Directors Take Center Stage: Paul Thomas Anderson Triumphs at DGA Awards
Hollywood’s directing elite gathered at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday night as the Directors Guild of America announced the winners of the 78th Annual DGA Awards, celebrating outstanding directorial achievement across film, television and commercial media. The evening brought a wave of star power to the red carpet before culminating in one of the industry’s most respected honors.
Paul Thomas Anderson claimed the night’s top prize, winning the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film for One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures). The win marks Anderson’s third DGA nomination, following previous recognition for There Will Be Blood in 2007 and Licorice Pizza in 2021. His directorial team included Unit Production Manager Will Weiske, First Assistant Director Adam Somner, Second Assistant Directors Trevor Tavares and Ian Stone, along with a large supporting assistant directing crew.
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The ceremony, hosted by Kumail Nanjiani, welcomed more than 1,000 guests and featured a lineup of presenters that reflected the breadth of the entertainment industry. Among those taking the stage were Emily Bader, Sean Baker, Yvette Nicole Brown, D’Arcy Carden, Timothée Chalamet, Paul W. Downs, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jacob Elordi, Kate Hudson, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Keaton, Adam Scott, Rhea Seehorn, Kerry Washington, Olivia Wilde, Steven Spielberg and many others.
Several major television categories also saw first-time winners. Charlie Polinger earned the Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Theatrical Feature Film for The Plague. Amanda Marsalis took home the Dramatic Series award for directing the HBO Max series The Pitt, episode “6:00 P.M.” Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were recognized in Comedy Series for The Studio episode “The Oner” on Apple TV, while Shannon Murphy won in Limited & Anthology Series for Dying for Sex, episode “It’s Not That Serious,” for FX on Hulu. Stephen Chbosky received the Movies for Television honor for Netflix’s Nonnas.
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In the Variety category, Liz Patrick won for SNL50: The Anniversary Special on NBC, marking her fourth DGA nomination and adding to her history of recognition for Saturday Night Live. Sports directing honors went to Matthew Gangl for FOX Sports’ broadcast of the 2025 World Series Game 7 matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays. Mike Sweeney was awarded in Reality/Quiz & Game for Conan O’Brien Must Go, episode “Austria,” on HBO Max.
Kim Gehrig secured the Commercials award for her work on high-profile campaigns including Nike’s “You Can’t Win. So Win.” and Apple’s “I’m Not Remarkable,” marking her fourth nomination and adding to multiple prior wins. In documentary filmmaking, Mstyslav Chernov won for 2000 Meters to Andriivka (PBS), his second nomination following an earlier victory in the category. Rebecca Miller was honored for Documentary Series/News for Mr. Scorsese, episode “All This Filming Isn’t Healthy,” on Apple TV.
The Guild also presented two career achievement honors during the evening. Associate Director and Stage Manager David Charles received the Franklin J. Schaffner Achievement Award for extraordinary service to the industry and the Guild, while Commercials First Assistant Director Gregory G. McCollum was presented with the Frank Capra Achievement Award in recognition of his career accomplishments and contributions to the DGA.
The 78th Annual DGA Awards once again underscored the Guild’s role in recognizing the creative leadership behind the camera, spotlighting directors across genres and formats who shaped the year in film and television.
