Scott Rudin sets record for Producers Guild nods
This year, the Producers Guild of America could just rename its annual award show after Scott Rudin. For Rudin’s two nominations Tuesday morning, for “The Social Network” and “True Grit,” landed the producer in the record books for being the first person nominated by the guild twice in one year. Not only that, his achievement also coincides with the guild’s previously planned presentation to Rudin of the esteemed David O. Selznick award.
“I find the whole thing rather humbling,” said an obviously delighted Rudin, who did have two pictures in the running in 2008, with “No Country for Old Men” and “ There Will Be Blood,” but since he was an executive producer on “Blood,” he was not given the same level of credit.
Rudin’s two 2010 films join recent award mainstays “127 Hours,” “Black Swan,” “Inception,” “The Fighter,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “The King’s Speech,” “Toy Story 3” and “The Town.” The latter film, a Ben Affleck-directed heist movie, was an unexpected inclusion that edged out earlier awards favorite “Winter’s Bone” for a slot in the Top 10.
“There are four or five movies that seem to be a given and everything else is up for grabs,” said Basil Iwanyk, producer on “The Town.” “We’re not one of those films where a consensus has already been built. It feels that for the last five slots there are seven or eight really good movies. To make the top 10 is amazing,” he said. “And between the AFI, the National Board of Review, the Broadcast Film Critics and the WGA and PGA today, we have some momentum. It’s quiet momentum, but we’re definitely sneaking up on people.”
The PGA awards have often been a reliable predictor for the Academy Awards. In 13 of the last 20 awards, the winner of the PGA has gone on to win the best picture Oscar. Even last year, when the PGA expanded its best picture list of nominees to 10, its top picture choice of “The Hurt Locker” aligned with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’.
In the animated category, the PGA chose “Despicable Me” to join presumed Oscar favorites “Toy Story 3” and “How to Train Your Dragon,” a choice that could portend good things for the Steve Carell-voiced comedy, which edged out Disney’s “Tangled,” and Warner Bros.’ “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole,” among others.
In television, “ 30 Rock,” “ Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Glee,” “Modern Family and “The Office” made the cut for comedic episodic television, while “ Breaking Bad,” “Dexter,” “ Lost,” “Mad Men” and “True Blood” filled out the dramatic category. In the long-form television category, PBS’ “Murder on the Orient Express” received recognition along with “Pillars of the Earth,” “Temple Grandin,” “The Pacific” and “You Don’t Know Jack.”
Previous David O. Selznick awards have gone to such industry luminaries as Stanley Kramer, Billy Wilder and last year’s recipient, Pixar’s John Lasseter.
Comedic producer-director-writer Judd Apatow will host the show, which will be held Jan. 22 at the Beverly Hills Hotel.