Whether it’s a call to arms, a call to change, or a call to remember, speeches have the power to transform lives. From Winston Churchill to Malala Yousafzai, history is awash with inspirational orators.
Sunday’s Writers Guild Awards celebrated the best in film, television, radio and audio, new media, broadcast and digital news, and promotional writing. This year’s ceremonies were held simultaneously in Los Angeles and New York.
Sarah Polley’s Speech for “Women Talking”
Polley’s austere drama is based on Miriam Toews’ novel about a group of women in a remote Mennonite community who must decide whether to stay, fight back, or leave and forge a new future. It is a film about collective action and one that tackles questions of religious belief that are still unresolved in today’s culture.
The writer-director opened up about her experience on the set of “Women Talking.” She shared how she worked to create a supportive environment for her cast members. She also talked about her own childhood experiences with sexual abuse and how she uses them to inspire her work.
Amy Poehler’s Speech for “Saturday Night Live”
Poehler is known for her role as Leslie Knope on “Saturday Night Live.” She also co-hosts the show’s Weekend Update segment. She is a member of the Writers Guild of America and has received two Emmy Awards for her writing on SNL.
Her most memorable speech is a hilarious one she gave at Harvard University. She took on the challenge of delivering a speech in the hot weather and infused it with humor to keep her audience engaged.
She also plays the role of Leslie Knope in the NBC series, “Parks and Recreation.” The show is a cousin to “The Office,” but it’s more about small-town politics.
She was also an SNL cast member for nine seasons, where she won an Emmy for her writing and guest appearances on the show. She also co-hosts the comedy series 30 Rock and has written a best-selling book. She has received several Gracie Awards and a Mark Twain Award for her writing.
John Turturro’s Speech for “Better Call Saul”
In the midst of a potential writers strike, the Writers Guild Awards were held in New York and Los Angeles on Sunday. The two ceremonies honored outstanding writing in film, television, new media, broadcast and digital news, radio/audio and promotional categories.
Better Call Saul was nominated for a number of awards this year, including Best Drama Series. It was an impressive showing for the show’s last season, but this is still a long shot.
John Turturro is another actor who has been nominated a few times but never won. He’s a beloved actor who’s been turning in great performances for years, so he could be the surprise winner here.
This is a tough category to call, since there’s no real “frontrunner.” But I think that this category will be a tight race between Turturro, Williams and Winkler. Plus, there are a few other nominees who also hail from shows that have Drama Series nominations. One potential contender is Pryce, whose performance on HBO Max’s The White Lotus was well-received by audiences, but she’s not a big name at the Globes.
Penelope Koechl’s Speech for “Better Call Saul”
One of the more illuminating and high-stakes tasks in the Writers Guild of America’s (WGAW) annual confab was choosing a winner from among the best of the best. Los Angeles and New York dished out some of the industry’s finest when it came to film, television, new media, and even some of the best radio and digital audio. A handful of worthy contenders were left to the whims of the WGAW scribes, including some that got left off the hook. In fact, one of the WGAW’s newest entrants has already made the move from the tarnished halls of fame to the eponymous headquarters.
