Paul Thomas Anderson was honored with the top prize at Saturday’s Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards for his work on One Battle After Another, a victory that increasingly positions the film as a frontrunner for the Best Director Oscar. The ceremony, hosted by Kumail Nanjiani, recognized directorial achievements across film and television, with a especially poignant moment as anderson acknowledged the loss of his first assistant director, adam Somner, who passed away in November. A full list of winners, spanning from feature films to commercials, follows.
Paul Thomas Anderson took home the top prize at Saturday night’s Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards, honoring his work on One Battle After Another. The ceremony, held at the Beverly Hilton and hosted by Kumail Nanjiani, is widely seen as a key indicator for the Best Director category at the Oscars.
Anderson was up against a formidable group of nominees including Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Guillermo Del Toro (Frankenstein), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), and Chloé Zhao (Hamnet). While Del Toro was nominated for the DGA Award, Joachim Trier’s name appears in his place in the Oscar nominations for Sentimental Value.
Visibly moved, Anderson took the stage and immediately acknowledged his directing team. “This is an incredible, incredible honor. We’re going to take it with the love that it’s given and the appreciation of all our comrades in this room,” he said. He then paused to pay tribute to Adam Somner, his first assistant director, who passed away from cancer in November 2024, noting, “obviously we are up here minus one.”
The evening also celebrated emerging talent and honored individuals working behind the scenes. Associate director/stage manager David Charles and assistant director Gregory McCollum received special honors. It marked the first DGA Awards ceremony presided over by newly elected DGA president Christopher Nolan, who was elected to the position in September.
Nolan opened the show with remarks acknowledging the challenges facing filmmakers, while Nanjiani playfully teased, “Thank you Chris Nolan for opening for me… it’s like a dream, inside a dream, inside a dream.” He also joked about the unique skillset of directors, saying, “You can take a complex idea and turn it into something an actor can understand.” The DGA Awards are known for recognizing each feature film nominee with an honorary medallion and a moment on stage before the winner is announced.
Presentations throughout the night were filled with heartfelt tributes. Leonardo DiCaprio introduced Anderson, praising how he’s given Los Angeles “a cinematic identity that feels almost forensic.” Michael B. Jordan spoke about Coogler, saying, “Ryan builds families, not film sets,” and Jacob Elordi lauded Del Toro, joking, “You’re the greatest friend a monster could have,” while spotting Nolan in the audience. Timothée Chalamet playfully teased Safdie about his recent appearance on The Tonight Show, calling him a “quadruple threat,” while Safdie proudly showed off his DGA card and confessed to reading every DGA magazine cover to cover. Steven Spielberg closed out the presentations for Zhao, saying he and her team would “follow her into a dark forest anytime.”
Beyond the feature film awards, honors were also given for television work, with wins for The Studio, The Pitt, Dying for Sex, SNL50, Mr. Scorsese, and the documentary 2000 Meters to Andriivka. Charlie Polinger took home the Michael Apted First-Time Theatrical Feature Film award for The Plague, expressing gratitude to those who took a chance on him. Notably, female directors were recognized in five categories throughout the evening, signaling a growing trend of inclusivity within the industry.
A complete list of this year’s DGA winners follows.
Theatrical Feature Film
Table of Contents
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Will Weiske
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Trevor Tavares, Ian Stone
Second Second Assistant Director: Dominic Pacitti, Rafael Sanz-Jimenez
Additional Second Assistant Director: Nuekellar Hardy, Chunning Chang, Kit Conners, Kasia Trojak, Tyler Young (WINNER)
Ryan Coogler, Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Will Greenfield, Kenneth Yu
First Assistant Director: Marvin Williams
Second Assistant Director: Amir R. Khan
Additional Second Assistant Director: Gregg Carr, Desiree Stevenson
Guillermo Del Toro, Frankenstein (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: J. Miles Dale
First Assistant Director: Walter Gasparovic
Second Assistant Director: Chad Belair
Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme (A24)
Unit Production Manager: Anthony Katagas, Joe Guest
First Assistant Director: Jeremy Marks
Second Assistant Director: Zach Citarella
Second Second Assistant Director: Kailyn Dabkowski
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Max Samu, Suk Yi Mar, Samson Jacobson
Location Manager: Matthew Kania, Ross Brodar
Chloé Zhao, Hamnet (Focus Features)
Michael Apted First-Time Theatrical Feature Film
Hasan Hadi, The President’s Cake (Sony Pictures Classics)
Harry Lighton, Pillion (A24)
Charlie Polinger, The Plague (Independent Film Company) (WINNER)
Alex Russell, Lurker (MUBI)
Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby (A24)
Dramatic Series
Liza Johnson, The Diplomat, “Amagansett” (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: John P. Fedynich
First Assistant Director: Adam Escott
