Sunday’s 2022 Writers Guild Awards is underway in a virtual ceremony. Winners will be crowned in three categories: 17 television, radio, and audio. There will also be a category for promotional writing.A sketch of a black ladyShow and Ted LassoAshely Black, writer, is the event’s emcee. The event will see honorary awards presented on Dick Cavett, talk-show icon, and Barry Jenkins for their limited series. Underground Railroad.
Last year at the WGA ceremony, Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young WomanWhile the team behind won the Original Screenplay category, they were awarded the winning screenplay. Borat Subsequent MoviefilmAward for Adapted Screenplay Promising Young WomanHe won the Oscar in the same category. BoratNominated for an Oscar, but was not selected. The FatherFinally, receiving the Academy Award.
This year’s 74th annual WGA race in the Original and Adapted categories are even less apples to apples than usual, with the guild’s eligibility rules keeping out Oscar nominees including Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog (which has the most Oscar nominations this year) and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Lost Daughter (winner of the predictive USC Scripter Award) in the adapted race, and Kenneth Branagh’s BelfastThe original one. (The WGA is not the only guild that demands that a movie be produced in accordance with its Minimum Basic Agreement.
The nominees that remain are Oscar nominees in Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up, Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza and Zach Baylin’s King Richard along with Wes Anderson’s French Dispatch and Aaron Sorkin’s Being the Ricardos in original, and Oscar nominees Siân Heder’s CODA(a PGA champion last night as it builds its campaign), Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve as well Eric Roth Dune, along with Guillermo del Toro & Kim Morgan for Nightmare Alley, Steven Levenson for Tick, Tick…Boom!and Tony Kushner for West Side StoryIn adapted
Licorice Pizza CODAThe BAFTAs screenplay honours winner last weekend could be the one that gives you the most momentum. The Oscars are just a week away and wins tonight would make them very interesting.
On the TV side, there will be a new Drama champ crowned tonight with last year’s winner The CrownIt was not in the race. Champion returning Ted LassoAfter winning both the Comedy and New Series trophies last season, is back. Desus & Mero Days of Our LivesThese are also returning champs.
The complete list of WGA nominees competing in TV and film tonight is available here.
Stay tuned for updates as we bring you the winners’ list live throughout the evening.
EPISODIC DRAMA
“Retired Janitors of Idaho” (Succession)
Written by Tony Roche & Susan Soon He Stanton; HBO/HBO Max
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
CODA
Screenplay by Siân Heder
Based on the Original Motion PictureLa Famille BelierDirected by Eric Lartigau, Written by Victoria Bedos, Stanislas Carree de Malberg, Eric Lartigau and Thomas Bidegain; Apple