Ruben Santiago-Hudson has the write stuff…
The Writers Guild of America has unveiled the film nominations for its 2021 WGA Awards, with the 64-year-old half-Puerto Rican actor, playwright, and director earning a nod.
Santiago-Hudson is nominated in the Adapted Screenplay catergory for penning the screenplay to Netflix’s Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which is based on the play written by August Wilson.
The WGA Awards honor outstanding achievement for original and adapted screenplays and documentary films. This year’s winners will be announced March 21 in a virtual ceremony.
The eligibility period is January 1, 2020-February 28, 2021.
The WGA is the only guild that requires a film to have been produced under its Minimum Basic Agreement in order to be eligible, and this COVID-19-racked year it seems there were more of those than ever.
Among the awards-season favorites on the outside looking in screenplay-wise are Nomadland, Minari, Mank, The Father, Pieces of a Woman, Ammonite, Emma, The Personal History of David Copperfield, Let Them All Talk and animated films including Soul.
Also missing from contention for Original Screenplay are Herself, Supernova, The Climb, The Assistant, I Carry You with Me, Farewell Amor and Ordinary Love. Among the films ineligible for Adapted Screenplay are Hope Gap, Penguin Bloom, Martin Eden, Radioactive and Blithe Spirit.
Here’s the full list of nominations for the 73rd annual Writers Guild Awards:
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Judas and the Black Messiah
Screenplay by Will Berson & Shaka King,
Story by Will Berson & Shaka King and Kenny Lucas & Keith Lucas
Warner Bros.
Palm Springs
Screenplay by Andy Siara
Story by Andy Siara & Max Barbakow
Hulu
Promising Young Woman
Written by Emerald Fennell
Focus Features
Sound of Metal
Screenplay by Darius Marder & Abraham Marder
Story by Darius Marder & Derek Cianfrance
Amazon Studios
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Written by Aaron Sorkin
Netflix
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Screenplay by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Peter Baynham & Erica Rivinoja & Dan Mazer & Jena Friedman & Lee Kern
Story by Sacha Baron Cohen & Anthony Hines & Dan Swimer & Nina Pedrad
Based on Characters Created by Sacha Baron Cohen
Amazon Studios
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Screenplay by Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Based on the Play Written by August Wilson
Netflix
News of the World
Screenplay by Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies
Based upon the Novel by Paulette Jiles
Universal Pictures
One Night in Miami
Screenplay by Kemp Powers
Based on the Stage Play One Night in Miami by Kemp Powers
Amazon Studios
The White Tiger
Screenplay by Ramin Bahrani
Based on the Book The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Netflix
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
All In: The Fight for Democracy
Written by Jack Youngelson
Amazon Studios
The Dissident
Written by Mark Monroe and Bryan Fogel
Briarcliff Entertainment
Herb Alpert Is…
Written by John Scheinfeld
Abramorama
Red Penguins
Written by Gabe Polsky
Universal Pictures
Totally Under Control
Written by Alex Gibney
Neon