‘Gravity,’ ‘12 Years a Slave’ tie for top Producers Guild prize

“Gravity” and “12 Years a Slave” tied for top honors at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Sunday night, beating front-runner “American Hustle” and throwing open one of the tightest Oscar races in years.

“Gravity” producers Alfonso Cuarón and David Heyman and “12 Years a Slave” producers Anthony Katagas, Jeremy Kleiner, Steve McQueen, Brad Pitt & Dede Gardner shared the Darryl F. Zanuck outstanding producer of theatrical motion picture prize. The tie is a first in this category in PGA history.

FOR THE RECORD:
Producers Guild awards: An article in the Jan. 20 Calendar section about the Producers Guild of America Awards said wins by “Modern Family” and “Breaking Bad” echoed the results of the Golden Globes. Those wins echoed results of the Screen Actors Guild Awards. —

Also nominated were the producers of “Blue Jasmine,” “Captain Phillips,” “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Her,” “Nebraska,” “Saving Mr. Banks” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

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The PGAs are a bellwether of the best picture award at the Oscars. The last time the Producers Guild of America and the Academy Awards differed on their top choices was seven years ago when “Little Miss Sunshine” won the Zanuck trophy and the Academy Award went to “The Departed.” This year, the list of PGA nominees mirrored the Academy Awards’ best picture lineup, announced on Thursday, with two exceptions: “Saving Mr. Banks” is out of contention for an Oscar, and “Philomena” is in.

Also winning PGA awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel were Peter Del Vecho for “Frozen” in the animated motion picture category, and Alexis Bloom, Alex Gibney and Marc Shmuger for “We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks” in the documentary motion picture category.

The television winners echoed the Golden Globes a week earlier: The comedy series award went to the producers of “Modern Family.” The drama series award went to “Breaking Bad.” The long-form TV award went to “Behind the Candelabra.”

The live entertainment and talk award went to “The Colbert Report.” “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown,” the celebrity chef’s CNN travel series, received the trophy for nonfiction television, and the producers behind “The Voice” received the PGA award for competition television.

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ESPN’s “SportsCenter” won for outstanding sports program, “Sesame Street” won for outstanding children’s program, and the trophy for digital series went to “Wired: What’s Inside.”

“Fruitvale Station” received the Stanley Kramer Award, given for raising awareness of important social issues. “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” director Peter Jackson, visual effects artist Joe Letteri and Weta Digital was presented with the Vanguard Award for achievement in new media and technology.

Walt Disney company Chairman and CEO Bob Iger received the Milestone Award, and James Bond film producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli received the David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Motion Pictures for their body of work.

Chris Meledandri, founder and chief executive of Illumination Entertainment and producer of the “Despicable Me” movies, received the Visionary Award for “uplifting contributions to our culture through inspiring storytelling or performace.” Chuck Lorre, the writer-producer of “The Big Bang Theory” and “Two and a Half Men,” received the Norman Lear Achievement Award in Television.

susan.king@latimes.com