The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has announced the nominees for the 74th Annual DGA Awards for Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 2021.
The biggest difference between the DGA nominees and this year’s Golden Globe nominees is that Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza) was nominated instead of Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Lost Daughter), though Gyllenhaal was nominated among a crop of promising first-team filmmakers, including fellow actress Rebecca Hall, whose Passing was also released by Netflix.
The nominations in the television series, commercial, and documentary categories were announced earlier this week. HBO’s Succession swept the drama series race, earning all five slots in the category, while Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso earned three directing nominations for its second season, which is up against HBO’s The White Lotus and Emmy winner Hacks.
Elsewhere, Hulu’s limited series Dopesick received two nods, though it faces stiff competition in the form of HBO’s Mare of Easttown, Amazon’s Underground Railroad, and the HBO Max series Station Eleven. Comedians Dave Chappelle and Bo Burnham also saw their respective Netflix specials nominated for DGA Awards.
Winners in all categories will be announced on Saturday, March 12. The guild announced last week that Spike Lee would receive its Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Achievement in Motion Picture Direction.
You can read the full list of nominations in both feature film, television, and other categories below:
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film
Paul Thomas Anderson
Licorice Pizza (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)
Mr. Anderson’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Sue McNamara
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Trevor Tavares
Second Second Assistant Directors: Kasia Trojak, Bob Riley, David Marnell
Kenneth Branagh
Belfast (Focus Features)
Jane Campion
The Power of the Dog (Netflix)
Steven Spielberg
West Side Story (20th Century Studios)
Mr. Spielberg’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Carla Raij, Daniel Lupi
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Jeremy Marks
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Robert T. Striem
Second Second Assistant Director: Josh Muzaffer
Additional Second Assistant Director: Billy Brennan
Location Managers: Robert T. Striem, Katherine Delaney
Denis Villeneuve
Dune (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Mr. Villeneuve’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Joe Caracciolo, Jr., James Grant
First Assistant Director: Chris Carreras
Second Assistant Director: Tom Rye
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film
Maggie Gyllenhaal
The Lost Daughter (Netflix)
Rebecca Hall
Passing (Netflix)
Tatiana Huezo
Prayers for the Stolen (Netflix)
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Tick, Tick… Boom! (Netflix)
Mr. Miranda’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Deb Dyer
First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
Second Assistant Directors: Josh A. Muzaffer, Luca Waldman
Second Second Assistant Directors: Melissa Morphet, Lincoln Major
Additional Second Assistant Director: Zach Citarella
Location Manager: Ryan Smith
Michael Sarnoski
Pig (NEON)
Emma Seligman
Shiva Baby (Utopia)
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series
Kevin Bray, Succession, “Retired Janitors of Idaho” (HBO)
Mr. Bray’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
First Assistant Director: John Silvestri
Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte
Second Second Assistant Directors: Jimmy Rosario, Nicole Payson
Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
Mark Mylod, Succession, “All the Bells Say” (HBO)
Mr. Mylod’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
Second Assistant Directors: Michelle Flevotomas, Nicholas Notte
Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
Andrij Parekh, Succession, “What It Takes” (HBO)
Mr. Parekh’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
Second Assistant Director: Michelle Flevotomas
Second Second Assistant Directors: Jimmy Rosario, Nicole Payson
Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman, Succession, “Lion in the Meadow” (HBO)
Mr. Pulcini & Ms. Berman’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
Second Assistant Director: Michelle Flevotomas
Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario
Additional Second Assistant Director: Nicole Payson
Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
Lorene Scafaria, Succession, “Too Much Birthday” (HBO)
Ms. Scafaria’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Gabrielle Mahon, Scott Ferguson
First Assistant Director: John Silvestri
Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte
Second Second Assistant Directors: Jimmy Rosario, Nicole Payson
Additional Second Assistant Director: Matt O’Shea
Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series
Lucia Aniello, Hacks, “There Is No Line” (HBO Max)
Ms. Aniello’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Melanie J. Elin, David Hyman
First Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
Second Assistant Director: Erin Stern Linares
Second Second Assistant Director: Heidi Hinzman
Additional Second Assistant Director: Alaina Neumann
MJ Delaney, Ted Lasso, “No Weddings and a Funeral” (Apple TV+)
Erica Dunton, Ted Lasso, “Rainbow” (Apple TV+)
Sam Jones, Ted Lasso, “Beard After Hours” (Apple TV+)
Mike White, The White Lotus, “Mysterious Monkeys” (HBO)
Mr. White’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Mark Kamine
First Assistant Director: Justin Ritson
Second Assistant Director: Joe Landry
Second Second Assistant Director: Dais Kasagawa
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series
Barry Jenkins, The Underground Railroad (Amazon)
Mr. Jenkins’ Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Richleigh Heagh
First Assistant Director: Liz Tan
Second Assistant Director: Elaine Wood
Second Second Assistant Director: Wayne Witherspoon
Additional Second Assistant Directors: Jesse Carmona, AJ Bruno
Barry Levinson, Dopesick, “First Bottle” (Hulu)
Mr. Levinson’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Marc Hammer
