72nd Annual DGA Awards Winners

January 25, 2020

Los Angeles – The winners of the Directors Guild of America Outstanding Directorial Achievement Awards for 2019 were announced tonight during the 72nd Annual DGA Awards at the Ritz Carlton in Downtown Los Angeles. Sam Mendes won the DGA’s Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 1917.

Judd Apatow hosted the ceremony before an audience of more than 1,500 guests. Presenters included (in alphabetical order): Diane Amos, Anthony Anderson, Todd Arnow, Dean-Charles Chapman, Terry Crews, Alfonso Cuarón, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lee Jung Eun, Catherine Hardwicke, Norman Jewison, Christine Lahti, George MacKay, Chrissy Metz, Don Mischer, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Sam Rockwell, Katheryn Winnick, Constance Zimmer.

Click the links below to view specific categories:

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Theatrical Feature Film

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for 2019 is:

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
First-Time Feature Film

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film Director for 2019 is:

ALMA HAR'EL Honey Boy (Amazon Studios) Ms. Har'el's Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: David Grace First Assistant Director: Sean Vawter Second Assistant Director: Colin Flaherty Second Second Assistant Director: Sarah Balboa This was Ms. Har’el’s second DGA Award nomination. She was previously nominated in the Commercials category in 2017 for Love Without Bias (P&G).

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Dramatic Series

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for 2019 is:

NICOLE KASSELL Watchmen, “It’s Summer and We’re Running Out of Ice” (HBO) Ms. Kassell’s Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Karen Wacker, Ron Schmidt, Joseph E. Iberti First Assistant Director: Keri Bruno Second Assistant Directors: Lisa Zugschwerdt, Ben White Second Second Assistant Director: Jessie Sasser White This was Ms. Kassell’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Comedy Series

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series for 2019 is:

BILL HADER Barry, “ronny/lily” (HBO) Mr. Hader’s Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Aida Rodgers First Assistant Director: Gavin Kleintop Second Assistant Director: Kevin Zelman Second Second Assistant Director: Heather Kehayas Additional Second Assistant Director: Mikaela Mathern This was Mr. Hader’s second DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series in 2018 for the Barry episode “Chapter One: Make Your Mark.”

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Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials for 2019 is:

JAMES BURROWS (‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’ – Directed by) ANDY FISHER (‘Live in Front of a Studio Audience’ – Directed by) Live in Front of a Studio Audience Norman Lear’s ‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’ (ABC) Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Martin Pasetta Jr., Sara Niimi Stage Managers: John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Harvey Levine, Doug Tobin, Richard Silva, Jenny Nolan Bailey This was Mr. Burrows’ 22nd nomination. He is a ten-time nominee and two-time winner in the Comedy Series category for Cheers in 1982, 1983 (winner), 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990 (winner), 1991 and 1992. He won the DGA Award in 1993 for the pilot of Frasier. He was nominated in 1995 for Friends, “The One with the Birth,” in 1997 for the Dharma and Greg pilot, and for episodes of Will & Grace 1998-2003 and 2005, winning the award in 2000 for his direction of the episode “Lows in the Mid-Eighties.” In 2014, he received the DGA’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Television Direction. This was Mr. Fisher’s second DGA Award nomination. He was previously nominated in this category in 2013 for Jimmy Kimmel Live, “#13-1810.”

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Movies for Television and Limited Series

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series for 2019 is:

JOHAN RENCK Chernobyl (HBO)

This was Mr. Renck’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming for 2019 is:

DON ROY KING Saturday Night Live, “E. Murphy; Lizzo” (NBC)

Mr. King’s Directorial Team:

• Associate Directors: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Laura Ouziel-Mack
• Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly

This was Mr. King’s fourteenth DGA Award nomination. He previously won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in this category for Saturday Night Live episodes, “Adam Driver; Kanye West” in 2018, “Host: Jimmy Fallon” in 2017, “Host: Dave Chappelle” in 2016 and “Host: Justin Timberlake” in 2013. Mr. King also won the DGA Award for Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials for Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special in 2015. He was previously nominated for Saturday Night Live episodes in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014, and in 2015 in the Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming category for the Saturday Night Live episode, “Host: Tracy Morgan/Musical Guest: Demi Lovato.”

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Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Reality Programs

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs for 2019 is:

JASON COHEN Encore!, “Annie” (Disney+)

Mr. Cohen’s Directorial Team:

• Associate Director: Daniel Shultz

This was Mr. Cohen’s first DGA Award nomination.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Children's Programs

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs for 2019 is:

AMY SCHATZ Song of Parkland (HBO Documentary Films)

This was Ms. Schatz’s eleventh DGA Award nomination. She has previously won five DGA Awards in this category for: An Apology to Elephants in 2013, A Child’s Garden of Poetry in 2011, Classical Baby (I’m Grown Up Now), “The Poetry Show” in 2008, ‘Twas the Night in 2001 and Goodnight Moon & Other Sleepy Time Tales in 1999. She was also nominated an additional five times in this category for Saving My Tomorrow, “Part 3” in 2015, Saving My Tomorrow, “Part 1 and 2” in 2014, Don’t Divorce Me! Kids’ Rules for Parents on Divorce in 2012, Hard Times for an American Girl: The Great Depression in 2009 and Through a Child’s Eyes: September 11, 2001 in 2002.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Commercials

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for 2019 is:

SPIKE JONZE (MJZ)

Dream It, Squarespace – Squarespace

• First Assistant Director: Thomas Smith

The New Normal, Medmen – Mekanism

• First Assistant Director: Thomas Smith
• Second Assistant Directors: David Marnell, Jeff Tavani

This was Mr. Jonze’s fifth DGA Award nomination. He was also nominated this year in the Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials category for Aziz Ansari: Right Now. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials in 2018 for Welcome Home (Apple Homepod). He was previously nominated in this category in 2006 for Hello Tomorrow (Adidas), Penguin (Miller Beer) and Pardon Our Dust (Gap). He was also previously nominated for the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film Award for Being John Malkovich in 1999.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement in
Documentary

The winner of the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2019 is:

STEVEN BOGNAR and JULIA REICHERT American Factory (Netflix)

This was Mr. Bognar’s first DGA Award nomination.

This was Ms. Reichert’s first DGA Award nomination.

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Lifetime Achievement & Service Award Recipients

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