Second Assistant Director: Tom Glick
Second Second Assistant Director: Rachel Sikora
Location Manager: Rob Coleman
Amanda Marsalis, The Pitt, “6:00 p.m.” (HBO Max)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Michelle Lankwarden
First Assistant Director: Eric Tignini
Second Assistant Director: Kevin Zelman
Second Second Assistant Director: Nicole Jones, Rebecca Rogers, Chloe Huckins
Additional Second Assistant Director: Michelle Akeley (WINNER)
Janus Metz, Andor, “Who Are You?” (Disney+)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Karl Caffrey
First Assistant Director: Sean Guest
Ben Stiller, Severance, “Cold Harbor” (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Caroline Baron
First Assistant Director: Katie Pruitt
Second Assistant Director: Cat McFayden
Second Second Assistant Director: Forrest Viola
Additional Second Assistant Director: Erin Skelly
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Sean Fogel, Alexandra Vivas
Location Manager: Ryan Smith, Grace Kwon
John Wells, The Pitt, “7:00 a.m.” (HBO Max)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Michelle Lankwarden
First Assistant Director: Eric Tignini
Second Assistant Director: Kevin Zelman
Second Second Assistant Director: Nicole Jones, Rebecca Rogers
Additional Second Assistant Director: Chloe Huckins
Comedy Series
Lucia Aniello, Hacks, “A Slippery Slope” (HBO Max)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Mark Rabinowitz
First Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
Second Assistant Director: Kirisa Gavrin
Second Second Assistant Director: Alaina Neumann Rafdal
Additional Second Assistant Director: Amy Ergle
Janicza Bravo, The Bear, “Worms” (FX on Hulu)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson Bidner
First Assistant Director: Larissa Malarek
Second Assistant Director: Olivia Dame
Second Second Assistant Director: Sofía Blanco
Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas, Gilbert B. Morales
Assistant Location Manager: Oscar Roxas
Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg, The Studio, “The Oner” (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Shawn Dyrdahl
First Assistant Director: Donald Murphy
Second Assistant Director: Peter Dress (WINNER)
Christopher Storer, The Bear, “Bears” (FX on Hulu)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Carrie Holt de Lama, Tyson Bidner
First Assistant Director: Duccio Fabbri
Second Assistant Director: Larissa Malarek, Olivia Dame
Second Second Assistant Director: Sofía Blanco
Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas, Gilbert B. Morales
Assistant Location Manager: Oscar Roxas
Mike White, The White Lotus, “Denials” (HBO Max)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Regina Heyman, Mark Kamine
First Assistant Director: Justin Ritson
Second Assistant Director: Joe Landry
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Aidan Sleeper
Limited and Anthology Series
Jason Bateman, Black Rabbit, “The Black Rabbits” (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Becky Phillips, Erica Kay
First Assistant Director: John Silvestri
Second Assistant Director: Nick Notte
Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario, Jilly Blundell
Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
Antonio Campos, The Beast in Me, “Sick Puppy” (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Caroline Baron
First Assistant Director: Tomas Deckaj
Second Assistant Director: Scott Bowers
Second Second Assistant Director: Matt Merksamer, Sean Fogel
Location Manager: Grace Kwon
Lesli Linka Glatter, Zero Day, “Episode 6” (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Amy Herman
First Assistant Director: Michael Lerman
Second Assistant Director: Scott Bowers
Second Second Assistant Director: Kaitlin Heins
Additional Second Assistant Director: Davis Woodall
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Mike Buonanno
Location Manager: Ronnie Kupferwasser
Shannon Murphy, Dying for Sex, “It’s Not That Serious” (FX on Hulu)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Francesca M. Mannix
First Assistant Director: Julie A. Bloom
Second Assistant Director: Findlay Ward Zotter
Second Second Assistant Director: Kristin Dombroski, Laura E. Rizer (WINNER)
Ally Pankiw, Black Mirror, “Common People” (Netflix)
Unit Production Manager: Shawn Williamson
Movies for Television
Jesse Armstrong, Mountainhead (HBO Max)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Jill Footlick
First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
Second Assistant Director: MarSchelle Walker
Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
Stephen Chbosky, Nonnas (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Pamela Hirsch, Kara Doherty
First Assistant Director: Chris Surgent
Second Assistant Director: Takahide Kawakami
Second Second Assistant Director: Cary Lee
Location Manager: Tatiana Forster (WINNER)
Scott Derrickson, The Gorge (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Greg Goodman
First Assistant Director: Cliff Lanning
Second Assistant Director: Lee Tailor
Michael Morris, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (Peacock)
Kyle Newacheck, Happy Gilmore 2 (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Brittany Sugarman, David Bausch
First Assistant Director: David M. Bernstein
Second Assistant Director: Ryan Robert Howard
Second Second Assistant Director: Kaitlin Heins
Additional Second Assistant Director: Mia Bruno
Location Manager: Louis Zuppardi
Assistant Location Manager: Scott Ferlisi
Variety
