The awards season race took a late final twist as two previously little-fancied films took best screenplay awards from the Writers Guild of America. Teen movie Eighth Grade, written and directed by Bo Burnham, won best original screenplay, while black comedy Can You Ever Forgive Me? won best adapted screenplay.
Eighth Grade, which is Burnham’s feature-directing debut, is not even nominated for a best screenplay Oscar, while Can You Ever Forgive Me?, telling the story of literary forger Lee Israel, is well behind Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman and Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk in the race for the adapted screenplay Oscar. The results appear to underline the lack of consensus for this year’s Academy awards, with all major craft guilds opting to honour different films for the first time ever.
In the TV section, The Americans continued its run of awards success after winning best drama series at the Golden Globes by picking up best drama series, with The Marvelous Mrs Maisel taking the comedy honours. Barry, the hitman comedy starring Bill Hader, won best new series despite missing out at the Globes. The Assassination of Gianni Versace, which picked up best limited series awards at the Globes, Critics’ Choice and the Emmys, duly won here, too.
Full list of awards
Film
Adapted screenplay Can You Ever Forgive Me? (Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty)
Original screenplay Eighth Grade (Bo Burnham)
Documentary screenplay Bathtubs Over Broadway (Ozzy Inguanzo and Dava Whisenant)
Television
Comedy series The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Drama series The Americans
New series Barry
Episodic drama Paean to the People (Homeland)
Episodic comedy Chapter One: Make Your Mark (Barry)
Long form adapted The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
Long form original Castle Rock
Comedy/variety talk series Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
Comedy/variety sketch series Nathan for You
Comedy/variety specials The Fake News With Ted Nelms
Animation Bart’s Not Dead (The Simpsons)
Daytime drama General Hospital
Quiz and audience participation Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
Children’s episodic and specials The Ersatz Elevator: Part One (A Series of Unfortunate Events)
Documentary script – current events Trump’s Takeover (Frontline)
Documentary script – other than current events The Eugenics Crusade (American Experience)
News script – regularly scheduled, bulletin, or breaking report Catastrophe (60 Minutes)
News script – analysis, feature, or commentary Wounds of War (60 Minutes)
Other
Videogame writing God of War
Short form new media original Class of Lies
Short form new media adapted The Walking Dead: Red Machete
Digital news Inside the Culture of Sexism at Riot Games
Radio/audio news script – regularly scheduled, bulletin, or breaking report Remembering the Good, the Bad and the Brilliant
Radio/audio news script – analysis, feature, or commentary John McCain: a Life of Service
Radio/audio documentary RFK: 50 Years After Shots Rang Out at the Ambassador Hotel
On-air promotion (Radio or Television) Tribute to Star Trek for the 2019 Creative Arts Emmys
