🖋 The Writers Guild hands out its awards
The 78th Writers Guild Awards (WGA) ceremony took place in New York. Although the WGA West branch canceled its show due to an ongoing staff strike, the Guild’s East Coast wing went ahead and honored the year’s top writers.
Winners in film and TV:
Sinners – Ryan Coogler’s horror film took home the trophy for Best Original Screenplay.
One Battle After Another – Paul Thomas Anderson won the award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Series – The drama series The Pitt was the night’s big winner on the TV side, earning both Best Drama Series and Best New Series. In the comedy field, The Studio was named Best Comedy Series.
Late Show host Stephen Colbert received a special honor for his efforts in fighting social injustice. His show is being canceled by CBS in May 2021 after 11 seasons, against the backdrop of the Paramount–Skydance merger and mounting political pressure. In his speech, Colbert brought the room to its feet by reading out Trump jokes that censors had previously blocked and urged colleagues to find jobs for his writing staff after May 21.
The ceremony unfolded against the backdrop of a serious industry crisis: the strike by WGA staff that began on February 17 is still ongoing, as workers demand higher pay and protection from arbitrary disciplinary action.
