Kumail Nanjiani To Host DGA Awards After Judd Apatow Had Gig The Past Five Years

2 days ago 6

The Directors Guild of America has called an audible regarding the host of its annual awards show. Kumail Nanjiani will emcee next month’s 78th annual DGA Awards, after Judd Apatow had done the honors the past five years.

Comic, actor and The Big Sick Oscar nominee Nanjiani returned to his stand-up roots with Kumail Nanjiani: Night Thoughts, a special that premiered last month on Hulu. He co-hosted the 2016 Indie Spirit Awards and has presented at a number of awards shows. His recent acting credits include Ella McCay, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and numerous TV guest shots, after his breakout stint as a series regular on HBO’s 2014-19 comedy Silicon Valley. His 2018 Big Sick Oscar nom was for Original Screenplay.

The 2026 DGA Awards is set for Saturday, February 7, at the Beverly Hilton.

“I am honored to host the DGA Awards and celebrate the incredible work done across the art form,” he said in a statement. “A director’s dedication, leadership and creativity are what bring the most powerful stories – the ones that truly need to be told – to life.”

The DGA also said Monday that Beth McCarthy-Miller will return as Chair of the Awards ceremony for the fifth consecutive year.

Three-time Emmy winner Apatow, who was a presenter at the Golden Globes this month (watch that below), has hosted the past five DGA Awards and also in 2018. In announcing his return trip for the 2025 DGAs, he quipped: “I’m shocked the DGA asked me back to host for a sixth time. I’m starting to think there’s no one else who will say yes.”

He’s currently directing an untitled pic starring Glen Powell and Cristin Milioti, and is teaming with two-time Globes host Nikki Glaser on an untitled romantic comedy feature in development at Universal.