Shelagh O'Brien

Shelagh O'Brien is a Canadian television director. She is most noted as a 10-time Canadian Screen Award winner, receiving awards for Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy at the 4th Canadian Screen Awards in 2016 for the opening ceremony of the 2015 Pan American Games,^[1] for Best Direction, Lifestyle or Information at the 8th Canadian Screen Awards in 2020 for her direction of the 2019 Giller Prize gala broadcast,^[2] and Best Direction, Reality/Competition at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards for the Canada's Drag Race episode "U Wear It Well".^[3]

She is also a frequent director of Crave's television comedy specials from the Just for Laughs festival.^[4]

Awards and accolades

Year	Association	Award	Work	Result	Ref.
2014	2nd Canadian Screen Awards	Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series	Just for Laughs: All Access, "The Muppets All-Star Comedy Gala"	Nominated	[5]
2015	3rd Canadian Screen Awards		Just for Laughs Presents: "Whitney Cummings's Bleep Show"	Nominated	[6]
2016	4th Canadian Screen Awards		2015 Pan American Games Opening Ceremony	Won	[1]
2017	5th Canadian Screen Awards		The Beaverton, "Episode 3" (shared with Henry Sarwer-Foner)	Nominated	[7]
		Best Direction, Dramatic Program or Mini-series	Hamlet	Nominated
2018	6th Canadian Screen Awards	Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series	The Beaverton, "Episode 201" (shared with Craig David Wallace)	Nominated	[8]
2019	7th Canadian Screen Awards		2017 Scotiabank Giller Prize	Nominated	[9]
2020	8th Canadian Screen Awards	Best Direction, Lifestyle or Information	2018 Scotiabank Giller Prize	Won	[2]
		Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy	7th Canadian Screen Awards	Nominated
			Trevor Noah @ JFL, Volume II	Nominated
2021	9th Canadian Screen Awards		Jonathan Van Ness: Kicks	Nominated	[3]
		Best Direction, Reality or Competition Program or Series	Canada's Drag Race, "U Wear It Well"	Won
2022	10th Canadian Screen Awards		Canada's Drag Race, "Under the Big Top"	Won	[10]
		Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series	Roast Battle Canada, "Episode 1"	Nominated
2023	11th Canadian Screen Awards		Roast Battle Canada, "Episode 201"	Nominated	[11]
			Comedy Night with Rick Mercer, "Episode 105"	Nominated
		Best Direction, Reality or Competition Program or Series	Canada's Drag Race, "Squirrels Trip: The Rusical"	Won
2024	12th Canadian Screen Awards		Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World, "Bonjour Hi"	Won	[12]
		Best Direction, Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series	Roast Battle Canada	Nominated
			Hannah Gadsby: Dry	Nominated
2025	13th Canadian Screen Awards		Mae Martin: The Gala	Nominated	[13]
			Roast Battle Canada, "Hisham Kelati v Mark Little, Marito Lopez v Sophie Buddle"	Nominated
		Best Direction, Reality or Competition Program or Series	Canada's Drag Race, "Premiere Ball"	Won
			Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World, "Snatch Game: The Rusical"	Nominated