The five Directors Guild of America nominees for Best Director — Bradley Cooper (“A Star is Born”), Alfonso Cuaron (“Roma”), Peter Farrelly (“Green Book”), Spike Lee (“BlacKkKlansman”) and Adam McKay (“Vice”). All but McKay number in our top five predicted contenders at the Oscars. He bumped out Yorgos Lanthimos (“The Favourite”), who is in fourth place on our Oscar chart.
Don’t count Lanthimos out of the Oscar race just yet. In the seven decade history of the DGA Awards there have only been five years when the whole roster went on to reap Academy Award nominations. Among the other helmers hoping to overcome their DGA snubs and make it to the Oscars are Barry Jenkins (“If Beale Street Could Talk”) and Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther”).
One DGA nominee that is certain to be nominated by the directors branch is Cuaron, who has been the frontrunner at the Oscars all season long. He won the Golden Globe on Sunday. Of the 20 regional critics groups to weigh in with their picks of the best of the year, he has dominated with a lucky 13 wins. The only other DGA nominee with multiple wins is Lee with three.
SEE 2019 Directors Guild Awards TV nominations: ‘Atlanta,’ ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ lead with 2 each
Cooper also contends for Best First-Time Feature Director. His competition in that race is: Bo Burnham (“Eighth Grade”), Carlos Lopez Estrada (“Blindspotting”), Matthew Heinman (“A Private War”) and Boots Riley (“Sorry to Bother You”).
McKay is also nominated for his helming of an episode of the HBO drama series “Succession.” Winners will be revealed at the 71st annual DGA Awards on Feb. 2 at the Beverly Hilton. Last year director Judd Apatow stepping out from behind the camera to host.
Be sure to make your Oscar nomination predictions so that Hollywood studio executives can see how their films are faring in our Academy Awards odds. Don’t be afraid to jump in now since you can keep changing your predictions until just before nominees are announced on January 22.
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