‘Nomadland,’ ‘Soul,’ ‘The Crown’ win Producers Guild Awards (PGA)

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) is announced the winners of their 32nd annual awards this evening in a virtual ceremony celebrating the producing achievements of theatrical motion pictures (even in the era of a pandemic), animated films, documentaries and television. Searchlight Pictures’ Nomadland was the big winner, taking the The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures for producers Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears and Chloé Zhao.

Nomadland, the story of a woman who travels around the country in her van after her husband dies and the town she lived in becomes a ghost town, has been the critics’ favorite all season. The film has also won the Critics Choice and Golden Globe for Best Picture and is nominated at BAFTA and the Oscars for film’s most prestigious honor. The PGA was going to be the film’s biggest hurdle in the race towards Oscar, whose voting still has weeks before it begins, but now appears to be an unmovable frontrunner. Some thought that Promising Young Woman or The Trial of the Chicago 7 might be able to give the film chase today but no such luck.

Although the PGA uses the same preferential ballot process as Oscar’s Best Picture, they’ve hit a few bumps in the second half of the last decade as a strong predictor. That may be due in part to the Academy’s more adventurous increase in membership with the PGA’s has made no such effort. When they picked La La Land, Oscar picked Moonlight. When they picked 1917, Oscar picked Parasite.

The Netflix documentary My Octopus Teacher triumphed in the Documentary Feature category. It is also Oscar-nominated and won against its toughest competition, Amazon Studios’ Time. Soul won Animated Feature, clearly on its way to Oscar gold.

In television, Netflix continued to rule as The Crown and The Queen’s Gambit took the Episodic Drama and Limited Series wins, repeating their wins from the Golden Globes and Critics Choice. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver won Live Entertainment & Talk Show, its sixth in a row. RuPaul’s Drag Race made it 3/3 in Reality/Competition.

Tracee Ellis Ross introduced the show as the de facto emcee of the ceremony, providing opening and closing remarks. She commented on the state of entertainment while undergoing a year-plus long shutdown and pandemic: “One thing hasn’t changed, the need to be entertained. It was so fun to see new releases at the drive-in. Who knew there were still drive-ins?” Anthony Mackie gave the introduction to this year’s In Memoriam segment. Acceptance speeches for winners were previously recorded (as John Oliver tipped the hand to) and the evening also honored Vance Van Petten with the Charles FitzSimons Award, presented by Mark Gordon, which recognizes outstanding dedication and enduring contributions to the Guild. Pette is also the creator of the PGA Awards themselves. The ceremony was interspersed with ‘What is your producer story?’ pieces from producers of The Undoing, The Wild, Little Fires Everywhere and more.

On March 20, the PGA announced four winners during its A Day With the PGA Award Nominees virtual event: Apple TV’s Carpool Karaoke: The Series won for Outstanding Short Form Program; The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special won for Outstanding Children’s Program; and YouTube’s Defying Gravity: The Untold Story of Women’s Gymnastics took Outstanding Sports Program.

Presenters for tonight’s PGA Awards included Viola Davis, Daniel Kaluuya, Sacha Baron Cohen, Carey Mulligan, Steven Yeun, Amanda Seyfried, Paul Raci, Regina King, Eddie Redmayne, Swankie, Riz Ahmed, Darren Criss, Kaley Cuoco, Daveed Diggs, Gal Gadot, Mindy Kaling, Nicole Kidman, Paul Mescal, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sarah Jessica Parker and Jurnee Smollett.

Here is the full list of nominees and winners of the 32nd Producers Guild of America awards.

FILM

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios)
Producers: Sacha Baron Cohen, Monica Levinson, Anthony Hines

Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros)
Producers: Charles D. King, Ryan Coogler, Shaka King

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
Producers: Denzel Washington, Todd Black

Mank (Netflix)
Producers: Ceán Chaffin, Eric Roth, Douglas Urbanski

Minari (A24)
Producer: Christina Oh

Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures) [WINNER]
Producers: Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Chloé Zhao

One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)
Producers: Jess Wu Calder, Keith Calder, Jody Klein

Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)
Producers: Josey McNamara, Ben Browning, Ashley Fox, Emerald Fennell

Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)
Producers: Bert Hamelinck, Sacha Ben Harroche

The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)
Producers: Marc Platt, Stuart Besser

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures

The Croods: A New Age (DreamWorks Animation)
Producer: Mark Swift

Onward (Pixar)
Producer: Kori Rae

Over the Moon (Netflix)
Producers: Gennie Rim, Peilin Chou

Soul (Pixar) [WINNER]
Producer: Dana Murray

Wolfwalkers (Apple TV+/Cartoon Saloon)
Producers: Paul Young, Nora Twomey, Tomm Moore, Stéphan Roelants

