“Nomadland” solidified its status as the best-picture Oscar front-runner as its producers received the top award for motion pictures Wednesday evening at Producers Guild of America Awards.
The seemingly bleak yet uplifting tale of human spirit seen through the eyes of van-living desert dwellers won the best picture award at the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards March 7. Its director, Chloe Zhao, won best director awards at Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globe Awards Feb. 28.
Since the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences expanded from five to 10 nominees in 2010, only three films have won the best picture Oscar without first winning the PGA Award.
In 2016, the PGA Award went to “The Big Short,” but the Oscar went to “Spotlight.” The following year, “La La Land” won the PGA honor, while the Academy honored “Moonlight.” Last year, the PGA Award went to “1917,” but the Oscar went to “Parasite.”
According to the PGA, since the guild’s inception, the PGA has predicted 21 of the 31 winners of the best picture Oscar.
Also nominated were the producers of “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” “Judas and the Black Messiah,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Mank,” “Minari,” “One Night in Miami,” “Promising Young Woman,” “Sound of Metal” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.”
The producers of “Soul” won for best animated film, winning over their counterparts from “The Croods: A New Age,” “Onward,” “Over the Moon,” and “Windwalkers.”
Netflix’s “The Crown,” coming off successful nights at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice awards, won the PGA award for TV dramas. Also nominated were “Better Call Saul,” “Bridgerton,” “The Mandalorian” and “Ozark.”
Emmy and Golden Globe winner “Schitt’s Creek” won for comedy series. The field also consisted of `Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “The Flight Attendant,” Critics Choice honoree “Ted Lasso” and “What We Do in the Shadows.”
The PGA Awards were presented in a virtual ceremony that featured appearances from a representative of each of the nominated feature films — Sacha Baron Cohen, Viola Davis, Daniel Kaluuya, Regina King, Carey Mulligan, Paul Raci, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, Swankie and Steven Yeun.
Actor/producer Tracee Ellis Ross began the ceremony, while Riz Ahmed, Darren Criss, Kaley Cuoco, Daveed Diggs, Gal Gadot, Mindy Kaling, Nicole Kidman, Paul Mescal, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Sarah Jessica Parker and Jurnee Smollett served as presenters.
Several PGA Awards were presented Saturday during a virtual event titled “A Day With the PGA Awards.” During that event, the award for short-form program went to “Carpool Karaoke: The Series,” while “The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special” was honored as outstanding children’s program, and “Defying Gravity: The Untold Story of Women’s Gymnastics” was named outstanding sports program.
Here is a complete list of Wednesday’s winners:
Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures
“Nomadland,” Producers: Frances McDormand, Peter Spears, Mollye Asher, Dan Janvey, Chloé Zhao
Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures
“Soul,” Producer: Dana Murray
Award for Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures
“My Octopus Teacher,” Producer: Craig Foster
Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Drama
“The Crown (Season 4),” Producers: Peter Morgan, Suzanne Mackie, Stephen Daldry, Andy Harries, Benjamin Caron, Matthew Byam Shaw, Robert Fox, Michael Casey, Andy Stebbing, Martin Harrison, Oona O’Beirn
Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy
“Schitt’s Creek (Season 6),” Producers: Eugene Levy, Daniel Levy, Andrew Barnsley, Fred Levy, David West Read, Ben Feigin, Michael Short, Kurt Smeaton, Kosta Orfanidis
David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited Series Television
“The Queen’s Gambit,” Producers: William Horberg, Allan Scott, Scott Frank, Marcus Loges, Mick Aniceto
Award for Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures
“Hamilton,” Producers: Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jeffrey Seller
Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television
“The Last Dance (Season 1),” Producers: Mike Tollin, Curtis Polk, Estee Portnoy, Andrew Thompson, Gregg Winik, John Dahl, Libby Geist, Connor Schell, Peter Guber, Jason Hehir, Nina Krstic, Matt Maxson, Jacob Rogal, Alyson Sadofsky, Jon Weinbach
Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television
“Last Week Wednesday evening with John Oliver (Season 7),” Producers: John Oliver, Tim Carvell, Liz Stanton, Jeremy Tchaban, Christopher Werner, Laura L. Griffin, Kate Mullaney, Matt Passet, Marian Wang, Charles Wilson
Award for Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television
“RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 12),” Producers: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell, Mandy Salangsang, RuPaul Charles, Steven Corfe, Michele Mills, Jacqueline Wilson, Thairin Smothers, Adam Bronstein, Lisa Steele, John Polly, Michelle Visage, Jen Passovoy, Alicia Gargaro-Magana