgan Willis
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
MARTIN de THURAH (Epoch Films)
“Fair Exchange,” Levi’s 501 Jeans – Droga5
“Legends Never Die,” Levi’s 501 Jeans, Droga5
SEB EDWARDS (Park Pictures)
Rumble, Battle of the Baddest – Droga5 | First Assistant Director: George Walker
KIM GEHRIG (Somesuch) —WINNER
“Run This Town,” Apple Music – Apple (Client Direct) | First Assistant Director: David Webb
“The Travelers,” Expedia – Wieden & Kennedy | First Assistant Director: Zaida Fakih
CRAIG GILLESPIE (MJZ)
“Waiting Room,” Apple iPhone – TBWA/Media Arts Lab | Unit Production Manager: Martha Davis, First Assistant Director: Christian Van Fleet, Second Assistant Director: Gregory Moutran
ANDREAS NILSSON (Biscuit Filmworks)
“R.I.P. Leon,” Apple iPhone – Apple (Client Direct) | First Assistant Director: Gareth Moses
“Action Mode,” Apple iPhone14 – Apple (Client Direct) | First Assistant Director: Gareth Moses
“Choose Happy,” Les Mills Fitness – Nice&Frank, San Francisco
“Wait’ll You See This,” Snapchat – Snapchat (Client Direct)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in documentary
MOSES BWAYO & CHRISTOPHER SHARP — “Bobi Wine: The People’s President” (National Geographic)
MSTYSLAV CHERNOV — “20 Days in Mariupol” (PBS Distribution) — WINNER
MADELEINE GAVIN — “Beyond Utopia” (Roadside Attractions)
DAVIS GUGGENHEIM — “Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie” (Apple Original Films)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: John Locke; First Assistant Director: Richard Rosser
D. SMITH — “Kokomo City” (Magnolia Pictures)
