Inside the WGA Awards: Can First-Time Nominees Beat Out Veteran Scribes?

variety.com:

Stuart Miller By definition, the WGA Awards celebrate the starting point for all great TV shows and films: the writers. “Writers are the one group of workers in this industry whose job begins with a blank page,” says WGAW President Meredith Stiehm. “Without us, there is no script for directors to shoot, no lines for actors to say, and no content for studios to distribute.” The original screenplay category features a diverse mix of storytelling subjects and styles, featuring five first time nominees.

Sean Baker (“Anora”) and Jesse Eisenberg (“A Real Pain”) also earned Oscar nominations for their writing, but the WGA broadens its field to include Justin Kuritzkes for “Challengers,” Alex Garland for “Civil War” and Megan Park for “My Old Ass.” The adapted screenplay category features more big budget and bold-faced names, from Richard Linklater and Glen Powell for “Hit Man” (marking the director’s third nomination) to James Mangold and Jay Cocks for “A Complete Unknown,” (Mangold’s second) and Denis Villeneuve and Jon Spaihts for “Dune: Part Two” (who were both first nominated for part one).

Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox earned nominations for another blockbuster, “Wicked,” while RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes grabbed the fifth spot for “Nickel Boys.” (Only “Nickel Boys” and “A Complete Unknown” also earned Oscar nods.) On the smaller screen, four shows were nominated for the first time — “Shogun,” “Mr. & Mrs.

Smith,” “Fallout,” and “The Boys” — along with previously twice-nominated series “The Diplomat” in the drama category. Conversely, the comedy category is dominated by familiar faces: “Curb Your Enthusiasm, “The Bear” and “Hacks” have all won before, and “Abbott Elementary” and “What We Do in the Shadows” were previously.