Lin-Manuel Miranda Earns DGA Awards Nod from Directors Guild for “Tick, Tick…Boom!”

Posted on January 29, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s has earned a special recognition…

The Directors Guild has announced the nominations for its 74th annual DGA Awards, with the 42-year-old actor, singer-songwriter, playwright, and film director earning a nod.

Miranda earned the nomination in the First-Time Feature Film category for Tick, Tick…Boom!, an adaptation of Jonathan Larson‘s semi-autobiographical musical.

But he’s not the only Latinx nominee in the category…

Tatiana Huezo is also nominated for her feature debut as a director, Prayers for the Stolen.

Huezo’s award-winning film is representing Mexico in the International Feature Film Oscars race, making the category short list.

Winners will be announced March 12 during a planned in-person ceremony at the Beverly Hilton.

Here’s the full list of DGA Awards nominees:

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM

Paul Thomas Anderson
Licorice Pizza
(Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/United Artists Releasing)

Unit Production Manager: Sue McNamara
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Trevor Tavares
Second Second Assistant Directors: Kasia Trojak, Bob Riley, David Marnell

Kenneth Branagh
Belfast
(Focus Features)

Jane Campion
The Power of the Dog
(Netflix)

Steven Spielberg
West Side Story
(20th Century Studios)

Unit Production Managers: Carla Raij, Daniel Lupi
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Jeremy Marks
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Robert T. Striem
Second Second Assistant Director: Josh Muzaffer
Additional Second Assistant Director: Billy Brennan
Location Managers: Robert T. Striem, Katherine Delaney

Denis Villeneuve
Dune
(Warner Bros. Pictures)

Unit Production Managers: Joe Caracciolo, Jr., James Grant
First Assistant Director: Chris Carreras
Second Assistant Director: Tom Rye

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF A FIRST-TIME FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR

Maggie Gyllenhaal
The Lost Daughter
(Netflix)

Rebecca Hall
Passing
(Netflix)

Tatiana Huezo
Prayers for the Stolen
(Netflix)

Lin-Manuel Miranda
Tick, Tick… Boom!
(Netflix)

Unit Production Manager: Deb Dyer
First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
Second Assistant Directors: Josh A. Muzaffer, Luca Waldman
Second Second Assistant Directors: Melissa Morphet, Lincoln Major
Additional Second Assistant Director: Zach Citarella
Location Manager: Ryan Smith

Michael Sarnoski
Pig
(Neon)

Emma Seligman
Shiva Baby
(Utopia)

Wagner Moura to Star in the Action Epic “Civil War”

Posted on January 22, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Wagner Moura is headed to War…

The 45-year-old Brazilian actor, who rose to global acclaim after starring in Netflix’s Narcos, will star in Oscar-nominated filmmaker Alex Garland and A24 for Civil War.

In addition to Moura, the action epic also stars Kirsten Dunst, Stephen McKinley Henderson and Cailee Spaeny.

Garland will direct the film set in a near-future America from his original screenplay. Details as far as its plot are being kept under wraps.

A24 will produce, alongside Andrew Macdonald and Allon Reich of DNA and Gregory Goodman, and handle the film’s global release.

Garland received his first Oscar nomination in 2016 for his Ex Machina screenplay and has also garnered accolades over the course of his career including a DGA Award and three BAFTA Award noms, among others.

He’s previously teamed with A24 on Ex Machina, as well as Men, a horror-drama starring Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear that is set for release later this year.

He also helmed the 2018 film Annihilation and created, wrote, directed and executive-produced the FX on Hulu series Devs.

Moura is best known stateside for his Golden Globe-nominated turn as Pablo Escobar in Netflix’s Narcos. He also wrote, directed and produced the film Marighella, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, and will next be seen in the Apple TV+ series, The Shining Girls.

Kenny Ortega Signs with A3 Artists Agency

Posted on August 12, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Kenny Ortega has new representation…

The 70-year-old Spanish American prolific director, choreographer and producer has signed with A3 Artists Agency.

Ortega earned a Primetime Emmy for choreography and a DGA Award for his work on the Disney Channel’s High School Musical.

High School Musical 2 drew over 17 million viewers when it premiered on Disney Channel, making it the most watched program in cable telecast history. He’s also the executive producer for the film’s soundtracks.

Disney’s High School Musical 3, which made the leap from television to the big screen, opened to $42M at the domestic B.O., marking the biggest theatrical box office opening for a musical in history. The film earned more than $252M globally off an $11M budget.

Ortega directed and choreographed the Descendants trilogy, Newsies, and Hocus Pocus, and choreographed classic films like Dirty Dancing, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and Pretty in Pink, among others.

Other recent work includes A Change of Heart, The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again for Fox and The Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Special for Freeform.