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Picture

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (Netflix)
Jonnie Hughes, Producer

Dick Johnson Is Dead (Netflix)
Kirsten Johnson, Katy Chevigny, and Marilyn Ness, Producers

My Octopus Teacher (Netflix) [WINNER]
Craig Foster, Producer

Softie (PBS)
Toni Kamau and Sam Soko, Producers

A Thousand Cuts (PBS)
Ramona S. Diaz, Leah Marino, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, and Carolyn Hepburn, Producers

Time (Amazon Studios)
Lauren Domino, Kellen Quinn, and Garrett Bradley, Producers

The Truffle Hunters (Sony Pictures Classics)
Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw, Producers

TELEVISION

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama

Better Call Saul (AMC) – Season 5
Producers: Peter Gould, Vince Gilligan, Mark Johnson, Melissa Bernstein, Thomas Schnauz, Diane Mercer, Gordon Smith, Alison Tatlock, Ann Cherkis, Bob Odenkirk, Princess Nash

Bridgerton – (Netflix) – Season 1
Producers: Chris Van Dusen, Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Scott Collins, Alison Eakle, Sara Fischer, Sarada McDermott, Holden Chang, Tom Verica

The Crown (Netflix) – Season 4 [WINNER]
Producers: Peter Morgan, Suzanne Mackie, Stephen Daldry, Andy Harries, Benjamin Caron, Matthew Byam Shaw, Robert Fox, Michael Casey, Andy Stebbing, Martin Harrison, Oona O’Beirn

The Mandalorian (Disney+) – Season 2
Producers: Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, Karen Gilchrist, John Bartnicki, Carrie Beck

Ozark (Netflix) – Season 3
Producers: Jason Bateman, Chris Mundy, Bill Dubuque, Mark Williams, Patrick Markey, John Shiban, Miki Johnson, Matthew Spiegel, Erin Mitchell, Martin Zimmerman, Peter Thorell

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy

Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – Season 10
Producers: Larry David, Jeff Garlin, Jeff Schaffer, Laura Streicher, Mychelle Deschamps

The Flight Attendant (HBO Max) – Season 1
Producers: Greg Berlanti, Kaley Cuoco, Steve Yockey, Meredith Lavender, Marcie Ullin, Sarah Schechter, Suzanne McCormack, Jess Meyer, Raymond Quinlan, Jennifer Lence, Erika Kennair

Schitt’s Creek (Pop TV) – Season 6 [WINNER]
Producers: Eugene Levy, Daniel Levy, Andrew Barnsley, Fred Levy, David West Read, Ben Feigin, Michael Short, Kurt Smeaton, Kosta Orfanidis

Ted Lasso (Apple TV+) – Season 1
Producers: Bill Lawrence, Jason Sudeikis, Jeff Ingold, Bill Wrubel, Liza Katzer, Jane Becker, Jamie Lee, Kip Kroeger, Brendan Hunt, Tina Pawlik, Joe Kelly

What We Do in the Shadows (FX) – Season 2
Producers: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Paul Simms, Scott Rudin, Garrett Basch, Eli Bush, Stefani Robinson, Sam Johnson, Marika Sawyer, Derek S. Rappaport

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited Series Television

I May Destroy You (HBO)
Producers: Michaela Coel, Phil Clarke, Roberto Troni, Simon Meyers, Simon Maloney

Normal People (Hulu)
Producers: Lenny Abrahamson, Sally Rooney, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Emma Norton, Anna Ferguson, Catherine Magee

The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix) [WINNER]
Producers: William Horberg, Allan Scott, Scott Frank, Marcus Loges, Mick Aniceto

The Undoing (HBO)
Producers: Susanne Bier, David E. Kelley, Per Saari, Nicole Kidman, Bruna Papandrea, Stephen Garrett, Celia Costas, Deb Dyer

Unorthodox (Netflix)
Producers: Anna Winger, Henning Kamm, Alexa Karolinksi

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures

Bad Education (HBO)
Producers: Fred Berger, Eddie Vaisman

Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square (Netflix)
Producers: Dolly Parton, Sam Haskell

Hamilton (Disney+) [WINNER]
Producers: Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller

Jane Goodall: The Hope (Disney+)
Producers: eligibility determination pending

What the Constitution Means To Me (Amazon Studios)
Producers: Heidi Schreck, Marielle Heller, Robin Schwartz, Kyle Laursen, Peter Saraf

