Nomadland wins Outstanding Producer award at the Producers Guild Awards

The critically-acclaimed indie Nomadland picked up another important awards season win, en route to possible domination at the Oscars.

Nomadland won the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Wednesday, with producer Peter Spears accepting on behalf of the producing team.

The winner of the Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures is often one of the biggest indicators of success at the Oscars, though it isn’t a sure thing. 

The winner of the top PGA award has gone on to win Best Picture at the Oscars 21 out of the past 31 times, since 1989.

However, the most recent anomaly happened just last year, when director Sam Mendes’ World War I movie 1917 won the main award at the Producers Guild and Directors Guild, but ultimately lost Best Picture to Parasite, which won Best Ensemble at the SAG Awards.

Nomadland beat out other Oscar nominees for Best Picture – Judas and the Black Messiah, Mank, Minari, Promising Young Woman, Sound of Metal and The Trial of the Chicago 7, along with Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Ma Rainey’s Bottom and One Night in Miami.

Nomadland has been dominating on the awards circuit this year, picking up Best Picture wins at the Golden Globes and Critics Choice Awards thus far.

Pixar’s Soul continued its dominance on the animated side, winning Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures, accepted by producer Dana Murray.

The beloved tale starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey, beat out The Croods: A New Age, Onward, Over the Moon and Wolfwalkers.

It has also won Best Animated Feature at the Golden Globes, along with Best Original Score, and it’s nominated in both categories at the Oscars. 

Disney Plus’ Hamilton won Outstanding Producer of Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures, beating out Bad Education, Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square, Jane Goodall’s The Hope and What the Constitution Means to Me. 

The last motion picture category, Outstanding Producer of Documentary Motion Pictures, was won by Netflix’s My Octopus Teacher.

It beat out David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, Dick Johnson Is Dead, Softie, A Thousand Cuts, Time and The Truffle Hunters.

On the TV side, the Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television was won by The Crown.

The hit drama series beat out Better Call Saul, Bridgerton, The Mandalorian and Ozark for the top hour-long TV award.

The top half-hour TV award – Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television – Comedy – was won by Schitt’s Creek for its final season.

It beat out Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Flight Attendant, Ted Lasso and What We Do In the Shadows.

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Limited Series Television was won by The Queen’s Gambit, beating out I May Destroy You, Normal People, The Undoing and Unorthodox.

Other winners include The Last Dance for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television, Last Week Tonight for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television, RuPaul’s Drag Race for Outstanding Producer of Game & Competition Television, Defying Gravity: The Untold Story of Women’s Gymnastics for Outstanding Sports Program, The Power of We: A Sesame Street Special for Outstanding Children’s Program and Carpool Karaoke: The Series for Outstanding Short Form Program.