On September 10, Netflix will release Ortega’s next directorial project Julie and the Phantoms, a family musical comedy based on a Brazilian television series.

It’s the first title under Ortega’s new multi-year deal with Netflix. He’s also set to direct and produce a feature musical adaptation of Elise Primavera’s book series Auntie Claus, under the pact.

In addition to his Emmy for High School Musical, Ortega earned two others for choreography and variety/music/comedy program direction for the XIX Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. Last year he received the prestigious Disney Legends Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His other honors include The Fred & Adele Astaire Lifetime Achievement Award, Bob Fosse Award, American Choreography Lifetime Achievement Award, MTV Video Music Award, American Music Award, among many others.

Linda Mendoza Earns DGA Awards Nod for Directing “Wanda Sykes: Not Normal”

Posted on January 11, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Linda Mendozahas reason to celebrate…

The Mexican American film & television director has picked up a DGA Awards nomination from the Directors Guild of America.

Mendoza earned the nomination in the Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specialscategory for helming Wanda Sykes’ Netflixstand-up comedy special Wanda Sykes: Not Normal.

Winners in all categories, including the feature film nominees that were announced earlier this week, will be revealed on January 25 in a ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Los Angeles.

Here are the DGA Awards nominations for television:

DRAMATIC SERIES

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

MARK MYLOD
Succession, “This Is Not For Tears” (HBO)
Mr. Mylod’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Managers: Tyson Bidner, Gabrielle Mahon
First Assistant Director: Christo Morse
Second Assistant Director: Michelle Flevotomas
Second Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte

DAVID NUTTER
Game of Thrones, “The Last of the Starks” (HBO)

MIGUEL SAPOCHNIK
Game of Thrones, “The Long Night” (HBO)

STEPHEN WILLIAMS
Watchmen, “This Extraordinary Being” (HBO)
Mr. Williams’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Managers: Karen Wacker, Ron Schmidt, Joseph E. Iberti
First Assistant Director: Kayse Goodell
Second Assistant Director: Ben White

COMEDY SERIES

DAN ATTIAS
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “It’s the Sixties, Man!” (Prime Video)
Mr. Attias’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Managers: Dhana Rivera Gilbert, Nadia Paine (Oklahoma Unit)
First Assistant Directors: Jesse Nye, Steve Love (Oklahoma Unit)
Second Assistant Directors: Natasha Rivera, Jason Inman (Oklahoma Unit)
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Meghan K. Wicker
Second Second Assistant Director: Lincoln Major
Location Managers: Amanda Burbank, Jose Guerrero, Nick Thomason

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

DAVID MANDEL
Veep, “Veep” (HBO)
Mr. Mandel’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: David Hyman
First Assistant Director: Jeff Rosenberg
Second Assistant Director: Emily Hogan
Second Second Assistant Directors: Ismael Jimenez, Chalis Romero
Additional Second Assistant Directors: Phil Banks, Zach Davenport, Alexis Dvorak, Phil Goodrich, Christina Lee, Emily Neumann

AMY SHERMAN PALLADINO
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “It’s Comedy or Cabbage” (Prime Video)
Ms. Sherman Palladino’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Managers: Dhana Rivera Gilbert, Nadia Paine
First Assistant Director: Mariela Comitini
Second Assistant Director: Luca Waldman
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Meghan K. Wicker
Second Second Assistant Director: Lincoln Major
Location Managers: Amanda Burbank, Jose Guerrero, Nick Thomason,

DANIEL PALLADINO
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, “Marvelous Radio” (Prime Video)
Mr. Palladino’s Directorial Team:

Unit Production Manager: Dhana Rivera Gilbert
First Assistant Director: Jesse Nye
Second Assistant Director: Natasha Rivera
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Meghan K. Wicker
Second Second Assistant Director: Lincoln Major
Location Managers: Amanda Burbank, Jose Guerrero, Nick Thomason

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS

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

SPIKE JONZE
Aziz Ansari: Right Now (Netflix)
Mr. Jonze’s Directorial Team:

Associate Director: Chad Richard Nicholson
Stage Manager: Tate Nova

STAN LATHAN
Dave Chappelle: Sticks & Stones (Netflix)
Mr. Lathan’s Directorial Team:

Associate Director: Myriam Leger
Stage Manager: Valdez Flagg

LINDA MENDOZA
Wanda Sykes: Not Normal (Netflix)
Ms. Mendoza’s Directorial Team:

Stage Manager: Arthur Lewis

GLENN WEISS
The 91st Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
Mr. Weiss’s Directorial Team:

Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Eve Adair, Susan Kopensky, Lori Margules, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Sara Niimi, Michael Polito
Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Rita Cossette, John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Doug Fogel, Chris Hines, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Arthur Lewis, Roxanne Lozano, Ron Paul, Tammy Raab, Jason Seligman, Jackie Stathis, Cheryl Teetzel‑Moore, Debbie Williams, Ari Woog

Guillermo del Toro Named Best Director by the Directors Guild of America

Posted on February 3, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Guillermo del Toro is having a guild old time…

The Directors Guild of America honored outstanding achievement in directing for film and television at the DGA Awards, with the 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker ’s The Shape of Water winning the award for Best Feature.

