2025 PGA Award Honors Taika Waititi, Lynda Obst, Paula Weinstein, More
Taika Waititi
Norman Lear Achievement Award
Sizing up Taika Waititi’s impressive body of work that includes “What We Do in the Shadows,” “Our Flag Means Death” and “Reservation Dogs,” PGA co-president Donald De Line put it simply, “He’s a genius.” Honoring the Oscar and Grammy-winning, Emmy-nominated producer with the Norman Lear Achievement Award — recognizing individuals whose leadership and creativity have made profound contributions to the television industry — at the 36th Annual Producers Guild Awards was almost a no-brainer.
“He looks at worlds and cultures that are marginalized or not really seen by other people, and he makes them entirely accessible and human and relatable to everybody, and does it with phenomenal humor,” De Line says. “And then sometimes gut punches you with something incredibly emotional as well. He’s just one of a kind.” Stephanie Allain, the union’s other president, adds, “As a producer, he gets behind some of the most innovative, exciting, fresh material. We’re so proud to honor him.”
Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein
Trailblazer Award
The industry lost two extraordinary women this past year in producers Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein, who touched so many elements of the business but were also known for being good to other women as a role model. The Producer Guild is paying tribute to them with the Trailblazer Award, celebrating their shared commitment to leading the way for female producers and championing women’s voices in Hollywood.
“They were two women who were incredibly successful at a time when it was much harder for women,” PGA executive director Susan Sprung says. “They really did pave the way for a whole generation in the industry. I’m a huge believer in you have to see it in order to wanna be it, and they really did that. I think what they did in terms of mentoring others — and not just women but a whole other generation — was quite remarkable.
Individually, between the two, they produced some of the most popular films of the last several decades, including “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” “Analyze This,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” “The Fisher King” and “Interstellar.”
Dana Walden
Milestone Award
Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden will be honored with the Milestone Award for her historic contributions to the entertainment industry. Over the course of her career, Walden has overseen the production and development of such landmark series as “Abbott Elementary,” “American Horror Story,” “American Idol,” “The Bear,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “The Kardashians” “Shōgun” and “The Simpsons.”
“Dana, of course, is a phenomenal executive. She has been at the top of her game for so many years now,” De Line says. “She just does not falter, and it’s incredibly impressive what she has achieved. And watching her now at Disney, it’s very exciting.”
Chris Meledandri
David O. Selznick Achievement Award
Illumination CEO and founder Chris Meledandri will be honored with the David O. Selznick Achievement Award, which recognizes a producer for their outstanding body of work in motion pictures. Meledandri will become only the second animation producer in the history of the PGA to receive this honor, and deservedly so. Among the 15 animated films he has produced are the “Despicable Me” and “Minions” movies, “The Secret Life of Pets” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”
“Animation has really taken its place in our industry as not just something for kids, a side thing,” Allain says. “I mean, animation is so huge and so impactful. And Chris has been such a pioneer, such a leader, so successful and such a great guy. So we really wanted to lift him up and the entire animation community.”