Inside The Producers Guild Awards

The atmosphere felt thick with anticipation an hour before the International Ballroom at the Beverly Hilton opened, as guests and nominees gathered for a cocktail reception. Who would win the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures. In a few hours we would know…

Green Book. Producers: Jim Burke, Charles B. Wessler, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly, and Nick Vallelonga.

I had a prime view from Table 302 where my table mates included Jeanne Wolf and half of the Producers from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Dinner (Moroccan themed) was served and we toasted as the festivities began, and my table mates would soon be taking home an award of their own.

Prior to Green Book being lauded and winning, the Producers Guild honored Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse for feature animation and Won’t You Be My Neighbor? for feature documentary.

In TV, FX’s The Americans ended the show and the night on a high, taking home the Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama.

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television went to RuPaul’s Drag Race. Tom Campbell called RuPaul the “secret sauce” to the show. “Not only is RuPaul a superstar talent in front and behind the career, he also happens to be one of the LGBTQs pioneers. When Ru dreamed of creating a platform to celebrate the art of drag, most people said no.” Campbell went on to say, “To those of you who doubted us, Thank U, Next,” alluding to the Ariana Grande song.

Iron Man Robert Downey Jr presented Kevin Feige with the David O. Selznick. “Kevin medivaced me from the top of the uninsurable list to the top of Forbes.” Feige received a standing ovation as he came on stage. During his speech he turned to Downey Jr. and said, “I can’t imagine what Marvel would be without you.” He went on to thank the producers in the room, “Making movies is all I’ve ever wanted to do.” Thanking Richard Donner and Laura Ziskin he said, “I’ve learned so much from her.”

This Is Us and Black Panther star Sterling K. Brown introduced the Black Panther clip, and said the film was about building bridges and not barriers. He said it was a “personal film that reinforced our identity.” Brown went on to say the film helped him and many others take pride in their culture.

Kenya Barris received the Visionary Award from Norman Lear, “That’s my boy right there.” He said before talking about how Black-ish opened up opportunities for him. He talked about representation saying, “Stories are being told by people who live the story” and he wants to tell stories, “the way they should be told.” While talking about the growth of representation he talked about Black Panther calling it an “African Fairytale.”

Icon, Jane Fonda received the Stanley Kramer award and praised the guild for having a membership that’s 50% women. “It’s not that we’re better,” Fonda said referring to the women in the room, “It’s just that we don’t have our masculinity to prove.” She received a standing ovation and much applause when she said, “It’s fun to be old. It’s so hard to be young.”

Green Book’s win signaled the end of the evening with Peter Farrelly saying, “When you make Dumb and Dumber, you don’t expect to ever get an award.” But you did, Peter. You did. The 8000 voting members of the Producers Guild declared Green Book the Outstanding Theatrical Motion Picture and sent film twitter into a frenzy.

Lo, the first guild had spoken.

And with that, it was off home and on to Tuesday morning, when The Academy will announce their nominations… Next week we go to the SAG Awards, and the actors will get their turn to speak. I’ll be reporting from the Press Room.

Happy Sunday! Here are some photos from Last night:

WINNERS OF THE 2019 PRODUCERS GUILD AWARD PRESENTED BY CADILLAC

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:

“Green Book”

Producers: Jim Burke, Charles B. Wessler, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly, Nick Vallelonga

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures:

“Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”

Producers: Morgan Neville, Nicholas Ma, Caryn Capotosto

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”

Producers: Avi Arad, Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, Christina Steinberg

The Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama:

“The Americans” (Season 6)

Producers: Joe Weisberg, Joel Fields, Chris Long, Graham Yost, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stephen Schiff, Mary Rae Thewlis, Tracey Scott Wilson, Peter Ackerman, Joshua Brand

The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy:

“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Season 2)

Producers: Amy Sherman‐Palladino, Daniel Palladino, Dhana Rivera Gilbert, Sheila Lawrence

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited Series Television:

“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” (Season 2)

Producers: Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Alexis Martin Woodall, Tom Rob Smith, Daniel Minahan, Brad Falchuk, Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Chip Vucelich, Maggie Cohn, Eric Kovtun, Lou Eyrich, Eryn Krueger Mekash

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Streamed or Televised Motion Pictures:

“Fahrenheit 451”

Producers: Sarah Green, Ramin Bahrani, Michael B. Jordan, Alan Gasmer, Peter Jaysen, David Coatsworth

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:

“Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” (Season 11, Season 12)

Producers: Anthony Bourdain, Christopher Collins, Lydia Tenaglia, Sandra Zweig

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television:

“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (Season 5)

Producers: John Oliver, Tim Carvell, Liz Stanton, Jeremy Tchaban

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television:

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” (Season 10)

Producers: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, RuPaul Charles, Mandy Salangsang, Steven Corfe, Bruce McCoy, Michele Mills, Jacqueline Wilson, Thairin Smothers, Jen Passovoy, Lisa Steele

The PGA does not vet the individual producers of short-form programs, sports programs, or children’s programs.

The Award for Outstanding Short-Form Program:

“Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” (Season 5)

The Award for Outstanding Sports Program:

“Being Serena” (Season 1)

The Award for Outstanding Children’s Program:

“Sesame Street” (Season 48)