Yvonne Demare, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “Julia Roberts; Sam Smith” (CBS)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Karen Yaeger
Stage Manager: Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib
Andy Fisher, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, “Stephen Colbert; Kumail Nanjiani; Reneé Rapp” (ABC)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Jeri-Ann Wong, Amy Stober, David Craig
Stage Manager: Alec Potter, Josh Wader, Christian Jensen, Peter Epstein
Beth McCarthy Miller, SNL50: The Homecoming Concert (Peacock)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Susan Sullivan
Stage Manager: Lynn Finkel, Linda Carrizzo, Joey Despenzero, Phyllis Digilio-Kent, John Esposito, Andrew Feigin, Steve Hollander, Greg Kasoff, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Arthur Lewis, Jennifer Marquet, Cyndi Owgang, Jason Pacella, Tammy Raab, Elise Reaves, Cheryl Teetzel-Moore, Niclana Tolmasoff, Bret Warren, Ari Woog
Liz Patrick, SNL50: The Anniversary Special (NBC)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Michael Mancini, Michael Poole, Janine DeVito, Amy Mancini, Dan Dome
Stage Manager: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly, Eddie Valk, Peter Epstein, Karen Tasch Weiss, Steve Bautista, Joey Despenzero, Frank Fernandez, Doug Fogel, Jeffry Gitter, Cyndi Owgang, Elise Reaves, Niclana Tolmasoff, Leslie Williams (WINNER)
Paul Pennolino, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, “Public Media” (HBO Max)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Elliot Mendelson
Stage Manager: Jeff Leib, Mark McKenna, Craig Spinney
Sports
Matthew Gangl, 2025 World Series – Game 7 – Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays (FOX Sports)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Larry Lancaster, Aaron Stojkov, Bryan Colucci
Stage Manager: Dominick Tringali, Dan Frank (WINNER)
Steve Milton, 2025 Masters Tournament – Augusta National Golf Club (CBS Sports)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Robert Matina, Chris Svendsen, Andy Freedman, Eric Spitzer, Ade Ellis, Tyler Jahn, Josh Weingardt, Brian Maher, Stuart Millstein, Katie Keane, Adam Cohen, Jack Kempner, George Wishart, Dan Obermuller
Stage Manager: Cory Fishman
Rich Russo, Super Bowl LIX – Philadelphia Eagles vs. Kansas City Chiefs (FOX Sports)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Rich Gross, Casey Garland
Reality / Quiz and Game
Lucinda M. Margolis, Jeopardy!, “Ep. 9341” (Syndicated)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Chloe Corwin
Stage Manager: James F. McGuire
Adam Sandler, The Price is Right, “10,000th Episode” (CBS)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Jazmin Eckenberg
Stage Manager: Steven Hollander, Jason Galland, Alex Weston
Mike Sweeney, Conan O’Brien Must Go, “Austria” (HBO Max)
Directorial Team:
Associate Director: Jason Chillemi (WINNER)
Commercials
Kim Gehrig (Somesuch)
You Can’t Win. So Win. – Nike | Wieden+Kennedy
Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Peter Jackson, John Mattern
Second Assistant Director: Melina Greene
Second Second Assistant Director: Chelsea Meador
I’m Not Remarkable – Apple | Client Direct
First Assistant Director: Guy Forgaard
Second Assistant Director: Amanda Johnson
Second Second Assistant Director: Michael Dudley, Clyde Broom (WINNER)
Miles Jay (Smuggler)
Dish – ChatGPT | Isle of Any
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Yianni Papadopoulos
First Assistant Director: George Nessis
Second Assistant Director: Rachel Obering
Second Second Assistant Director: Reed Baum
Pull Up – ChatGPT | Isle of Any
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Yianni Papadopoulos
First Assistant Director: George Nessis
Second Assistant Director: Rachel Obering
Second Second Assistant Director: Reed Baum
Trip – ChatGPT | Isle of Any
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Yianni Papadopoulos
First Assistant Director: George Nessis
Second Assistant Director: Julia Blanford
Second Second Assistant Director: K.J. Walsh
Home for the Holidays – Meta | Droga5
Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: David Webb
Secret Santa – Meta | Droga5
Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: David Webb
Spike Jonze (MJZ)
Someday – Apple Airpods 4 | TBWAMedia Arts Lab
Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Steve Danton, Kate Greenberg
Second Assistant Director: Matthew Dennis Smith
Second Second Assistant Director: Amy Hughes, Carly Sturgeon
Andreas Nilsson (Biscuit Filmworks)
Conquer the First School Poo – Andrex | FCB London
Garrett – Apple iPhone 16 Pro | Client Direct
Unit Production Manager: James Veal
First Assistant Director: George Nessis
Second Assistant Director: Reed Baum
Big Flex – Apple iPhone 16 Pro | Client Direct
Unit Production Manager: James Veal
First Assistant Director: George Nessis
Second Assistant Director: Reed Baum
Trunk Trucker – Virgin Media | VCCP London
Steve Rogers (Biscuit Filmworks)
Bring a Book to Life – Amazon | Droga5 London
A Tale as Old as Websites – Squarespace| Client Direct
Everything is Fine – Coinbase | Mother London
Documentary Film
Mstyslav Chernov, 2000 Meters to Andriivka (PBS) (WINNER)
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)
Documentary Series / News
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)
Rebecca Miller, Mr. Scorsese, “All This Filming Isn’t Healthy” (Apple TV+) (WINNER)
Alexandra Stapleton, Sean Combs: The Reckoning, “Official Girl” (Netflix)
Matt Wolf, Pee-Wee as Himself, “Part 1” (HBO Max)
