Paul Thomas Anderson won the top prize at the 2026 Directors Guild of America Awards for his film 'One Battle After Another'. During his speech, he paid an emotional tribute to his late first assistant director, Adam Somner.
Paul Thomas Anderson Takes Top DGA Honor
Filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson took home the top honor at the 2026 Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards for his critically acclaimed film 'One Battle After Another'. The ceremony, hosted by Kumail Nanjiani at the Beverly Hilton, recognised the best directors in film, television, and commercials over the past year, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Anderson, competing against Ryan Coogler (Sinners), Guillermo Del Toro (Frankenstein), Josh Safdie (Marty Supreme), and Chloe Zhao (Hamnet), emotionally called his directing team on stage and paid tribute to first director Adam Somner, who passed away in November 2024. "This is an incredible, incredible honor. We're going to take it with the love that it's given and the appreciation of all our comrades in this room," the filmmaker said, but noting "obviously we are up here minus one." He then remembered Somner,
Ceremony Highlights and Tributes
The evening marked the first show presided over by new DGA president Christopher Nolan, who opened the ceremony highlighting the challenges filmmakers currently face. Nanjiani joked about directors' communication skills, saying they can "take a complex idea and turn it into something an actor can understand," as per the outlet.
The DGA's unique format allows each theatrical feature nominee a stage moment before the winner is announced. Leonardo DiCaprio praised Anderson for giving Los Angeles "a cinematic identity that feels almost forensic." Michael B. Jordan celebrated Coogler's collaborative spirit, while Jacob Elordi joked with Del Toro, "You're the greatest friend a monster could have." Timothee Chalamet teased Safdie about his self-styling, and Steven Spielberg presented Zhao's award, commending her for bringing Hamnet to life. Zhao humorously suggested a drinking game for every mention of Spielberg throughout the night.
Other Notable Wins
Additional wins included The Studio, The Pitt, Dying for Sex, SNL50, Mr. Scorsese, and 2000 Meters to Andriivka. First-time feature director Charlie Polinger (The Plague) thanked his collaborators, while female directors notably topped five categories, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The 2026 DGA Awards underscored the artistry, collaboration, and diversity defining the past year in film and television direction.
Check out a complete list of this year's DGA winners below.
Theatrical Feature Film Nominees and Winner
Theatrical Feature Film
Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Will Weiske
First Assistant Director: Adam Somner
Second Assistant Director: Trevor Tavares, Ian Stone
Second Second Assistant Director: Dominic Pacitti, Rafael Sanz-Jimenez
Additional Second Assistant Director: Nuekellar Hardy, Chunning Chang, Kit Conners, Kasia Trojak, Tyler Young (WINNER)
Ryan Coogler, Sinners (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: Will Greenfield, Kenneth Yu
First Assistant Director: Marvin Williams
Second Assistant Director: Amir R. Khan
Additional Second Assistant Director: Gregg Carr, Desiree Stevenson
Guillermo Del Toro, Frankenstein (Netflix)
Directorial Team:
Unit Production Manager: J. Miles Dale
First Assistant Director: Walter Gasparovic
Second Assistant Director: Chad Belair
Josh Safdie, Marty Supreme (A24)
Unit Production Manager: Anthony Katagas, Joe Guest
First Assistant Director: Jeremy Marks
Second Assistant Director: Zach Citarella
Second Second Assistant Director: Kailyn Dabkowski
Assistant Unit Production Manager: Max Samu, Suk Yi Mar, Samson Jacobson
Location Manager: Matthew Kania, Ross Brodar (ANI)
