The 2022 winners of the DGA Awards received their trophies on Saturday, March 12 during in-person, non-televised ceremony hosted by Judd Apatow. (See the winners list.) Just like last year, Gold Derby revealed the champions as they happened in our minute-by-minute Directors Guild Awards live blog. Did Jane Campion win the feature film category for her work on “The Power of the Dog”? Did Maggie Gyllenhaal become only the second female winner of the first-time director race for “The Lost Daughter”? [SPOILER ALERT: Yes to both!]
These annual kudos honored the best helmers of the year in film and television, as voted on by more than 18,000 members of the directing guild. Throughout the evening, the five nominees in the top feature film category received special medallions from their colleagues. Christopher Nolan presented to Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”), Kathryn Bigelow to Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”), Kirsten Dunst & Jesse Plemons to Campion, Rita Moreno to Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”) and Sean Penn to Paul Thomas Anderson (“Licorice Pizza”).
The first trophy of the evening was awarded in the category of Children’s Program Directing, followed by Reality Program Directing, Documentary Directing, Variety Special Directing, Variety Series Directing, First-Time Feature Directing, Commercial Directing, Comedy Series Directing, TV Movie/Limited Series Directing, Drama Series Directing and Feature Film Directing.
Keep refreshing/reloading this Directors Guild Awards live blog to see all the 2022 winners
7:30 p.m. — Here. We. Go! The ceremony officially begins at The Beverly Hilton with the President’s Welcome from Lesli Linka Glatter. She is a past three-time winner for directing one episode of “Mad Men” (2010) and two episodes of “Homeland” (2015 and 2021). After last year’s virtual event due to Covid-19, it’s refreshing to see the DGA Awards going back to an in-person event with food and drinks. (Hopefully that means we’ll get a slurry speech or two!) Glatter is so happy the ceremony is “not on Zoom” this year.
7:34 p.m. — All attendees had to provide proof of vaccination against Covid-19 and a negative test within 48 hours. And in case you’re wondering, tonight’s dinner menu consists of a mediterranean mixed green salad, garlic and herb marinated filet and marshmallow cheesecake — yum!
7:40 p.m. — Awards host Judd Apatow comes out to tell a few jokes to the audience. “Tonight, we honor the best movies of 2021 that were supposed to come out in 2020,” he deadpans. The popular director of “The King of Staten Island,” “Trainwreck” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” has actually never been nominated for a DGA Award. Hmm, maybe they should split up the top feature film category into dramas and comedies? They already do that for television. Discuss!
7:46 p.m. — Addressing the historical nature of “Succession” nabbing every single drama series nomination, Apatow declares, “Isn’t that crazy? That means the worst episode of ‘Succession’ is better than every single thing on television!” Yep, pretty much, Judd.
7:51 p.m. — Apatow is now poking fun at Sam Elliott, who last week criticized “The Power of the Dog” for its gay themes. Elliott’s diss about Campion’s film was interesting “considering his choice of mustache,” jokes Apatow. Oh, snap!
8:01 p.m. — Presenters Pamela Adlon & Natasha Lyonne are here to reveal the winner of CHILDREN’S PROGRAM DIRECTING. The nominees are: James Bobin (“The Mysterious Benedict Society,” “A Bunch of Smart Orphans”), Michael Lembeck (“The J Team”), Phill Lewis (“Head of the Class,” “Three More Years”), Smriti Mundhra (“Through Our Eyes,” “Shelter”) and Jeff Wadlow (“Are You Afraid of the Dark?,” “The Tale of the Darkhouse”). And the winner is … Smriti Mundhra! This was her first ever nomination and win with the DGA Awards. Mundhra was previously nominated at the Oscars for the documentary short subject “St. Louis Superman” (2019).
8:06 p.m. — Adlon and Lyonne are also the presenters for the REALITY PROGRAM DIRECTING category. This year’s contenders are: Joseph Guidry (“Full Bloom,” “Final Floral Face Off”), Patrick McManus (“American Ninja Warrior,” “1304: Qualifiers 4”), Ramy Romany (“Making the Cut,” “Brand Statement”), Ben Simms (“Running Wild with Bear Grylls,” “Gina Carano In The Dolomites”) and Adam Vetri (“Getaway Driver,” “Electric Shock”). Congratulations to … Adam Vetri! He previously won the DGA Award in this same category for “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Challenge” (2014).
