The director nominees for the 2019 DGA Awards were announced, and there wasn’t much in the way of surprises. As expected, Bradley Cooper was recognized for his directorial debut, A Star is Born. He was joined by Spike Lee for BlacKkKlansman, Adam McKay for Vice, Alfonso Cuaron for Roma, and Peter Farrelly for Green Book.
Meanwhile, Cooper was also nominated in the First-Time Director category, so he’s gotta win one, right? Eighth Grade‘s Bo Burnham was also nominated in this field, along with Carlos Lopez Estrada for Blindspotting, A Private War‘s Matthew Heineman, and Boots Riley for A Star is Born.
A lot of names they could’ve included that were left out. No Ryan Coogler for Black Panther? No Yorgos Lanthimos for The Favourite? And in the First-Time category I’m surprised Paul Dano didn’t get a nomination for Wildlife.
The DGA Awards will be given out on February 2nd.
Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film
BRADLEY COOPER
A Star is Born
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Mr. Cooper’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Robert J. Dohrmann
First Assistant Director: Michele “Shelley” Ziegler
Second Assistant Director: Xanthus Valan
Second Second Assistant Director: Matthew R. Milan
This is one of two DGA Award nominations this year for Mr. Cooper. He is also nominated in the First-Time Feature Film category for A Star Is Born.
ALFONSO CUARÓN
Roma
(Netflix)
Mr. Cuarón’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Ana Hernandez
First Assistant Director: Frederic Henocque Albino
Second Assistant Director: Patrick Heyerdahl
Second Second Assistant Directors: Luis Fernando Vásquez, Julián ‘Chico’ Valdés, Arturo Garcia
This is Mr. Cuarón’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film in 2013 for Gravity.
PETER FARRELLY
Green Book
(Universal Pictures)
Mr. Farrelly’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Alissa M. Kantrow, John Brister, Franses Simonovich (New York Unit)
First Assistant Directors: J.B. Rogers, Alejandro Ramia (New York Unit)
Second Assistant Directors: Paul B. Uddo, Jack McKenna (New York Unit)
Second Second Assistant Directors: Gerson Paz, Jonathan Warren
Location Manager: Louis Zuppardi
This is Mr. Farrelly’s first DGA Award nomination.
SPIKE LEE
BlacKkKlansman
(Focus Features)
Mr. Lee’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Marcei A. Brown
First Assistant Director: Mike Ellis
Second Assistant Director: Tracey Hinds
Second Second Assistant Directors: Jason Perez, Christina Ann Walker, Anastasia Folorunso
Location Manager: Tim Stacker
This is Mr. Lee’s first DGA Award nomination.
ADAM McKAY
Vice
(Annapurna Pictures)
Mr. McKay’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Managers: Julie Hartley, Jeff Waxman
First Assistant Director: Matt Rebenkoff
Second Assistant Director: Joann Connolly
Second Second Assistant Directors: Yarden Levo, Dave Vogel (Washington D.C. Unit)
This is Mr. McKay’s second DGA Feature Film Award nomination. He was previously nominated for The Big Short in 2015. Mr. McKay also received a nomination this year in the Dramatic Series category for Succession.
DGA Awards Medallion Small Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time Feature Film
BO BURNHAM
Eighth Grade
(A24)
Mr. Burnham’s Directorial Team:
First Assistant Director: Dan Taggatz
Second Assistant Director: Vic Coram
Second Second Assistant Director: Evelyn Fogleman
This is Mr. Burnham’s first DGA Award nomination.
BRADLEY COOPER
A Star is Born
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
Mr. Cooper’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Robert J. Dohrmann
First Assistant Director: Michele “Shelley” Ziegler
Second Assistant Director: Xanthus Valan
Second Second Assistant Director: Matthew R. Milan
This is one of two DGA Award nominations this year for Mr. Cooper. He is also nominated in the Feature Film category for A Star Is Born.
CARLOS LÓPEZ ESTRADA
Blindspotting
(Summit Entertainment)
Mr. Estrada’s Directorial Team:
Assistant Director: La Mar Stewart
Second Second Assistant Director: Dominic Martin
Additional Second Assistant Director: Armin Houshmandi
This is Mr. Estrada’s first DGA Award nomination.
MATTHEW HEINEMAN
A Private War
(Aviron Pictures)
Mr. Heineman’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Louise Killin
First Assistant Directors: George Walker, Peter Freeman (Jordan Unit)
Second Assistant Directors: Tom Mulberge (UK Unit), Tom Browne (Jordan Unit)
Second Second Assistant Director: Tarik Afifi (Jordan Unit)
This is Mr. Heineman’s third DGA Award nomination. He won the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary in 2017 for City of Ghosts and in 2015 for Cartel Land.
BOOTS RILEY
Sorry to Bother You
(Annapurna Pictures)
Mr. Riley’s Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Chris Martin
First Assistant Director: Brian Benson
Second Assistant Director: Hilton Jamal Day
Second Second Assistant Directors: Sam Purdy, Nick Alvarez
This is Mr. Riley’s first DGA Award nomination.
