Paul Weitz (filmmaker)
Encyclopedia
Paul John Weitz is an American film producer
, screenwriter
, actor
, and film director
.
and novelist/fashion designer John Weitz, and the grandson of producer Paul Kohner
and Mexican actress Lupita Tovar
.
Growing up in New York City, he attended The Allen-Stevenson School
and later Collegiate. Then, he graduated from Wesleyan University
, where he wrote the play Mango Tea. The play was performed off-Broadway.
with his brother Chris
. He then co-directed 2002's About a Boy
, an adaption of Nick Hornby
's novel which was Weitz's greatest critical success and earned him and his brother an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. The brothers have since worked on establishing separate film careers, although they often serve as a producers on each other's projects. Weitz has written and directed two films by himself: the well-received romantic comedy In Good Company and the political satire American Dreamz
, which faced mixed reviews. Additional writing credits include Antz
and the television show Cracking Up.
He has also directed an adaptation of Darren Shan
's young adult novel Cirque du Freak called The Vampire's Assistant. He was set to direct a Vampire's Assistant sequel, but due to the failure of the first movie, the studio does not plan to make a second.
He directed the 2010 film Little Fockers
, the sequel to Meet the Parents
, and Meet the Fockers
.
In addition to film, Weitz has written a number of plays, including Roulette, Privilege, Show People, and Trust, all of which have been produced Off-Broadway in New York City. Trust starring Zach Braff
, Bobby Cannavale
, Sutton Foster
, and Ari Graynor
, directed by Peter DuBois ran from July 23, 2010, until September 12, 2010, at Second Stage Theatre
. Second Stage previously produced Privilege and Show People and recently announced that they would be producing Lonely, I'm Not a new comedy by Weitz in their 2011-2012 season.
Weitz and his brother are also producing a potential trilogy based upon the Elric saga by Michael Moorcock
.
Paul Weitz
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
, screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and film director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
.
Personal life
Weitz was born in New York City, New York, the son of the actress Susan KohnerSusan Kohner
Susan Kohner is an American actress.-Early life and career:Born as Susanna Kohner in Los Angeles, Kohner is the daughter of Mexican actress Lupita Tovar and Jewish film producer Paul Kohner who was born in Bohemia part of Austria-Hungary...
and novelist/fashion designer John Weitz, and the grandson of producer Paul Kohner
Paul Kohner
Paul Kohner . The native of Bohemia in Austria-Hungary came to Hollywood in 1920 after having been a news reporter in Prague...
and Mexican actress Lupita Tovar
Lupita Tovar
Lupita Tovar is a Mexican actress, best known for her starring role in the 1931 Spanish language version of Dracula, filmed in Los Angeles by Universal Pictures at night using the same sets as the Bela Lugosi version, but with a different cast and director.Born as Guadalupe Tovar , in Matías...
.
Growing up in New York City, he attended The Allen-Stevenson School
Allen-Stevenson School
Allen-Stevenson is a private boys elementary school located at 132 East 78th Street in New York City, New York.- History :The Allen School was founded in 1883 by Francis Bellows Allen at a home on Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. Its first class enrolled only three boys. In 1885, the school moved to...
and later Collegiate. Then, he graduated from Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
, where he wrote the play Mango Tea. The play was performed off-Broadway.
Career
Weitz first achieved mainstream success by directing American PieAmerican Pie (film)
American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film written by Adam Herz. American Pie was the directorial film debut of brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, and the first film in the American Pie film series...
with his brother Chris
Chris Weitz
Christopher John "Chris" Weitz is an American producer, writer, director and actor. He is best known for his work with his brother, Paul Weitz, on the comedy films American Pie and About a Boy, as well as directing the film adaptation of the novel The Golden Compass and the film adaptation of New...
. He then co-directed 2002's About a Boy
About a Boy (film)
About a Boy is a 2002 comedy-drama film directed by brothers Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, based on the novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. The film stars Golden Globe winner Hugh Grant as Will, Nicholas Hoult as Marcus, Academy Award nominee Toni Collette as Fiona, and Academy Award winner Rachel...
, an adaption of Nick Hornby
Nick Hornby
Nick Hornby is an English novelist, essayist and screenwriter. He is best known for the novels High Fidelity, About a Boy, and for the football memoir Fever Pitch. His work frequently touches upon music, sport, and the aimless and obsessive natures of his protagonists.-Life and career:Hornby was...
's novel which was Weitz's greatest critical success and earned him and his brother an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. The brothers have since worked on establishing separate film careers, although they often serve as a producers on each other's projects. Weitz has written and directed two films by himself: the well-received romantic comedy In Good Company and the political satire American Dreamz
American Dreamz
American Dreamz is a 2006 comedy/parody film that satirizes both American politics and popular entertainment.Director/producer/writer Paul Weitz has stated that the movie is meant to satirize both the TV show American Idol and the Bush Administration...
