Paul Thomas Anderson, Mstyslav Chernov, and Seth Rogen Lead 2026 DGA Awards Winners
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The Directors Guild of America (DGA) unveiled its winners for 2026, recognizing outstanding directorial achievement across film and television. Paul Thomas Anderson took home the top prize for Theatrical Feature Film, while Mstyslav Chernov was honored for his powerful documentary, 2000 Meters to Andriivka. The awards, announced Thursday, highlight a diverse range of talent and storytelling.
Film Triumphs: Anderson and Chernov Claim Top Honors
Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another was lauded as the year’s best theatrical feature, besting a competitive field that included Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Guillermo Del Toro (Frankenstein), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), and Chloé Zhao (Hamnet). The win solidifies Anderson’s position as one of contemporary cinema’s most acclaimed auteurs.
In the Documentary Film category, Mstyslav Chernov’s 2000 Meters to Andriivka resonated deeply with the DGA, earning him the award. The film faced strong competition from Geeta Gandbhir (The Perfect Neighbor), Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni (Cutting Through Rocks), Elizabeth Lo (Mistress Dispeller), and Laura Poitras and Mark Obenhaus (Cover-Up).
Rising Stars and First-Time Visions
The DGA also celebrated emerging talent with the Michael Apted First Time Directorial Feature Award, which went to Charlie Polinger for The Plague. Polinger’s work edged out fellow nominees Hasan Hadi (The President’s Cake), Harry Lighton (Pillion), Alex Russell (Lurker), and Eva Victor (Sorry, Baby).
Television’s Best Take the Stage
The television categories showcased a wealth of creative excellence. Amanda Marsallis earned the award for Dramatic Series for her work on The Pitt, specifically the episode “6:00 PM.” She triumphed over Liza Johnson (The Diplomat, “Amagansett”), Janus Metz (Andor, “Who Are You?”), Ben Stiller (Severance, “Cold Harbor”), and John Wells (The Pitt, “7:00 A.M.”).
Comedy Series saw a win for Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg for The Studio, and their episode, “The Oner.” Their victory came ahead of Lucia Aniello (Hacks, “A Slippery Slope”), Janicza Bravo (The Bear, “Worms”), Christopher Storer (The Bear, “Bears”), and Mike White (The White Lotus, “Denials”).
The Limited & Anthology Series award was presented to Shannon Murphy for Dying for Sex, specifically the episode “It’s Not That Serious.” She beat out Jason Bateman (Black Rabbit, “The Black Rabbits”), Antonio Campos (The Beast in Me, “Sick Puppy”), Lesli Linka Glatter (Zero Day, “Episode 6”), and Ally Pankiw (Black Mirror, “Common People”).
Expanding Categories Reflect Industry Trends
The DGA Awards also recognized excellence in Movies for Television, with Stephen Chbosky winning for Nonnas. Other nominees included Jesse Armstrong (Mountainhead), Scott Derrickson (The Gorge), Michael Morris (Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy), and Kyle Newacheck (Happy Gilmore 2).
In the Variety category, Liz Patrick was honored for SNL50: The Anniversary Special. The category also included Yvonne De Mare (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, “Julia Roberts; Sam Smith”), Andy Fisher (Jimmy Kimmel Live!, “Stephen Colbert; Kumail Nanjiani; Reneé Rapp”), Beth McCarthy-Miller (SNL50: The Homecoming Concert), and Paul Pennolino (Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, “Public Media”).
Matthew Gangl secured the win in the Sports category for his direction of 2025 World Series – Game 7. He was recognized alongside Steve Milton (2025 Masters Tournament) and Rich Russo (Super Bowl LIX).
The Reality/Quiz and Game award went to Mike Sweeney for Conan O’Brien Must Go, specifically the episode “Austria.” Lucinda M. Margolis (Jeopardy!, “Ep. 9341”) and Adam Sandler (The Price is Right, “10,000th Episode”) were also nominated.
Finally, Rebecca Miller was recognized for her work on the Documentary Series/News program, Mr. Scorsese, “All This Filming Isn’t Healthy”. Marshall Curry (SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, “Written By: A Week Inside the SNL Writers Room”), Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin (Billy Joel: And So It Goes, “Part Two”), Alexandra Stapleton (Sean Combs: The Reckoning, “Official Girl”), and Matt Wolf (Pee-Wee as Himself, “Part 1”) rounded out the nominees.
The 2026 DGA Awards underscore the continued vitality and innovation within the directing profession, celebrating both established masters and the next generation of visionary storytellers.