8:12 p.m. — Medallion #1! Kirsten Dunst & Jesse Plemons are on hand to present the feature film medallion to their director, Jane Campion (“The Power of the Dog”). Don’t get confused — this doesn’t mean Campion is the winner. Instead, the guild honors all five of the top filmmakers of the year with special honors throughout the evening. “I remember being the only woman in the room,” Campion announces. “It’s time to put that behind us.” Her only other DGA nom to date was for “The Piano” (1993).
8:22 p.m. — Presenting the first movie category of the evening, FILM DOCUMENTARY DIRECTOR, is LeVar Burton. The contenders are: Jessica Kingdon (“Ascension”), Stanley Nelson Jr. (“Attica”), Raoul Peck (“Exterminate All the Brutes”), Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin (“The Rescue”) and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson (“Summer of Soul”). And the trophy goes to … Stanley Nelson Jr.! This is his first DGA Award nomination and win. Nelson is also nommed at the Oscars, where “Questlove” is heavily predicted to prevail.
8:28 p.m. — Everyone’s favorite “The Masked Singer” judge, Ken Jeong, is here to present VARIETY SPECIAL DIRECTING. Here’s who’s up for the trophy: Ian Berger (“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah Presents,” “Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse – Into the Magaverse”), Bo Burnham (“Bo Burnham: Inside”), Paul Dugdale (“Adele: One Night Only”), Stan Lathan (“Dave Chappelle: The Closer”) and Glenn P. Weiss (“The 43rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors”). And the award goes to … Paul Dugdale! Once again we have ourselves a DGA Awards first-timer.
8:31 p.m. — Jeong also presents the corresponding category for VARIETY SERIES DIRECTING. This year’s contenders are: Paul G. Casey (“Real Time With Bill Maher,” “Episode 1935: Fareed Zakaria, Chris Christie, Eric Adams”), Jim Hoskinson (“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “Episode 1105”), Don Roy King (“Saturday Night Live,” “Keegan-Michael Key; Olivia Rodrigo”), David Paul Meyer (“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” “Episode 26112”) and Paul Pennolino & Christopher Werner (“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “Episode 830 – Season Finale”). Big congratulations goes to … Don Roy King! As if King needed another DGA Award on his mantel. He previously won this same category in 2014, ’16, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20 and ’21.
8:45 p.m. — It’s time for the Frank Capra Achievement Award presentation to Joseph P. Reidy, by presenters Michael Mann and (a virtual) Martin Scorsese. Scorsese references the “sacred bond” he has with Reidy, who served as his assistant director for over a dozen movies. In his speech, Reidy demands more on-set safety procedures and humane working conditions.
8:58 p.m. — Medallion #2! Kathryn Bigelow leads the presentation to Denis Villeneuve (“Dune”). Fun fact: Bigelow was the first-ever woman to win the feature film category at the DGA Awards, for “The Hurt Locker” (2008). In a tearful moment, Villeneuve claims he used to have a jersey with Spielberg’s name on it and admits, “After all these years you are still a source of inspiration to me.” This is Villeneuve’s second DGA nom after “Arrival” (2016).
9:10 p.m. — Now for one of the biggies, FILM FIRST-TIME DIRECTOR, presented by double Oscar nominee Julie Delpy (“Before Sunset” and “Before Midnight”). The six (not five) DGA nominees are: Maggie Gyllenhaal (“The Lost Daughter”), Rebecca Hall (“Passing”), Tatiana Huezo (“Prayers for the Stolen”), Lin-Manuel Miranda (“tick, tick… Boom!”), Michael Sarnoski (“Pig”) and Emma Seligman (“Shiva Baby”). And the winner is … Maggie Gyllenhaal! The A-list actress now becomes the second female to win this relatively new directing award, after Alma Har’el (“Honey Boy”). In a reference to Villeneuve’s speech from a few minutes earlier, Gyllenhaal says she’d want Campion’s name on her jersey. Watching “The Piano” when she was 15 years old “changed me,” mentions Gyllenhaal.
9:22 p.m. — Medallion #3! Leading the presentation for Kenneth Branagh (“Belfast”) is Christopher Nolan, who’s Zooming in from England. Nolan is a four-time DGA nominee for “Memento,” “The Dark Knight,” “Inception” and “Dunkirk,” while “Belfast” marks Branagh’s first mention with the guild. Since Branagh isn’t here in person (he flew to England for the BAFTAs), Apatow jokes he’s going to slip the medallion to Burnham when no one is watching.
9:33 p.m. — It’s time for the Franklin Schaffner Award presentation to Garry W. Hood by Louis J. Horvitz.