First Assistant Director: Karen Kane
Second Assistant Director: Chelsea Ryan Petrucci
Second Second Assistant Director: Alex Bonner
Hiro Murai, Station Eleven, “Wheel of Fire” (HBO Max)
Mr. Murai’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Dana Scott, David Nicksay
First Assistant Director: Jennifer Wilkinson
Location Manager: Stefan Nikolov
Danny Strong, Dopesick, “The People vs. Purdue Pharma” (Hulu)
Mr. Strong’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Marc Hammer
First Assistant Director: Donald Murphy
Second Assistant Director: Peter Dress
Second Second Assistant Director: Alex Bonner
Craig Zobel, Mare of Easttown (HBO)
Mr. Zobel’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Karen Wacker, Ron Schmidt
First Assistant Director: Kayse Goodell
Second Assistant Director: Jackson Rowe
Second Second Assistant Directors: Blair Howley, Findlay Zotter
Additional Second Assistant Directors: Findlay Zotter, Laura Hoyt
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming
Paul G. Casey, Real Time With Bill Maher, “Episode 1935: Fareed Zakaria, Chris Christie, Eric Adams” (HBO)
Mr. Casey’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Stacy Talbot
Stage Managers: Brian Anderson, Patrick Whitney
Jim Hoskinson, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, “Episode 1105” (CBS)
Mr. Hoskinson’s Directorial Team:
Associate Directors: Yvonne De Mare, Karen Yaeger
Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib
Don Roy King, Saturday Night Live, “Keegan-Michael Key; Olivia Rodrigo” (NBC)
Mr. King’s Directorial Team:
Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Laura Ouziel-Mack
Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly, Eddie Valk
David Paul Meyer, The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, “Episode 26112” (Comedy Central)
Mr. Meyer’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Kira Klang Hopf
Stage Manager: Bennymar Almonte
Paul Pennolino & Christopher Werner, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, “Episode 830 — Season Finale” (HBO)
Mr. Pennolino & Mr. Werner’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Elliot Mendelson
Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Craig Spinney
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials
Ian Berger, The Daily Show With Trevor Noah Presents, “Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse — Into the Magaverse” (Comedy Central)
Bo Burnham, Bo Burnham: Inside (Netflix)
Paul Dugdale, Adele: One Night Only (CBS)
Mr. Dugdale’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Hayley Collett
Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Erica Christensen, Zachary Figures, Jackie Stathis
Stan Lathan, Dave Chappelle: The Closer (Netflix)
Mr. Lathan’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Sara Niimi
Stage Manager: Valdez Flagg
Glenn P. Weiss, The 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team:
Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Susan Kopensky, Ricky Kirshner, Lisa R. Anderson, Lori Margules
Stage Managers: John Esposito, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Arthur Lewis, Tammy Raab, Karen Tasch Weiss
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs
Joseph Guidry, Full Bloom, “Final Floral Face Off” (HBO Max)
Mr. Guidry’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Sean P. Galvin
Stage Managers: Myeisha Abram, Kristianna LaRoda, Rachel Shimko
Patrick McManus, American Ninja Warrior, “1304: Qualifiers 4” (NBC)
Mr. McManus’ Directorial Team:
Associate Director: David Massey
Stage Managers: Jeff Simms, T.J. Ganser, Wolfgang Delgado
Ramy Romany, Making the Cut, “Brand Statement” (Amazon)
Mr. Romany’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Ryan Bunnell
Stage Managers: Will Baker, Brady Hess
Ben Simms, Running Wild With Bear Grylls, “Gina Carano in the Dolomites” (National Geographic Channel)
Mr. Simms’ Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Jeff Simms
Adam Vetri, Getaway Driver, “Electric Shock” (Discovery Channel)
Mr. Vetri’s Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: John Esposito
Second Assistant Director: Eric Pai
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs
James Bobin, The Mysterious Benedict Society, “A Bunch of Smart Orphans” (Disney+)
Mr. Bobin’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Grace Gilroy
Michael Lembeck, The J Team (Paramount+)
Phill Lewis, Head of the Class, “Three More Years” (HBO Max)
Mr. Lewis’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Susan M. Crank
First Assistant Director: Rebecca Baughman
Second Assistant Director: Oliver Garrett
Associate Director: Tim Clark
Smriti Mundhra, Through Our Eyes, “Shelter” (HBO Max)
Jeff Wadlow, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, “The Tale of the Darkhouse” (Nickelodeon)
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials
Steve Ayson (MJZ), Anthem, Mattress Firm — Droga5
Unit Production Manager: Adriana Cebada-Mora
First Assistant Director: George Nessis
Second Assistant Directors: Jesse Carmona, Brent Martin
Award Speech, Miller Lite — DDB Chicago
Networking, Miller Lite — DDB Chicago
Kathryn Bigelow (Smuggler), Hollywood In Your Pocket, iPhone 13 — Media Arts Lab
First Assistant Directors: Allison Kunzman, Arle Bordas
Second Assistant Director: Abbey Hansen
Second Second Assistant Director: Cody Maher
Ian Pons Jewell (Reset), ECG, Apple Watch — Apple; Sleep, Apple Watch — Apple; Time, Squarespace — Squarespace; Your Mom’s Short Ribs, Instacart — Goodby Silverstein
Henry-Alex Rubin (Smuggler), Teenage Dream, Sandy Hook Promise — BBDO — New York
First Assistant Director: Anthony Dimino
Second Assistant Director: David Ebel
Bradford Young (Serial Pictures x Somesuch), Super. Human., Channel 4 Paralympics — 4Creative
First Assistant Director: Jez Oakley
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary
Jessica Kingdon, Ascension (Paramount+)
Stanley Nelson, Attica (Showtime)
Raoul Peck, Exterminate All the Brutes (HBO)
Mr. Peck’s Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Mathias Honoré
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Searchlight Pictures/Onyx Collective/Hulu)
Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi & Jimmy Chin, The Rescue (National Geographic)
Ms. Vasarhelyi & Mr. Chin’s Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Joey Coughlin
