Gary Ross

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Gary Ross
Born (1956-11-03) November 3, 1956 (age 67)
Occupations
  • Screenwriter
  • producer
  • director
Years active1986–present
SpouseClaudia Solti
Children2
Parent

Gary Ross (born November 3, 1956)[3] is an American filmmaker. He is best known for writing and directing the fantasy comedy-drama film Pleasantville (1998), the sports drama film Seabiscuit (2003), the sci-fi action film The Hunger Games (2012), and the heist comedy film Ocean's 8 (2018).[2] Ross has been nominated for four Academy Awards.

Early life and career[edit]

Ross was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Gail and Arthur A. Ross, an Oscar-nominated screenwriter (Brubaker). His family is Jewish.[4] He attended (though did not graduate from) the University of Pennsylvania, worked as a fisherman, worked on Ted Kennedy's 1980 Presidential campaign, consulted on both Michael Dukakis 1988 presidential campaign's and Bill Clinton's presidential campaigns, and wrote a novel before being hired to write screenplays for Paramount Pictures.[5]

Career[edit]

Big was his first produced screenplay. Co-written with Anne Spielberg (sister of Steven), it led to an Academy Award nomination and a Writers Guild of America Award. He went on to write several other successful films, including Dave in 1993. In 1998, he wrote and directed Pleasantville, and in 2003, he wrote, directed and produced Seabiscuit, based on Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand. The film earned seven Academy Award nominations.

Ross took on the high-profile project of co-adapting and directing the film adaptation of the first book in Suzanne Collins's Hunger Games trilogy. The film was released on March 23, 2012, and earned $672.8 million worldwide. Although the film was financially and critically successful, Ross opted to not adapt or direct the sequels, citing the rushed production schedule (particularly for both writing and directing) as his main reason.[6]

Ross also wrote and produced the animated feature The Tale of Despereaux, based on the Newbery Medal-winning children's book by Kate DiCamillo. His first book, Bartholomew Biddle and the Very Big Wind, was published by Candlewick Press in 2012. A children's book, it is written completely in verse.

His next two films as a director and writer were the period drama Free State of Jones (2016) and the heist film Ocean's 8 (2018).

Filmography[edit]

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1986 The Hitchhiker No Yes No Television series (episode: "Man of Her Dreams")
1988 Big No Yes Co-producer
1992 Mr. Baseball No Yes No
1993 Dave No Yes No
1994 Lassie No Yes No
1995 The Misery Brothers No Yes No
1997 Trial and Error No No Yes
1998 Pleasantville Yes Yes Yes Directorial Debut
2003 Seabiscuit Yes Yes Yes
2008 The Tale of Despereaux No Yes Yes
2012 The Hunger Games Yes Yes No
2016 Free State of Jones Yes Yes Yes
2018 Ocean's 8 Yes Yes No
2022 Desert Warrior No Yes No

Awards and nominations[edit]

Year Title Award
1988 Big Saturn Award for Best Writing
Nominated- Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
Nominated- Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay
1993 Dave Paul Selvin Award
Nominated- Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
Nominated- Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay
1998 Pleasantville Satellite Award for Best Original Screenplay
Producers Guild of America for Most Promising Producer
Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Film – Musical or Comedy
Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Director
Nominated- Saturn Award for Best Writing
2003 Seabiscuit USC Scripter Award
Nominated- Academy Award for Best Picture
Nominated- Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominated- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay
Nominated- Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing
Nominated- Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture
Nominated- Writers Guild of America Award for Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominated- Satellite Award for Best Adapted Screenplay

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Cheat Sheet: Gary Ross". Bestforfilm. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Interview: Gary Ross breathes his life into 'Pleasantville'". CNN. October 12, 1998.
  3. ^ "Gary Ross Bio". Tribeca Film Festival. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  4. ^ Bloom, Nate (October 17, 2003). "Celebrity Jews". J. The Jewish News of Northern California.
  5. ^ "Gary Ross Biography". Yahoo!. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
  6. ^ "'The Hunger Games' Turns 10: Director Gary Ross Reflects on Filming, Story's Resonant Themes". The Hollywood Reporter. 21 March 2022.

External links[edit]