The Writers Guild of America announced the winners of the 2019 Writers Guild Awards with the top film awards going to Bo Burnham for Eighth Grade for Original Screenplay, and Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty for Can You Ever Forgive Me?, based on the book by Lee Israel for Adapted Screenplay. Bathtubs Over Broadway, written by Ozzy Inguanzo & Dava Whisenant won the award for Documentary Screenplay.
The WGAW presented several honorary, special achievement and service awards during its West Coast ceremony. This year’s honorees included: Orange is the New Black and Weeds creator Jenji Kohan, who received the WGAW’s Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement; Oscar and WGA-nominated comedy screenwriting team Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel (Parenthood, Splash), who received the WGAW’s Laurel Award for Screenwriting Achievement; Writers Guild and Academy Award-winning screenwriter-director Adam McKay (The Big Short), who received the WGAW’s Paul Selvin Award for his satirical, subversive Vice screenplay, which embodies the spirit of constitutional rights and civil liberties; pioneering French filmmaker Agnès Varda (La Courte Pointe, Vagabond, Faces Places), who received the WGAW’s Jean Renoir Award for International Screenwriting Achievement, and accepted on Varda’s behalf by her son, actor-director Mathieu Demy (Americano); and documentary filmmaker-writer and former WGAW Board of Directors member Joan Meyerson, who received the WGAW’s Morgan Cox Award for Guild service.
The WGAE presented three honorary awards at the East Coast ceremony. Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress JuIianna Margulies (The Good Wife, ER) presented three-time Emmy Award-winner writer and show creator Tom Fontana (Borgia, Oz, Homicide: Life on the Street, St. Elsewhere) with the Ian McLellan Hunter Award for Career Achievement. Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and producer James Schamus (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Indignation) presented The Black List founder Franklin Leonard with the Evelyn F. Burkey Award for bringing honor and dignity to writers. Splinter News journalist Hamilton Nolan presented longtime WGA East staff member Randall Jansta with the Richard B. Jablow Award for Devoted Service to the Guild.
2019 Writers Guild Awards Winners
FILM WINNERS
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Eighth Grade, Written by Bo Burnham; A24
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Can You Ever Forgive Me?, Screenplay by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty, Based on the book by Lee Israel; Fox Searchlight
DOCUMENTARY SCREENPLAY
Bathtubs Over Broadway, Written by Ozzy Inguanzo & Dava Whisenant; Focus Features
TELEVISION AND NEW MEDIA WINNERS
DRAMA SERIES
The Americans, Written by Peter Ackerman, Hilary Bettis, Joshua Brand, Joel Fields, Sarah Nolen, Stephen Schiff, Justin Weinberger, Joe Weisberg, Tracey Scott Wilson; FX Networks
COMEDY SERIES
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Written by Kate Fodor, Noah Gardenswartz, Daniel Goldfarb, Jen Kirkman, Sheila Lawrence, Daniel Palladino, Amy Sherman Palladino; Prime Video
NEW SERIES
Barry, Written by Alec Berg, Duffy Boudreau, Bill Hader, Emily Heller, Liz Sarnoff, Ben Smith, Sarah Solemani; HBO
ORIGINAL LONG FORM
Castle Rock, Writers: Marc Bernardin, Scott Brown, Lila Byock, Mark Lafferty, Sam Shaw, Dustin Thomason, Gina Welch, Vinnie Wilhelm; Hulu
ADAPTED LONG FORM
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, Writers: Maggie Cohn, Tom Rob Smith, Based on the book Vulgar Favors by Maureen Orth; FX Networks
ORIGINAL SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA
Class of Lies, Written by Tessa Leigh Williams; Snapchat
ADAPTED SHORT FORM NEW MEDIA
The Walking Dead: Red Machete, Written by Nick Bernardone; AMC.com
ANIMATION
“Bart’s Not Dead” (The Simpsons), Written by Stephanie Gillis; Fox
EPISODIC DRAMA
“Paean To The People” (Homeland), Written by Alex Gansa; Showtime
EPISODIC COMEDY
“Chapter One: ‘Make Your Mark’” (Barry), Written by Alec Berg & Bill Hader; HBO
COMEDY/VARIETY TALK SERIES
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver; Writers: Tim Carvell, Raquel D’Apice, Josh Gondelman, Dan Gurewitch, Jeff Maurer, Daniel O’Brien, John Oliver, Brian Parise, Owen Parsons, Ben Silva, Will Tracy, Jill Twiss, Seena Vali, Juli Weiner; HBO
COMEDY/VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
Nathan For You, Writers: Leo Allen, Nathan Fielder, Carrie Kemper, Michael Koman, Adam Locke-Norton, Eric Notarnicola; Comedy Central
COMEDY/VARIETY SPECIALS
The Fake News with Ted Nelms, Written by John Aboud, Andrew Blitz, Michael Colton, Ed Helms, Elliott Kalan, Joseph Randazzo, Sara Schaefer; Comedy Central
QUIZ AND AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Head Writer: Stephen A. Melcher, Jr.; Writers: Kyle Beakley, Tom Cohen, Patricia A. Cotter, Ryan Hopak, Gary Lucy, James Rowley, Ann Slichter, Dylan Snowden; Disney/ABC Syndication
DAYTIME DRAMA
General Hospital, Head Writers: Shelly Altman, Christopher Van Etten; Writers: Barbara Bloom, Anna Theresa Cascio, Suzanne Flynn, Charlotte Gibson, Lucky Gold, Kate Hall, Elizabeth Korte, Daniel James O’Connor, Donny Sheldon, Scott Sickles; ABC
CHILDREN’S EPISODIC AND SPECIALS
“The Ersatz Elevator: Part One” (A Series of Unfortunate Events), Teleplay by Daniel Handler; Netflix
(No nominees for Children’s Long Form this year.)
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – CURRENT EVENTS
“Trump’s Takeover” (Frontline), Written by Michael Kirk & Mike Wiser; PBS
DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT – OTHER THAN CURRENT EVENTS
“The Eugenics Crusade” (American Experience), Written by Michelle Ferrari; PBS
NEWS SCRIPT – REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“Catastrophe” (60 Minutes), Written by Scott Pelley, Katie Kerbstat, Nicole Young; CBS News
NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“Wounds of War” (60 Minutes), Written by Scott Pelley, Katie Kerbstat, Nicole Young; CBS News
DIGITAL NEWS
“Inside The Culture Of Sexism At Riot Games,” Written by Cecilia D’Anastasio; Kotaku.com
RADIO/AUDIO WINNERS
RADIO/AUDIO DOCUMENTARY
“RFK: 50 Years After Shots Rang Out at The Ambassador Hotel,” Written by Andrew Evans; ABC News Radio
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT—REGULARLY SCHEDULED, BULLETIN, OR BREAKING REPORT
“Remembering The Good, The Bad and the Brilliant,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS News Radio
RADIO/AUDIO NEWS SCRIPT – ANALYSIS, FEATURE, OR COMMENTARY
“John McCain: A Life of Service,” Written by Gail Lee; CBS News Radio
PROMOTIONAL WINNER
ON-AIR PROMOTION (RADIO OR TELEVISION)
“Tribute to Star Trek for the 2018 Creative Arts Emmys,” Written by Sean Brogan; CBS
VIDEOGAME WINNER
VIDEOGAME WRITING
God of War, Written by Matt Sophos, Richard Zangrande Gaubert, Cory Barlog; Story and Narrative Design Lead Matt Sophos; Story and Narrative Design Richard Zangrande Gaubert; Narrative Design Orion Walker, Adam Dolin; Sony Interactive Entertainment