‘One Battle After Another’ Director Paul Thomas Anderson Wins Top DGA Awards Prize; ‘The Pitt,’ ‘The Studio’ Lead TV (Full Winners List)

“One Battle After Another” director Paul Thomas Anderson won the top prize on Saturday at the 78th annual DGA Awards. The event, honoring the year’s most outstanding directorial achievements in film and television, was hosted by Oscar and Emmy-nominated comedian Kumail Nanjiani and took place in Beverly Hills.

The DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film has long been one of the most reliable predictors of the Academy Award for best director, which makes the ceremony one of the season’s most closely watched bellwethers for the Oscars race.

In his acceptance speech, Anderson spent much of the time paying tribute to late assistant director Adam Somner, who died in 2024.

On the TV side, “The Pitt” won the top dramatic series prize, via helmer Amanda Marsalis for the episode “6:00 PM.” She even beat out “The Pitt” exec producer John Wells, also nominated. In comedy, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg picked up the win for their “The Studio” episode “The Oner,” which had also earned them a directing Emmy last September.

Goldberg and Rogen dedicated their win to the late “Studio” star Catherine O’Hara. “We grew up in Canada and she is and was our idol since we were children,” Goldberg said. “She showed you could be an utter genius and the nicest person in the world.”

“SNL50: The Anniversary Special” kicked off the evening’s wins, with director Liz Patrick landing the honors in the variety category. Later, “Dying for Sex” helmer Shannon Murphy won for limited or anthology series, and “Conan O’Brien Must Go’s” Mike Sweeney picked up the win for Reality/Quiz and Game. Netflix’s “Nonnas” won TV movie for director Stephen Chbosky.

Throughout the night, the five DGA nominees in the top theatrical race — Paul Thomas Anderson (“One Battle After Another”), Ryan Coogler (“Sinners”), Guillermo del Toro (“Frankenstein”), Josh Safdie (“Marty Supreme”) and Chloe Zhao (“Hamnet”) — received their DGA medallions, presented by someone involved in the film’s production. (Leonardo DiCaprio presented the honor to Anderson, while Michael B. Jordan paid homage to Coogler, Jacob Elordi feted del Toro, Timothée Chalamet showed up for Safdie and Stephen Spielberg introduced Zhao.)

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Quipped Nanjiani (who, unlike previous DGA Awards host Judd Apatow, allowed his monologue to be viewed by reporters in the press room): “Welcome to the DGA Awards. It’s like if a movie was just the credits!” And later: “I’d ask you to keep your speeches short, but I’ve seen your movies, I know it’s not going to happen!”

This year’s film nominees also mark a historic milestone for representation. It is only the second time in DGA history that a majority of nominees in the organization’s top category hail from underrepresented communities. The first occurred in 2017, when Guillermo del Toro won for “The Shape of Water,” alongside fellow nominees Greta Gerwig (“Lady Bird”), Jordan Peele (“Get Out”), Christopher Nolan (“Dunkirk”) and Martin McDonagh (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”).

Since its inception, the DGA has correctly predicted the Academy Award winner for best director in all but eight instances. The most recent divergence came in 2019, when Sam Mendes won the DGA Award for the war epic “1917” but lost the Oscar to Bong Joon Ho for the South Korean drama “Parasite,” which also captured best picture. Last year, Sean Baker won the DGA’s top honor for “Anora,” which went on to secure four Academy Awards, including best picture, best director, best original screenplay and best film editing.

When it comes to the broader best picture race, DGA history points to the vital importance of a nomination. Only two films — “Driving Miss Daisy” (1989) and “CODA” (2022) — have won the Academy Award for best picture without receiving a DGA nomination. Meanwhile, six films have claimed the top Oscar prize without earning an Academy Award nomination for directing: “Wings” (1927), “Grand Hotel” (1932), “Driving Miss Daisy,” “Argo” (2012), “Green Book” (2018) and “CODA.”

“Frankenstein” helmer Guillermo Del Toro is the only DGA nominee this year who failed to garner an Oscar nomination, with “Sentimental Value” director Joachim Trier earning the Academy slot instead.

Going into the night, Anderson’s action epic had amassed 35 critics and guild prizes for best picture, including a rare sweep of all four major critics prizes — National Board of Review, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics. Only four films in history have achieved that feat: “Schindler’s List” (1993), “L.A. Confidential” (1997), “The Social Network” (2010) and now, Anderson’s latest. Of those titles, only “Schindler’s List” went on to win the Oscar for best picture. However, in the directing race, Anderson has been equally dominant, with 32 wins to date, while Coogler trails with 19.

In TV, “The Pitt” and “The Bear” led individual series with two nominations each. And “Saturday Night Live” tops all franchises with three noms, via a trio of different “SNL50” entities: The specials “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” and “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” and the doc series “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.”

In addition to competitive awards, the DGA presented two special service honors recognizing exemplary contributions to the guild and the industry. Associate director and stage manager David Charles received the Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award, honoring extraordinary service to both the profession and the DGA. Commercials first assistant director Gregory G. McCollum will receive the Frank Capra Achievement Award, given in recognition of notable career achievement and outstanding service to the guild.

