WGA noms: 'Bridesmaids,' 'Win Win' in
Leaning heavily toward comedies, Hollywood writers have tapped scripts for "50/50," "Bridesmaids," "Midnight in Paris," "Win Win" and "Young Adult" for the Writers Guild of America's original screenplay award, while "The Descendants," "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," "The Help," "Hugo" and "Moneyball" have been selected for adapted screenplay.
The WGA, which announced the noms Thursday, will disclose the winners Feb. 19 in simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York.
Steve Zaillian will be competing against himself, as he received two nominations in adapted category for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" and "Moneyball," the latter of which he co-wrote with Aaron Sorkin. Besides Zaillian and Sorkin, nominees in the adapted category are Alexander Payne with Nat Faxon and Jim Rash for "The Descendants"; Tate Taylor for "The Help" and John Logan for "Hugo."
Nominated writers in the original category are Will Reiser for "50/50," Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig for "Bridesmaids," Woody Allen for "Midnight in Paris," Tom McCarthy for "Win Win" and Diablo Cody for "Young Adult."
Sorkin won the adapted category last year for "The Social Network," while Christopher Nolan won the original category for "Inception."
The nominees were selected from 88 eligible screenplays -- 33 in the adapted category and 55 in the original category, with the requirement that scripts be produced under WGA jurisdiction and that the scripts be formally submitted for consideration. That excludes several notable candidates out of the awards mix, including "The Artist," "Beginners," "Shame," "The Iron Lady," "Margin Call," "Martha Marcy May Marlene," "Rango" and "Take Shelter" in the original category; notable exclusions in the adapted field include "Albert Nobbs," "Carnage," "Jane Eyre," "My Week With Marilyn," "Sarah's Key" and "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy."
When Nolan received his WGA award last February, he called on the guild to ease the restrictions, but leaders of the WGA -- the ultimate arbiter of screenwriting credits -- have said repeatedly that they won't loosen the rules.
Even with guild exclusions, the WGA Awards have been a fairly reliable indicator for Oscar winners in the writing categories. David Seider won the Oscar last year for "The King's Speech" in the original category after being ineligible for the WGA award, but the guild and Oscars had matched in 11 of the past 16 years before then.
With Sorkin winning the Oscar and the WGA award for "The Social Network," the adapted category winners have matched in 12 of the last 17 years.
The WGA also announced documentary noms Thursday for "Better This World" by Katie Galloway & Kelly Duane de la Vega; "If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" by Marshall Curry and Matthew Hamachek; "Nostalgia for the Light" by Patricio Guzman; "Pina" by Wim Wenders; "Position Among the Stars" by Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich; and "Senna" by Manish Pandey.