9:42 p.m. — Stephanie Beatriz presents COMMERCIAL DIRECTING, with this year’s nominees being the following: Steve Ayson (MJZ, Anthem, Mattress Firm – Droga5), Kathryn Bigelow (SMUGGLER, Hollywood In Your Pocket, iPhone 13 – Media Arts Lab), Ian Pons Jewell (RESET, ECG, Apple Watch – Apple / Sleep, Apple Watch – Apple / Time, Squarespace – Squarespace / Your Mom’s Short Ribs, Instacart – Goodby Silverstein), Henry-Alex Rubin (SMUGGLER, Teenage Dream, Sandy Hook Promise – BBDO – New York) and Bradford Young (Serial Pictures x Somesuch, Super. Human., Channel 4 Paralympics – 4Creative). Huge congrats to … Bradford Young! While this is his first DGA mention, he is a former Oscar nominee for Best Cinematography for “Arrival” (2016).
9:45 p.m. — COMEDY SERIES DIRECTING is also being presented by Beatriz. The nominees are: Lucia Aniello (“Hacks,” “There Is No Line”), MJ Delaney (“Ted Lasso,” “No Weddings and a Funeral”), Erica Dunton (“Ted Lasso,” “Rainbow”), Sam Jones (“Ted Lasso,” “Beard After Hours”) and Mike White (“The White Lotus,” “Mysterious Monkeys”). And the award goes to … Lucia Aniello! This DGA first-timer won two Emmys last year for writing and directing “Hacks.” Hmm, did “Ted Lasso” just vote-split itself out of a win for the second year in a row?
9:48 p.m. — Medallion #4! Rita Moreno receives a standing ovation when she comes out on stage to present Steven Spielberg (“West Side Story”) with his medallion. “I didn’t even have to put out to anyone,” the legendary EGOT winner laughs. When Spielberg arrives at the podium, he turns to Moreno and declares, “At 90, you haven’t peaked!” The director was worried he would “f*** it up” by remaking “West Side Story,” but that clearly wasn’t the case.
10:08 p.m. — Who’s ready for some Andrew Garfield? The former “Spider-Man” and current “tick, tick… BOOM” actor is presenting LIMITED SERIES/TV MOVIE DIRECTING to one of these contenders: Barry Jenkins (“The Underground Railroad”), Barry Levinson (“Dopesick,” “First Bottle”), Hiro Murai (“Station Eleven,” “Wheel of Fire”), Danny Strong (“Dopesick,” “The People vs. Purdue Pharma”) and Craig Zobel (“Mare of Easttown”). The DGA Award goes to … Barry Jenkins! He won the Oscar for writing “Moonlight” (2016), and was nominated at the DGA and Oscars for directing that Best Picture champ.
10:14 p.m. — Ernest Dickerson is on hand to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to Spike Lee, a two-time DGA nominee for “BlacKkKlansman” (2018) and “American Utopia” (2020). Lee won the Oscar for writing “BlacKkKlansman” and took home an honorary Academy Award in 2016 for his decades of work in the film industry. During his 25-minute speech, the helmer gets emotional at the podium talking about his grandmother, who sent Lee to college by using her social security checks.
10:44 p.m. — Medallion #5! This final medallion presentation is for “Licorice Pizza” director Paul Thomas Anderson. He was previously nommed by the guild for “There Will Be Blood” (2007). Fun fact: “Licorice Pizza” actor Sean Penn was supposed to present this award, but he tested positive for Covid-19 and could not attend the ceremony.
10:48 p.m. — Now it’s time for something really, really cool. To commemorate the historical “Succession” domination of DRAMA SERIES DIRECTING, the main cast members — Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook and Jeremy Strong — are all here to present the award to one of their directors. It’ll either be Kevin Bray (“Succession,” “Retired Janitors of Idaho”), Mark Mylod (“Succession,” “All the Bells Say”), Andrij Parekh (“Succession,” “What It Takes”), Robert Pulcini & Shari Springer Berman (“Succession,” “Lion in the Meadow”) or Lorene Scafaria (“Succession,” “Too Much Birthday”). Succeeding to the podium is … Mark Mylod! He previously contended at the DGA Awards for the “This Is Not for Tears” episode of the HBO family drama.
10:55 p.m. — It’s all come down to this. Who else could present FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR but last year’s winner for “Nomadland,” Chloé Zhao? You already know the nominees, so let’s get right to it. The winner is … Jane Campion! That means we just witnessed history at the 2022 DGA Awards, as the feature film director (Campion) and first-time director (Gyllenhaal) trophies both went to women. “When you make a movie, you really make friends,” Campion declared at the podium. And that’s a wrap!
