La La Land and Hidden Figures snubbed at Writers Guild Awards as Moonlight and Arrival take home top prizes
The writers of movies and television shows had their time in the sun Sunday night as the Writers Guild of America handed out their annual awards.
In simultaneous ceremonies in New York and Los Angeles, the WGA 'snubbed' the hot Oscar favorite La La Land awarding best original screenplay to Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney for Moonlight.
And in another shock, Hidden Figures lost out on best adapted screenplay to Eric Heisserer for Arrival, adapted from the book Story Of Your life by Ted Chiang.
![Winner: Barry Jenkins picked up the berst original screenplay award for Moonlight at the Writers Guild Of America Awards in Beverly Hills on Sunday night](http://web.archive.org./web/20170220065100/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/02/20/06/3D6FE7C300000578-0-image-m-56_1487570903434.jpg)
Winner: Barry Jenkins picked up the berst original screenplay award for Moonlight at the Writers Guild Of America Awards in Beverly Hills on Sunday night
Meanwhile, the Netflix hit Stranger Things which was nominated for new series and dramatic series failed to win a gong.
Instead The Americans won the dramatic series trophy while Atlanta took home the award for new series.
![Wordsmith: Eric Heisserer on the best adapted screenplay award for Arrival, adapted from the book Story Of Your life by Ted Chiang](http://web.archive.org./web/20170220065100/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/02/20/06/3D6FE8F700000578-0-image-m-57_1487570980956.jpg)
Wordsmith: Eric Heisserer on the best adapted screenplay award for Arrival, adapted from the book Story Of Your life by Ted Chiang
With just a week to go before the Academy Awards, the WGA results add a little bit of nail-biting tension to proceedings which, as of a few weeks ago, looked like a slam dunk when La La Land received 14 record-tying nominations.
However, at the Oscars, Moonlight is nominated in the adapted-screenplay category, where it is expected to beat Arrival and Hidden Figures, while La La Land will face off against Manchester By The Sea for original screenplay.
Damien Chazelle who wrote and directed La La Land won the Golden Globe for original screenplay for his tale of an aspiring actress and a jazz musician falling in love in Los Angeles. He also won the Directors Guild Of America Award and best picture at the Globes and the BAFTA Awards.
In the last 10 years, seven of the WGA’s original screenplay winners and eight of its adapted screenplay winners have gone on to win at the Academy Awards, according to TheWrap.com.
![Big night coming: The WGA Awards are the last ones before the Academy Awards which will be hosted in a live telecast by Jimmy Kimmel next Sunday February 26 in Hollywood](http://web.archive.org./web/20170220065100/http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/02/20/06/3D703E9900000578-0-Big_night_coming_The_WGA_Awards_are_the_last_ones_before_the_Aca-m-58_1487571123128.jpg)
Big night coming: The WGA Awards are the last ones before the Academy Awards which will be hosted in a live telecast by Jimmy Kimmel next Sunday February 26 in Hollywood
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