"Ted Lasso," "Curb Your Enthusiasm" score 2 nods apiece in Comedy Series competition; marquee Dramatic Series category nominees span "Better Call Saul," "Bridgerton," "Homeland," "The Mandalorian," "Ozark"
The Directors Guild of America has unveiled the nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television, Commercials and Documentary for 2020.
The winners will be announced at the 73rd Annual DGA Awards on Saturday, April 10, 2021, which will be a private virtual event for DGA members.
Here’s a full rundown of today’s announced nominees:
DRAMATIC SERIES
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for 2020 are (in alphabetical order):
JASON BATEMAN
Ozark, “Wartime”
(Netflix)
Mr. Bateman’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Matthew Spiegel
First Assistant Director: Peter Thorell
Second Assistant Director: Townson Wells
Second Second Assistant Director: Sarah Gorczyk
JON FAVREAU
The Mandalorian, “Chapter 9: The Marshal”
(Disney+)
Mr. Favreau’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Colin Wilson
First Assistant Director: Kim Richards
Second Assistant Director: Heather Wagner-Wang
Second Second Assistant Director: Heather Kehayas
Additional Second Assistant Director: David Buchwald
VINCE GILLIGAN
Better Call Saul, “Bagman”
(AMC)
Mr. Gilligan’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: James Paul Hapsas
First Assistant Director: Efrain Cortes
Second Assistant Director: Louis Lanni
Second Second Assistant Director: KiKi Levine
LESLI LINKA GLATTER
Homeland, “Prisoners of War”
(Showtime)
Ms. Glatter’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Michael Klick, Philippa Naughten
First Assistant Director: Sunday Stevens
Second Assistant Director: Wendy Bledsoe
JULIE ANNE ROBINSON
Bridgerton, “Diamond of the First Water”
(Netflix)
Ms. Robinson’s Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Ian Foster Woolf
COMEDY SERIES
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series for 2020 are (in alphabetical order):
ZACH BRAFF
Ted Lasso, “Biscuits”
(Apple TV+)
MJ DELANEY
Ted Lasso, “The Hope that Kills You”
(Apple TV+)
SUSANNA FOGEL
The Flight Attendant, “In Case of Emergency”
(HBO Max)
Ms. Fogel’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Bonnie Muñoz
First Assistant Director: Derek Peterson
Second Assistant Director: Jacquie Dore
Second Second Assistant Director: Zach Citarella
Location Manager: Chris Banks
ERIN O’MALLEY
Curb Your Enthusiasm, “The Surprise Party”
(HBO)
Ms. O’Malley’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Mary Church
First Assistant Director: Adam Feil
Second Assistant Director: Candice Lee
Second Second Assistant Director: D.J. Carter
JEFF SCHAFFER
Curb Your Enthusiasm, “The Spite Store”
(HBO)
Mr. Schaffer’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Mary Church
First Assistant Director: Adam Feil
Second Assistant Director: Candice Lee
Second Second Assistant Directors: D.J. Carter, Brent Stanton
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 2020 are (in alphabetical order):
SUSANNE BIER
The Undoing
(HBO)
Ms. Bier’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Deb Dyer
First Assistant Director: Richard Styles
Second Assistant Director: Josh Muzaffer
Location Manager: Lauri Pitkus
Second Second Assistant Directors: Steven Lafferty, Alex Scricco
Additional Second Assistant Directors: Alex Scricco, Zachary Citarella
SCOTT FRANK
The Queen’s Gambit
(Netflix)
Mr. Frank’s Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Aldric La’auli Porter
THOMAS KAIL
Hamilton
(Disney+)
Mr. Kail’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: David Backus
First Assistant Director: Robin Abrams
Second Assistant Director: Thomas Gaito
MATT SHAKMAN
WandaVision
(Disney +)
Mr. Shakman’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Mary Kane
First Assistant Director: Janell Sammelman
Second Assistant Directors: Meaghan F. McLaughlin, Stephanie Tull Coscina
Second Second Assistant Directors: Katye Kalivoda, Nadeem Ashayer (Los Angeles Unit)
Additional Second Assistant Directors: Kate Pulley, George Williams (Los Angeles Unit)
LYNN SHELTON
Little Fires Everywhere, “Find a Way”
(Hulu)
Ms. Shelton’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Brad Yacobian
First Assistant Director: Luke Maxcy
Second Assistant Director: Kirisa Gavrin
Second Second Assistant Directors: Christina Lee, Gabriella Poli Vidal
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 2020 are (in alphabetical order):
PAUL G. CASEY
Real Time With Bill Maher, “Episode 1835”
(HBO)
Mr. Casey’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Stacy Talbot
Stage Managers: Brian Anderson, Patrick Whitney
JIM HOSKINSON
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “#1025 Live Show Following Capitol Insurrection”
(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, “Dave Chappelle; Foo Fighters”
(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, “President Obama: Inspiring Future Leaders & “A
Promised Land””
(Comedy Central)
Mr. Meyer’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Susan Faith Locke-Shapiro
CHRISTOPHER WERNER
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, “Trump & Election Results”
(HBO)
Mr. Werner’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: John Scott Wilson
Stage Manager: Dino Castelli
Location Manager: Demian Resnick
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 2020 are (in alphabetical order):
STACEY ANGELES
The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Presents “Remembering RBG: A Nation Ugly Cried with
Desi Lydic”
(Comedy Central)
MARIELLE HELLER
What the Constitution Means to Me
(Amazon)
Ms. Heller’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Tomas ‘Dutch’ Deckaj
Stage Manager: Nicole Payson
JIM HOSKINSON
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “Stephen Colbert’s Election Night 2020: Democracy’s Last Stand: Building Back America Great Again Better 2020”
(Showtime)
Mr. Hoskinson’s Directorial Team:
Associate Directors: Yvonne De Mare, Karen Yaeger
Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib
SPIKE LEE
American Utopia
(HBO)
Mr. Lee’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Nina Shiffman
First Assistant Director: Jermaine Sumra
Second Assistant Director: Lizz Zanin
Additional Second Assistant Director: Steven Bruno
Location Manager: John Maher
THOMAS SCHLAMME
A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote
(HBO Max)
Mr. Schlamme’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Debra James
First Assistant Director: Shawn Pipkin-West
Second Assistant Director: Courtney Franklin
Second Second Assistant Directors: Ni’cole Pettis, Cathy Bond
REALITY PROGRAMS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs for 2020 are (in alphabetical order):
DAVID CHARLES
Eco Challenge, “3,2,1…Go!”