DGA president Christopher Nolan opened the ceremony, and continued to be the subject of a running joke among presenters and winners as they pointed out how “President Nolan” had a much nicer ring to it vs. that other President. (“It’s nice to say ‘President’ and have something nice come after that,” del Toro joked at one point.)

The full list of nominees and winners appears below.

Here are this year’s film nominees and winners:

DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM

WINNER: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Directorial Team:

Ryan Coogler, “Sinners” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Guillermo Del Toro, “Frankenstein” (Netflix)

Josh Safdie, “Marty Supreme” (A24)

Chloé Zhao, “Hamnet” (Focus Features)

FIRST-TIME THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM 

WINNER: Charlie Polinger, “The Plague” (Independent Film Company)

Hasan Hadi, “The President’s Cake” (Sony Pictures Classics)

Harry Lighton, “Pillion” (A24)

Alex Russell, “Lurker” (Mubi)

Eva Victor, “Sorry, Baby” (A24)

DOCUMENTARY FILM

WINNER: Mstyslav Chernov, “2000 Meters to Andriivka” (PBS)

Geeta Gandbhir, “The Perfect Neighbor” (Netflix)

Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni, “Cutting Through Rocks” (Assembly Releasing)

Elizabeth Lo, “Mistress Dispeller” (Oscilloscope Laboratories)

Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus, “Cover-Up” (Netflix)

Here are this year’s TV nominees and winners:

DRAMATIC SERIES

WINNER: Amanda Marsalis, The Pitt, “6:00 P.M.” (HBO Max)

Directorial Team:

Liza Johnson, The Diplomat, “Amagansett” (Netflix)

Janus Metz, Andor, “Who Are You?” (Disney+)

Ben Stiller, Severance, “Cold Harbor” (Apple TV+)

John Wells, The Pitt, “7:00 A.M.” (HBO Max)

COMEDY SERIES

WINNER: Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg,  The Studio, “The Oner” (Apple TV+)

Directorial Team:

Lucia Aniello, Hacks, “A Slippery Slope” (HBO Max)

Janicza Bravo, The Bear, “Worms” (FX on Hulu)

Christopher Storer, The Bear, “Bears” (FX on Hulu)

Mike White, The White Lotus, “Denials” (HBO Max)

LIMITED & ANTHOLOGY SERIES

WINNER: Shannon Murphy, Dying for Sex, “It’s Not That Serious” (FX on Hulu)

Directorial Team:

Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit, “The Black Rabbits” (Netflix)

Antonio Campos, The Beast in Me, “Sick Puppy” (Netflix)

Lesli Linka Glatter, Zero Day, “Episode 6” (Netflix)

Ally Pankiw, Black Mirror, “Common People” (Netflix)

MOVIES FOR TELEVISION

WINNER: Stephen Chbosky, “Nonnas” (Netflix)

Directorial Team:

Jesse Armstrong, “Mountainhead” (HBO Max)

Scott Derrickson, “The Gorge” (Apple TV+)

Michael Morris, “Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy” (Peacock)

Kyle Newacheck, “Happy Gilmore 2” (Netflix)

VARIETY

WINNER: Liz Patrick, “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” (NBC)

Directorial Team:

Yvonne De Mare, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “Julia Roberts; Sam Smith” (CBS)

Andy Fisher, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, “Stephen Colbert; Kumail Nanjiani; Reneé Rapp” (ABC)

Beth McCarthy-Miller, “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” (Peacock)

Paul Pennolino, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, “Public Media” (HBO Max)

SPORTS

WINNER: Matthew Gangl, 2025 World Series – Game 7 – Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays (Fox Sports)

Directorial Team:

Steve Milton, 2025 Masters Tournament – Augusta National Golf Club (CBS Sports)

Rich Russo, Super Bowl LIX – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs (Fox Sports)

REALITY / QUIZ AND GAME

WINNER: Mike Sweeney, Conan O’Brien Must Go, “Austria” (HBO Max)

Directorial Team:

Lucinda M. Margolis, Jeopardy!, “Ep. 9341” (Syndicated)

Adam Sandler, The Price is Right, “10,000^th Episode” (CBS)

DOCUMENTARY SERIES / NEWS

WINNER: Rebecca Miller, Mr. Scorsese, “All This Filming Isn’t Healthy” (Apple TV+)

Marshall Curry, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, “Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room” (Peacock)

Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, “Part Two” (HBO Max)

Alexandra Stapleton, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, “Official Girl” (Netflix)

Matt Wolf, Pee-Wee as Himself, “Part 1” (HBO Max)

COMMERCIALS

WINNER: Kim Gehrig (Somesuch)

You Can’t Win. So Win. – Nike | Wieden+Kennedy

Directorial Team:

I’m Not Remarkable – Apple | Client Direct

Miles Jay (Smuggler)

Spike Jonze (MJZ)

Andreas Nilsson (Biscuit Filmworks)

Steve Rogers (Biscuit Filmworks)