Along with his Golden Globe and PGA award, del Toro’s DGA win makes him the favorite for Best Director at this year’s Oscars.

Here’s the full list of winners:

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM
GUILLERMO del TORO
The Shape of Water
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: J. Miles Dale
Production Manager: Dennis Chapman
First Assistant Director: Pierre Henry
Second Assistant Director: Tyler Delben

DRAMATIC SERIES
REED MORANO
The Handmaid’s Tale, “Offred”
(Hulu)

MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND MINI SERIES
JEAN MARC VALLÉE
Big Little Lies
(HBO)

COMMERCIALS
MARTIN de THURAH
(Epoch Films)

COMEDY SERIES
BETH MCCARTHY MILLER
Veep, “Chicklet”
(HBO)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF A FIRST-TIME FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR
JORDAN PEELE
Get Out
(Universal Pictures)

DOCUMENTARY
MATTHEW HEINEMAN
City of Ghosts
(Amazon Studios)

REALITY PROGRAMS
BRIAN SMITH
MasterChef, “Vegas Deluxe & Oyster Shucks”
(FOX)

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS
GLENN WEISS
The 89th Annual Academy Awards
(ABC)

VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING
DON ROY KING
Saturday Night Live, “Host: Jimmy Fallon”
(NBC)

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
NIKI CARO
Anne with an E, “Your Will Shall Decide Your Destiny”
(Netflix)

Guillermo del Toro Earns First-Ever DGA Awards Nomination

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special first for Guillermo del Toro…

The Directors Guild of America (DGA) has announced its nominees for its 70th Annual DGA Awards in the feature film category, as well as for the category for first-time director, with the 53-year-old Mexican filmmaker earning his first nod.

In fact, along with del Toro, four of the five films in the marquee category are first-time DGA nominees: del Toro (The Shape of Water), Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird), Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missiouri) and Jordan Peele (Get Out).

The fifth director in the Feature Film race, Dunkirk‘s Christopher Nolan, is up for his fourth DGA Award.

The DGA award has always been an important bellwether in determining who will go on to win the corresponding directing Oscar. Since their inception in 1950 , the DGA Awards have only disagreed seven times with the ultimate Academy Award winner; the last time that happened was 2012, when Argo’s Ben Affleck failed to get nominated in Oscar’s Directing category.

Winners will be announced February 3 at the Beverly Hilton.

Here’s the nominees list for both categories:

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT IN FEATURE FILM

GUILLERMO del TORO
The Shape of Water
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: J. Miles Dale
Production Manager: Dennis Chapman
First Assistant Director: Pierre Henry
Second Assistant Director: Tyler Delben

GRETA GERWIG
Lady Bird
(A24)
Unit Production Managers: Lila Yacoub, Danielle Blumstein, Jamin O’Brien (New York Crew)
First Assistant Directors: Jonas Spaccarotelli, Cedric Vara (New York Crew)
Second Assistant Director: Brendan Lee, Dana Zolli (New York Crew)
Second Second Assistant Directors: Lillian Awa, Teri Barber

MARTIN McDONAGH
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: Bergen Swanson
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Peggy Robinson
First Assistant Director: Peter Kohn
Second Assistant Director: Paula Case
Second Second Assistant Director: Spencer Taylor

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN
Dunkirk
(Warner Bros.)
Unit Production Managers: David Witz, Christine Raspillere (France Unit), Chris Brock (UK Unit), Nicky Tüske (Netherlands Unit)
First Assistant Directors: Nilo Otero, William Pruss (France Unit), Willem Quarles van Ufford (Netherlands Unit)
Second Assistant Director: Eric Lasko, Nicolas Baldino (France Unit), Alexis Chelli (France Unit), Clément Comet (France Unit)
Second Second Assistant Director: Alina Gatti

JORDAN PEELE
Get Out
(Universal Pictures)
Unit Production Managers: Marcei A. Brown, Rick A. Osako (Fairhope Unit)
First Assistant Director: Gerard DiNardi
Second Assistant Directors: Ram Paul Silbey, Marc Newland (Fairhope Unit), Jack McKenna (New York Unit)
Second Second Assistant Director: Maggie Ballard
Location Manager: Kurt Enger (New York Unit)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTORIAL ACHIEVEMENT OF A FIRST-TIME FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR

GEREMY JASPER
Patti Cake$
(Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Unit Production Manager: Sara Blechman
First Assistant Director: Inna Braude
Second Assistant Director: Natasha Rivera
Second Second Assistant Director: Lucas Isabella
Additional Second Second Assistant Director: Alice Johnson