(Amazon)
Mr. Charles’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Daniel Curran
Stage Managers: Ian Blankenship, Kevin Fletcher, Andy Nelson, Mickel Picco
JON FAVREAU
The Chef Show, “Tartine”
(Netflix)
Mr. Favreau’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Annie Johnson
KEN FUCHS
Shark Tank, “1211”
(ABC)
Mr. Fuchs’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Amy Barker
Head Stage Manager: Eric Rhoden
Stage Managers: Doug Neal, Michael Strauss
JOSEPH GUIDRY
Full Bloom, “Petal to the Metal”
(HBO Max)
Mr. Guidry’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Sean Galvin
Lead Stage Manager: Jimmy Chriss
Stage Managers: Rachel Shimko, Kristianna Laroda, Richard Melendez
RICH KIM
Lego Masters, “Mega City Block”
(FOX)
Mr. Kim’s Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Ryan Bunnell
Stage Managers: Will Baker, Kevin Fletcher
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs for 2020 are (in alphabetical order):
KABIR AKHTAR
High School Musical: The Musical – The Series, “Opening Night”
(Disney+)
Mr. Akhtar’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Jeff T. Miller, Greg A. Hampson
First Assistant Director: Brent Geisler
Second Assistant Director: Cody Harbaugh
LARISSA BILLS
On Pointe, “Showtime!”
(Disney+)
DEAN ISRAELITE
The Astronauts, “Countdown”
(Nickelodeon)
RICHIE KEEN
The Healing Powers of Dude, “Second Step: Homeroom”
(Netflix)
Mr. Keen’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Chris Phillips
First Assistant Director: Natalie Van Doren
AMY SCHATZ
We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest
(HBO)
COMMERCIALS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for 2020 are (in alphabetical order):
STEVE AYSON
(MJZ)
The Great Chase, Nike – Wieden + Kennedy Shanghai
First Assistant Director: John Lowe
NISHA GANATRA
(Chelsea Pictures)
#wombstories, Bodyform/Libresse – AMVBBDO
NICLAS LARSSON
(MJZ)
See the Unseen, VW Touareg – adam&eveDDB
The Parents, Volvo XC60 – Forsman & Bodenfors
MELINA MATSOUKAS
(Prettybird)
You Love Me, Beats by Dr. Dre – Translation
First Assistant Director: Paul Norman
Second Assistant Director: Don Johnson
TAIKA WAITITI
(Hungry Man)
The Letter, Coca-Cola – Wieden & Kennedy London
DOCUMENTARY
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2020 are (in alphabetical order):
MICHAEL DWECK & GREGORY KERSHAW
The Truffle Hunters
(Sony Pictures Classics)
PIPPA EHRLICH & JAMES REED
My Octopus Teacher
(Netflix)
DAVID FRANCE
Welcome to Chechnya
(HBO Max)
AMANDA MCBAINE & JESSE MOSS
Boys State
(A24)
BENJAMIN REE
The Painter and the Thief
(Elevation Pictures)
Review: Malcolm Washington Makes His Feature Directing Debut With “The Piano Lesson”
An heirloom piano takes on immense significance for one family in 1936 Pittsburgh in August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson." Generational ties also permeate the film adaptation, in which Malcolm Washington follows in his father Denzel Washington's footsteps in helping to bring the entirety of The Pittsburgh Cycle — a series of 10 plays — to the screen.
Malcolm Washington did not start from scratch in his accomplished feature filmmaking debut. He enlisted much of the cast from the recent Broadway revival with Samuel L. Jackson (Doaker Charles), his brother, John David Washington (Boy Willie), Ray Fisher (Lymon) and Michael Potts (Whining Boy). Berniece, played by Danielle Brooks in the play, is now beautifully portrayed by Danielle Deadwyler. With such rich material and a cast for whom it's second nature, it would be hard, one imagines, to go wrong. Jackson's own history with the play goes back to its original run in 1987 when he was Boy Willie.
It's not the simplest thing to make a play feel cinematic, but Malcolm Washington was up to the task. His film opens up the world of the Charles family beyond the living room. In fact, this adaptation, which Washington co-wrote with "Mudbound" screenwriter Virgil Williams, goes beyond Wilson's text and shows us the past and the origins of the intricately engraved piano that's central to all the fuss. It even opens on a big, action-filled set piece in 1911, during which the piano is stolen from a white family's home. Another fleshes out Doaker's monologue in which he explains to the uninitiated, Fisher's Lymon, and the audience, the tortured history of the thing. While it might have been nice to keep the camera on Jackson, such a great, grounding presence throughout, the good news is that he really makes... Read More