76th Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards: Christopher Nolan Wins for ‘Oppenheimer,’ ‘The Last of Us’ and ‘The Bear’ Tops in TV

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Christopher Nolan has won the Directors Guild of America (DGA) award for Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for Oppenheimer.

This was Nolan’s 5th DGA nomination and first win and is the frontrunner for the Best Director Oscar as only eight DGA winners have not translated their wins here to Oscar gold. Most recently in 2019 when Sam Mendes won the DGA for 1917 and Bong Joon-ho won the Oscar for Parasite. Nolan bested fellow Oscar nominees Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things) and Martin Scorsese (Killers of the Flower Moon) and DGA nominees Alexander Payne (The Holdovers) and Greta Gerwig (Barbie), both of whom missed Oscar nods to Justine Triet (Anatomy of a Fall) and Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of Interest).

Celine Song won the DGA award for first-time director for her Best Picture-nominated film Past Lives.

In television, The Bear continued its awards reign with a win for Christopher Storer for the guest-star filled holiday episode “Fishes,” from the show’s second season. Succession ended its run with a surprising loss here as it had four chances out of five to win. After winning the Emmy for the episode “Connor’s Wedding” just three weeks ago, the DGA went for the bottle episode of The Last of Us, “Long, Long Time.” Lessons in Chemistry was the limited series winner while Saturday Night Live and Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love took home the wins for variety shows.

DGA president Lesli Linka Glatter delivered the opening message of the show with an acknowledgement of the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes. The DGA took an early deal last year to avoid a potential strike of their own while the WGA and SAG guilds supported each other through the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike in November.

 “I struggle to find words to address the pain everyone faced in our industry in our collective fight to get what we all deserve,” said Glatter. “We are thankful that we are back doing the work that we love with exceptional new creative and economic protections for DGA members and so many others. Our sister guilds, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, had difficult fights and achieved strong deals on behalf of their members.”

“This year members need that connection over our shared craft even more now, because the last year was so fucking challenging. That was not on the teleprompter,” Glatter said, before highlighting areas the guilds still need to address, including AI. Noting that the DGA became the first union in the U.S. to achieve contract protections regarding AI, she said “We have never needed the protection and strength of the DGA more.”

Judd Apatow returned as host the non-televised ceremony for the fifth time, which took place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills. Apatow opened his monologue with a dig at the DGA’s early deal. “My agent said that I should hold out for more money, but in the spirit of the DGA I accepted their first offer,” he quipped. “Ultimately, what did we learn from the strikes? We learned that Fran Drescher is the voice of reason, and unfortunately, that’s what reason sounds like. And two, audiences love watching old shows that have been on a lot of seasons. They don’t care at all if they’re new.”

Presenters included Matt Bomer, Rose Byrne, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Zooey Deschanel, David Duchovny, Jay Ellis, Carla Gallo, Ilana Glazer, Ryan Gosling, Taylor Hackford, Jonah Hill, Patty Jenkins, Rashida Jones, Daniel Kwan, Eva Longoria, Cillian Murphy, Nasim Pedrad, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Sennott, Daniel Scheinert, Emma Stone, Glenn Weiss, and Jeffrey Wright.

The Directors Guild also honored David Nutter with the Lifetime Achievement Award in Television, Janet G. Knutsen with the Frank Capra Achievement Award and Gary Natoli with the Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award.

Here is the complete list of winners of the 76th 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 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)

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 Variety/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, “Pedro Pascal / Coldplay” (NBC) – WINNER
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 Variety/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)