The Writers Guild of America West announced on Tuesday that writer, producer and director Walter Hill has been named the recipient of the guild’s 2024 Laurel Award for screenwriting achievement.
The Guild’s lifetime achievement award is presented to members who have “advanced the literature of motion pictures and made outstanding contributions to the profession of the screenwriter.”
“Walter Hill’s impact on our industry is undeniable,” said WGAW President Meredith Stiehm in a statement. “His unique style influenced and educated generations of screenwriters who followed. He has had an enduring, renowned career, and the Guild is honored to present him with the Screen Laurel Award.”
As a writer, Hill’s credits include Hickey and Boggs, The Getaway, The Drowning Pool, Aliens and Alien 3. Hill made his directorial debut in 1975 with Hard Times, which he also wrote, following that film up with the 1979 cult hit The Warriors. He also wrote and directed Southern Comfort, 48 Hrs., Streets of Fire, Red Heat, Last Man Standing and Dead for a Dollar.
While Hill has never been nominated for a WGA Award, he is a two-time DGA Award winner for directing the TV movie Broken Trail and an episode of HBO’s Deadwood. In 2022, he received the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award at the Venice Film Festival for his most recent film, Dead for a Dollar.
