DGA 2026 Full Winners List: Paul Thomas Anderson Wins Best Director For One Battle After Another

Lights, cameras, and a big night for directors, Hollywood’s awards buzz hit another high as the Directors Guild of America rolled out its annual honours. With the Oscars inching closer, the 78th Directors Guild Awards turned into a crucial checkpoint for awards watchers, and it was Paul Thomas Anderson who walked away with the evening’s biggest applause.

The Directors Guild Awards 2026 were held in Beverly Hills on Saturday, February 8, bringing together some of the most influential names behind the camera. Paul Thomas Anderson was crowned Best Director of 2025 for One Battle After Another, his latest film starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The ceremony, often seen as a strong indicator of Oscar success, also included special recognitions for David

Charles and Gregory McCollum, while industry veterans paid tribute to Steven Spielberg throughout the night.

Check out the full list of winners here:

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In THEATRICAL FEATURE FILM
Paul Thomas Anderson – One Battle After Another

Michael Apted Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in First-Time THEATRICAL FEATURE
Charlie Polinger – The Plague

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In DOCUMENTARY FILM
Mstyslav Chernov – 2000 Meters to Andriivka

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In DRAMATIC SERIES
Amanda Marsalis – The Pitt, 6:00 P.M.

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In COMEDY SERIES
Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg – The Studio, The Oner

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In LIMITED & ANTHOLOGY SERIES
Shannon Murphy – Dying for Sex, It’s Not That Serious

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In MOVIES FOR TELEVISION

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In VARIETY SERIES
Liz Patrick – SNL50: The Anniversary Special

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In SPORTS
Matthew Gangl – 2025 World Series, Game 7 – Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In REALITY, QUIZ AND GAME
Mike Sweeney – Conan O’Brien Must Go, Austria

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In DOCUMENTARY SERIES Or NEWS
Rebecca Miller – Mr Scorsese, All This Filming Isn’t Healthy

Outstanding Directorial Achievement In COMMERCIALS
Kim Gehrig (Somesuch) – You Can’t Win. So Win, Nike | Wieden+Kennedy

The Directors Guild Awards have long been considered a reliable Oscars predictor. In the ceremony’s 77-year history, the DGA winner has gone on to miss the Academy Award for Best Director only eight times. Even in three of those instances, the winning film still secured major Oscar wins, reinforcing the event’s influence during awards season.

With Paul Thomas Anderson taking the top directing prize for One Battle After Another, his chances at the Oscars have significantly strengthened.

The evening was hosted by comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani. Opening the ceremony, DGA president Christopher Nolan addressed the audience, saying, “We are the best at what we do. We are the storytellers. We are the people who have to innovate,” setting the tone for a night dedicated to the power of direction and storytelling.