“Succession,” “Lessons in Chemistry,” “The Bear,” “Ted Lasso” and “American Born Chinese” are among the frontrunners as the Directors Guild of America has announced the 2024 nominees in television categories, including Dramatic Series; Comedy Series; Movies for Television and Limited Series; Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming; Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials; Reality Program, as well as for children’s programs, commercials and documentary.
“Succession” led all series with four nominations, dominating the drama category with all but one entry. “Ted Lasso” and “The Bear” each took two comedy slots, while “Lessons in Chemistry” grabbed three of the five TV movie/limited nominations.
This year’s DGA Awards take place on Saturday, February 10, 2024. Here are this year’s nominees
DRAMATIC SERIES
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for 2023 are (in alphabetical order):
PETER HOAR — The Last of Us, “Long, Long Time” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Cecil O’Connor; First Assistant Director: Bethan Mowat
BECKY MARTIN — Succession, “Rehearsal” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Hilary Kehoe, Gabrielle Mahon; First Assistant Director: John Silvestri; Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte; Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario; Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
MARK MYLOD — Succession, “Connor’s Wedding” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Hilary Kehoe, Gabrielle Mahon; First Assistant Director: Christo Morse; Second Assistant Directors: Sahar Shmolevitz, Justin Bischoff; Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario; Additional Second Assistant Directors: Cris Iannucci, Norman Franklin, Kyle Burstein; Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
ANDRIJ PAREKH — Succession, “America Decides” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Hilary Kehoe, Gabrielle Mahon; First Assistant Director: John Silvestri; Second Assistant Director: Nicholas Notte; Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario; Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
ROBERT PULCINI & SHARI SPRINGER BERMAN — Succession, “Tailgate Party” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Hilary Kehoe, Gabrielle Mahon; First Assistant Director: Michelle Flevotomas; Second Assistant Director: Sahar Shmolevitz; Second Second Assistant Director: Jimmy Rosario; Additional Second Assistant Directors: Isabel Sofia Cervantes, Nicole Kay Payson; Location Manager: Paul Eskenazi
COMEDY SERIES
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy Series for 2023 are (in alphabetical order):
ERICA DUNTON — Ted Lasso, “La Locker Room Aux Folles” (Apple TV+)
BILL HADER — Barry, “wow” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Aida Rodgers; First Assistant Director: Gavin Kleintop; Second Assistant Director: Erin Stern Linares; Second Second Assistant Directors: Yarden Levo, George Williams
DECLAN LOWNEY — Ted Lasso, “So Long, Farewell” (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Mike Livanos (U.S. Unit); First Assistant Director: Jason Z. Kemp (U.S. Unit); Second Assistant Director: Christopher Cook (U.S. Unit)
CHRISTOPHER STORER — The Bear, “Fishes” (FX)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Tyson Bidner, Carrie Holt de Lama; First Assistant Directors: Duccio Fabbri, Pablo Gambetta; Second Assistant Director: Larissa Malarek; Second Second Assistant Directors: Olivia Dame, Hiro Taniguchi; Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas
RAMY YOUSSEF — The Bear, “Honeydew” (FX)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Managers: Tyson Bidner, Carrie Holt de Lama; First Assistant Directors: Kit Bland, Pablo Gambetta; Second Assistant Director: Larissa Malarek; Second Second Assistant Directors: Olivia Dame, Hiro Taniguchi; Location Manager: Maria C. Roxas
MOVIES FOR TELEVISION AND LIMITED SERIES
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series for 2023 are (in alphabetical order):
SHAWN LEVY — All the Light We Cannot See (Netflix)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Scott Elias; First Assistant Director: Josh McLaglen; Second Assistant Director: Simeon Jones
TARA MIELE — Lessons in Chemistry, “Introduction to Chemistry” (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Chris Hayden; First Assistant Director: Katie Carroll; Second Assistant Director: Alexis Olsen Colwell
MILLICENT SHELTON — Lessons in Chemistry, “Poirot” (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Chris Hayden; First Assistant Director: Kristofer Kolpek; Second Assistant Director: Deborah Chung
SARAH ADINA SMITH — Lessons in Chemistry, “Her and Him” (Apple TV+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Steven Brown; First Assistant Director: Kristofer Kolpek; Second Assistant Director: Deborah Chung
NZINGHA STEWART — Daisy Jones & The Six, “ Track 10: Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide” (Amazon)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Michael Nelson; First Assistant Director: Anna Notarides; Second Assistant Director: Samantha Hollingsworth; Second Second Assistant Directors : Tarin Squillante, Jeff Tavani, Alex Lee Bonner, Matthew Kramer; Location Manager: Batou Chandler
VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Regularly Scheduled Programming for 2023 are (in alphabetical order):
PAUL G. CASEY — Real Time with Bill Maher, “Episode 2117” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Stacy Talbot; Stage Managers: Brian Anderson, Patrick Whitney
JIM HOSKINSON — The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “Jan. 19, 2023: Rep. Adam Kinzinger; Meet Me at the Altar; Special appearance by Harvey Guillén” (CBS)
Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Yvonne DeMare, Karen Yaeger; Stage Managers: Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib
MICHAEL MANCINI & LIZ PATRICK — Saturday Night Live, “Pedro Pascal / Coldplay” (NBC)
Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Janine DeVito, Michael Poole, Laura Ouziel-Mack; Stage Managers: Gena Rositano, Chris Kelly, Eddie Valk
DAVID PAUL MEYER — The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, “Singer Charley Crockett Performs “Name on a Billboard” and Discusses New Album with Jordan Klepper “ (Comedy Central)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Adrienne Ford; Stage Managers: Bennymar Almonte, Tyler Goldman
PAUL PENNOLINO — Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, “Episode 1018: Dollar Stores” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Elliot Mendelson; Stage Managers: Craig Spinney, Mark McKenna, Jeff Leib, Steven Van Patten
VARIETY/TALK/NEWS/SPORTS – SPECIALS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Variety/Talk/News/Sports – Specials for 2023 are (in alphabetical order):
JOEL GALLEN — Chris Rock: Selective Outrage (Netflix)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Robin Mishkin Abrams; Stage Manager: Arthur Lewis
STAN LATHAN — Dave Chappelle: The Dreamer (Netflix)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Jill Dove; Stage Manager: Valdez Flagg
LINDA MENDOZA — Wanda Sykes: I’m an Entertainer (Netflix)
Directorial Team: Stage Manager: Dan Frank
PAUL MILLER — Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love (NBC)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Sara Niimi; Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Christopher McDonald, Jackie Stathis
GLENN WEISS — The 95th Annual Academy Awards (ABC)
Directorial Team: Associate Directors: Ken Diego, Ricky Kirshner, Susan Kopensky, Lori Margules, Robin Mishkin Abrams, Sara Niimi, Kristen Patterson Terry, Michael Polito; Stage Managers: Gary Natoli, Alexis Brusig, Rita Cossette, John Esposito, Valdez Flagg, Doug Fogel, Chris Hines, Alissa Levisohn Hoyo, Arthur Lewis, Roxanne Lozano, Donna Parker, Ron Paul, Tammy Raab, Jason Seligman, Jackie Stathis, Cheryl Teetzel-Moore, Ari Woog
REALITY PROGRAMS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Reality Programs for 2023 are (in alphabetical order):
NIHARIKA DESAI — Rainn Wilson and the Geography of Bliss, “Happiness is a Bottle of Cod Liver Oil” (Peacock)
KEN FUCHS — The Golden Bachelor, “Premiere” (ABC)
Directorial Team: Stage Manager: Isaiah Fuchs
JOSEPH GUIDRY & ALEXANDRA LIPSITZ — Project Greenlight: A New Generation, “PGL vs. Gray Matter Problem” (HBO/Max)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Lizzie MacPherson; Stage Manager: T.J. Ganser
RICH KIM — Lego Masters, “Is It Brick?” (Fox)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Ryan Bunnell; Stage Managers: Will Baker, Dan Shepard
PATRICK McMANUS — American Ninja Warrior, “Season 15 Finale” (NBC)
Directorial Team: Associate Director: Dave Massey; Stage Managers: Sara Brown, Sean P. Galvin, T.J. Ganser, Joseph R. Osborne, Matthew Patrick, Greg Rosa, Louise Story
CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs for 2023 are (in alphabetical order):
JAMES BOBIN — Percy Jackson and the Olympians, “I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher” (Disney+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Jim Rowe; First Assistant Director: Pete Whyte; Location Manager: David Occhino
DESTIN DANIEL CRETTON — American Born Chinese, “What Guy Are You” (Disney+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Erin O’Malley; First Assistant Director: Katie Hausmann; Second Assistant Directors: Randin Brown Hargrave, Morgan Willis
ROB LETTERMAN — Goosebumps, “Say Cheese and Die” (Disney+)
AMY SCHATZ — Stand Up & Shout: Songs From a Philly High School (HBO/Max)
DINH THAI — American Born Chinese, “A Monkey on a Quest” (Disney+)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: Erin O’Malley, Stacy Murphy Gold; First Assistant Director: Michael Risoli; Second Assistant Director: Morgan Willis
COMMERCIALS
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Commercials for 2023 are (in alphabetical order):
MARTIN de THURAH (Epoch Films)
Fair Exchange, Levi’s 501 Jeans – Droga5
Legends Never Die, Levi’s 501 Jeans, Droga5
SEB EDWARDS (Park Pictures)
Rumble, Battle of the Baddest – Droga5
- First Assistant Director: George Walker
KIM GEHRIG (Somesuch)
Run This Town, Apple Music – Apple (Client Direct)
- First Assistant Director: David Webb
The Travelers, Expedia – Wieden & Kennedy
- First Assistant Director: Zaida Fakih
CRAIG GILLESPIE (MJZ)
Waiting Room, Apple iPhone – TBWA/Media Arts Lab
- Unit Production Manager: Martha Davis
- First Assistant Director: Christian Van Fleet
- Second Assistant Director: Gregory Moutran
ANDREAS NILSSON (Biscuit Filmworks)
R.I.P. Leon, Apple iPhone – Apple (Client Direct)
- First Assistant Director: Gareth Moses
Action Mode, Apple iPhone14 – Apple (Client Direct)
- First Assistant Director: Gareth Moses
Choose Happy, Les Mills Fitness – Nice&Frank, San Francisco
Wait’ll You See This, Snapchat – Snapchat (Client Direct)
DOCUMENTARY
The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary for 2023 are (in alphabetical order):
MOSES BWAYO & CHRISTOPHER SHARP — Bobi Wine: The People’s President (National Geographic)
MSTYSLAV CHERNOV — 20 Days in Mariupol (PBS Distribution)
MADELEINE GAVIN — Beyond Utopia (Roadside Attractions)
DAVIS GUGGENHEIM — Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (Apple Original Films)
Directorial Team: Unit Production Manager: John Locke; First Assistant Director: Richard Rosser
D. SMITH — Kokomo City (Magnolia Pictures)