WILLIAM OLDROYD
Lady Macbeth
(Roadside Attractions)
Production Manager: Robert K. Harm
Unit Manager: Eugene Galbrath
First Assistant Director: George Every
Second Assistant Director: Richard Stanley Jan Harris

TAYLOR SHERIDAN
Wind River
(Acacia Entertainment)
Unit Production Manager: Christopher H. Warner
First Assistant Director: Nicholas Harvard
Second Assistant Director: Jason Altieri
Second Second Assistant Director: Kristina Massie

AARON SORKIN
Molly’s Game
(STX Entertainment)
Unit Production Managers: Lyn Lucibello-Brancatella, Stuart M. Besser, Michael Beugg (Los Angeles Unit)
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Bart Lipton (Los Angeles Unit)
First Assistant Director: Walter Gasparovic
Second Assistant Directors: Penny Charter, Travis Rehwaldt (New York Unit), Paula Case (Los Angeles Unit)
Second Second Assistant Directors: Conor Griff (New York Unit), Drew Ritson (New York Unit), Bryan Snodgrass (Los Angeles Unit)
Location Manager: Dena Ghieth (New York Unit)

González Iñárritu Wins Top Prize at the Directors Guild of America Awards

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Alejandro González Iñárritu is feeling peer pleasure…

The 51-year-old Mexican filmmaker took home the top prize for helming Birdman at the Directors Guild of America’s DGA Awards ceremony on Saturday.

González Iñárritu’s win furthers the dark comedy’s status as the Best Picture frontrunner for the Academy Awards coming in two weeks. Birdman also took home prizes at the Screen Actors Guild’s SAG Awards and the Producers Guild of America’s PGA Awards.

The winner of the Directors Guild award has gone on to win the Oscar for Best Director in all but seven years since the DGA Awards have been held.

Cuarón Named Best Director at the 2014 BAFTA Awards; “Gravity” Takes Home Six Awards

Posted on February 17, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Another awards ceremony, another big prize for Alfonso Cuarón…

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker, who already has a Golden Globe, DGA Award and Critics’ Choice Movie Award, has picked up his latest Best Director trophy this awards season at the 2014 BAFTA Awards.

Cuarón, the heavy favorite to win Best Director at this year’s Oscars, won the award for helming his critically acclaimed 3D space disaster thriller Gravity.

But that wasn’t Cuarón’s only trophy of the night…

The filmmaker, one of Entertainment Weekly’s Entertainers of the Year in 2013, also took home the prize for Best British Film as one of Gravity’s producers.

Meanwhile, Cuarón’s cinematographer-of-choice Emmanuel Lubezki took home the BAFTA Award for Best Cinematography for the Mexican Oscar nominee’s work on Gravity, his sixth career BAFTA Award.

In all, Gravity won an impressive six awards — just one award shy of The Artist in 2012 and The King’s Speech.

The British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).

Cuarón Wins Directors Guild of America Award for “Gravity”

Posted on January 26, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

The prizes just keep coming for Alfonso Cuarón…

The 52-year-old Mexican filmmaker took home the top honor at the 66th annual Directors Guild of America Awards, held Saturday.

Cuarón, who won his first-ever Producers Guild of America Award last weekend, was announced as the final winner of the night for his critically acclaimed work helming the 3D sci-fi thriller Gravity.

He beat out Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave), David O. Russell (American Hustle), Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips) and Martin Scorsese (Wolf of Wall Street) for the DGA Award.

During a special presentation to Cuarón, Gravity star Sandra Bullock made a few jokes about Cuaron’s thick accent during shooting, but then praised him for his bravery and imagination.

“You not only gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity but you gave it to me when I thought I had nothing left to offer as an actor,” she said.

Cuarón is now considered the frontrunner to take home the Oscar for Best Director at this year’s upcoming Academy Awards, where he’s up for three awards.

“Searching for Sugar Man” Receives DGA Award Nomination

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Searching for Sugar Man continues to rock up the award nominations…

Malik Bendjelloul’s film about 70-year-old Mexican American singer Rodriguez has received a DGA Award nomination for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentaries by the Directors Guild of America.

The film, which earned an Academy Award nomination last week, tells the story of the folk musician who became a huge star in South Africa while remaining a virtual unknown in the United States, even in his hometown of Detroit.

Searching for Sugar Man will compete against Kirby Dick’s The Invisible War, Lauren Greenfield’s The Queen of Versailles, Alison Klayman’s Ai WeiWei: Never Sorry and David Frances’ How to Survive a Plague.

Winners will be announced on February 2nd at the 65th annual DGA Awards Dinner in Hollywood, in a ceremony hosted by Kelsey Grammer.

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