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television

60 Minutes (CBS) – Season 53
Producer: Bill Owens

The Last Dance (ESPN) – Season 1 [WINNER]
Producers: Mike Tollin, Curtis Polk, Estee Portnoy, Andrew Thompson, Gregg Winik, John Dahl, Libby Geist, Connor Schell, Peter Guber, Jason Hehir, Nina Krstic, Matt Maxson, Jacob Rogal, Alyson Sadofsky, Jon Weinbach

Laurel Canyon (EPIX)
Producers: Craig Kallman, Mark Pinkus, Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Stacey Offman, Richard Perello, Jeff Pollack, Alex Gibney, Frank Marshall, Erin Edeiken, Ryan Suffern

McMillion$ (HBO) – Season 1
Producers: Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Archie Gips, James Lee Hernandez, Brian Lazarte

Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness (Netflix)
Producers: Chris Smith, Fisher Stevens, Eric Goode, Rebecca Chaiklin

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television

8:46 – Dave Chappelle (Special) (Netflix)
Producers: Dave Chappelle, Julia Reichert, Sina Sadighi, Steven Bognar

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah (Comedy Central) – Season 26
Producers: Trevor Noah, Jennifer Flanz, Jill Katz, Justin Melkmann, Max Browning, Eric Davies, Pamela DePace, Ramin Hedayati, David Kibuuka, David Paul Meyer, Zhubin Parang, Elise Terrell, Jocelyn Conn, Jeff Gussow, Shawna Shepherd, Beth Shorr, Dan Amira, David Blog, Adam Chodikoff, Jimmy Donn, Scott Hercman, Kira Klang Hopf, Allison MacDonald, Ryan Middleton, Matt Negrin, Juliet Werner

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) – Season 7 [WINNER]
Producers: John Oliver, Tim Carvell, Liz Stanton, Jeremy Tchaban, Christopher Werner, Laura L. Griffin, Kate Mullaney, Matt Passet, Marian Wang, Charles Wilson

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS) – Season 6
Producers: Stephen T. Colbert, Chris Licht, Tom Purcell, Jon Stewart, Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Barry Julien, Opus Moreschi, Denise Rehrig, Aaron Cohen, Paul Dinello, Emily Gertler, Jay Katsir, Matt Lappin, Bjoern Stejskal, Sara Vilkomerson, Ballard C. Boyd, Michael Brumm, Gabe Gronli, Paige Kendig, Jake Plunkett, Adam Wager

Saturday Night Live (NBC) – Season 46
Producers: Lorne Michaels, Steve Higgins, Erik Kenward, Lindsay Shookus, Erin Doyle, Tom Broecker, Caroline Maroney, Ken Aymong

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television

The Amazing Race (CBS) – Season 32
Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman, Elise Doganieri, Mark Vertullo, Phil Keoghan

The Masked Singer (FOX) – Season 3, Season 4
Producers: Craig Plestis, Izzie Pick-Ibarra, Rosie Seitchik, Nick Cannon, James Breen, Deena Katz, Lindsay Tuggle, Chris Wagner, Patrizia DiMaria, Brian Updyke, Jeff Kmiotek, Lauren Taylor Harding, Nick Campagna, Erin Brady, Tiana Gandelman, Kristin Campbell-Taylor, Lindsay John, Dom Worden, Peter Hebri, Zoë Ritchken, Lexi Shoemaker, Mike Riccio, Emily Smith, Chelsea Candelaria, Joseph Warwick

Nailed It! (Netflix) – Season 4
Producers: Patrick J. Doody, Gaylen Gawlowski, Casey Kriley, Jo Sharon, Sandra Birdsong, Anika Guldstrand, Cat Sullivan, Melissa Johnson

RuPaul’s Drag Race ( (Season 12) [WINNER]
Producers: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Mandy Salangsang, RuPaul Charles, Steven Corfe, Michele Mills, Jacqueline Wilson, Thairin Smothers, Adam Bronstein, Lisa Steele, John Polly, Michelle Visage, Jen Passovoy, Alicia Gargaro-Magana

The Voice (NBC) – Season 18, Season 19
Producers: John de Mol, Mark Burnett, Audrey Morrissey, Adam Sher, Amanda Zucker, Kyra Thompson, Teddy Valenti, Kyley Tucker, Carson Daly

INNOVATION AWARD

Adventure Lab and Dr. Crumb’s School for Disobedient Pets (Adventure Lab)

Andrew Goes Outside (Some Evil Studios)

Artificial (Artificial)

Baba Yaga (Baobab Studios)

BRCvr (Big Rock Creative) [WINNER]

Create Together (YouTube Originals)

Fragments

Jettison (Jigsaw Ensemble)

Krampusnacht (Krampusnacht)

Oceanides (Royal Caribbean Entertainment)

The Line (ARVORE)

The Under Presents (Tender Claws)