"Ted Lasso" garners 3 nods in Comedy Series category; a full rundown of Guild nominees
The Directors Guild of America has unveiled the nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television, Commercials and Documentary for 2021. And we already know the winner–kind of–in one marquee category as episodes of Succession swept all nominations for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series. The director nominees for Succession are Kevin Bray for the “Retired Janitors of Idaho” episode, Mark Mylod for “All the Bells Say,” Andrij Parekh for “What It Takes,” Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman for “Lion in the Meadow,” and Lorene Scafaria for “Too Much Birthday.”
On the comedy series side, Ted Lasso was dominant, taking three of the five nods–directors MJ Delaney for “No Weddings and a Funeral,” Erica Dunton for “Rainbow” and Sam Jones for “Beard After Hours.” The other two comedy series noms went to Lucia Aniello for the “There Is No Line” episode of Hacks, and Mike White for the “Mysterious Monkeys” installment of The White Lotus.
Documentary nominees are Jessica Kingdon for Ascension, Stanley Nelson for Attica, Raoul Peck for Exterminate All the Brutes, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson for Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin for The Rescue.
The winners will be announced at the 74th Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, March 12, 2022.
Here’s a rundown of nominations across multiple categories spanning TV, commercials and documentaries. For more detailed coverage of the commercialmaking nominees, click here.
DRAMATIC SERIES
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
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
COMEDY SERIES
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
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
MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND LIMITED SERIES
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
BARRY JENKINS
The Underground Railroad
(Amazon)
Mr. Jenkins’s 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
VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
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
VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
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
REALITY PROGRAMS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
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’s 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’s 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
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
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)
COMMERCIALS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
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
DOCUMENTARY
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2021 are (in alphabetical order):
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)
ELIZABETH CHAI VASARHELYI & JIMMY CHIN
The Rescue
(National Geographic)
Ms.Vasarhelyi & Mr. Chin’s Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Joey Coughlin
Rom-Com Mainstay Hugh Grant Shifts To The Dark Side and He’s Never Been Happier
After some difficulties connecting to a Zoom, Hugh Grant eventually opts to just phone instead.
"Sorry about that," he apologizes. "Tech hell." Grant is no lover of technology. Smart phones, for example, he calls the "devil's tinderbox."
"I think they're killing us. I hate them," he says. "I go on long holidays from them, three or four days at at time. Marvelous."
Hell, and our proximity to it, is a not unrelated topic to Grant's new film, "Heretic." In it, two young Mormon missionaries (Chloe East, Sophie Thatcher) come knocking on a door they'll soon regret visiting. They're welcomed in by Mr. Reed (Grant), an initially charming man who tests their faith in theological debate, and then, in much worse things.
After decades in romantic comedies, Grant has spent the last few years playing narcissists, weirdos and murders, often to the greatest acclaim of his career. But in "Heretic," a horror thriller from A24, Grant's turn to the dark side reaches a new extreme. The actor who once charmingly stammered in "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and who danced to the Pointer Sisters in "Love Actually" is now doing heinous things to young people in a basement.
"It was a challenge," Grant says. "I think human beings need challenges. It makes your beer taste better in the evening if you've climbed a mountain. He was just so wonderfully (expletive)-up."
"Heretic," which opens in theaters Friday, is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, co-writers of "A Quiet Place." In Grant's hands, Mr. Reed is a divinely good baddie — a scholarly creep whose wry monologues pull from a wide range of references, including, fittingly, Radiohead's "Creep."
In an interview, Grant spoke about these and other facets of his character, his journey... Read More