, which faced mixed reviews. Additional writing credits include Antz
Antz
Antz is a 1998 American computer animated action adventure film produced by DreamWorks Animation. It features the voices of well-known actors such as Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lopez, Sylvester Stallone, Dan Aykroyd, Anne Bancroft, Gene Hackman, Christopher Walken, and Danny Glover as...
and the television show Cracking Up.
He has also directed an adaptation of Darren Shan
Darren Shan
Darren O'Shaughnessy , who commonly writes under the pen name Darren Shan, is an Irish author. Darren Shan is also the main character in Shan's The Saga of Darren Shan young-adult fiction series. He also wrote The Demonata series as well as the stand-alone books, Koyasan and The Thin Executioner...
's young adult novel Cirque du Freak called The Vampire's Assistant. He was set to direct a Vampire's Assistant sequel, but due to the failure of the first movie, the studio does not plan to make a second.
He directed the 2010 film Little Fockers
Little Fockers
Little Fockers is a 2010 American comedy film and sequel to Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers . It stars Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand...
, the sequel to Meet the Parents
Meet the Parents
Meet the Parents is a 2000 American comedy film written by Jim Herzfeld and John Hamburg and directed by Jay Roach. Starring Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller, the film chronicles a series of unfortunate events that befall a good-hearted but hapless male nurse while visiting his girlfriend's parents...
, and Meet the Fockers
Meet the Fockers
Meet the Fockers is a 2004 American comedy film directed by Jay Roach and the sequel to Meet the Parents. The film stars Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Barbra Streisand, Blythe Danner and Teri Polo. It was followed up by a sequel, Little Fockers, in 2010.-Plot:Nurse Gaylord "Greg"...
.
In addition to film, Weitz has written a number of plays, including Roulette, Privilege, Show People, and Trust, all of which have been produced Off-Broadway in New York City. Trust starring Zach Braff
Zach Braff
Zachary Israel "Zach" Braff is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, comedian, and director. Braff first became known in 2001 for his role as Dr. John Dorian on the television series Scrubs, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards.In 2004, Braff made his...
, Bobby Cannavale
Bobby Cannavale
Robert M. "Bobby" Cannavale is an American actor known for his leading role as Bobby Caffey in the first two seasons of the television series Third Watch. He also had a recurring role as Officer Vince D'Angelo on the comedy series Will & Grace.-Early life:Cannavale grew up in Union City, New...
, Sutton Foster
Sutton Foster
Sutton Lenore Foster is an American actress, singer and dancer. Foster has received two Tony Awards, in 2002 for her role of Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie and in 2011 for her role of Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes...
, and Ari Graynor
Ari Graynor
Ariel Geltman Graynor, better known as Ari Graynor, is an American actress.-Life and career:Graynor was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She was raised in a Jewish family and attended Buckingham Browne & Nichols, a private school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Trinity College, in Hartford,...
, directed by Peter DuBois ran from July 23, 2010, until September 12, 2010, at Second Stage Theatre
Second Stage Theatre
Second Stage Theatre is an award-winning contemporary Off-Broadway theater company.-Mission:The theatre's mission is to give new life to contemporary American plays and to produce the world premiers of new plays by both established and emerging playwrights...
. Second Stage previously produced Privilege and Show People and recently announced that they would be producing Lonely, I'm Not a new comedy by Weitz in their 2011-2012 season.
Weitz and his brother are also producing a potential trilogy based upon the Elric saga by Michael Moorcock
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
.
Filmography
Paul and Chris WeitzChris Weitz
Christopher John "Chris" Weitz is an American producer, writer, director and actor. He is best known for his work with his brother, Paul Weitz, on the comedy films American Pie and About a Boy, as well as directing the film adaptation of the novel The Golden Compass and the film adaptation of New...
- 1999: American PieAmerican Pie (film)American Pie is a 1999 teen comedy film written by Adam Herz. American Pie was the directorial film debut of brothers Paul and Chris Weitz, and the first film in the American Pie film series...
- 2001: Down to EarthDown to Earth (2001 film)Down to Earth is a 2001 comedy film directed by Chris and Paul Weitz. It is the third film adaptation based on Harry Segall's stageplay Heaven Can Wait, preceded by Here Comes Mr. Jordan and Heaven Can Wait . The film stars Chris Rock as Lance Barton, a comedian who is killed before his time on...
- 2002: About a BoyAbout a Boy (film)About a Boy is a 2002 comedy-drama film directed by brothers Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, based on the novel of the same name by Nick Hornby. The film stars Golden Globe winner Hugh Grant as Will, Nicholas Hoult as Marcus, Academy Award nominee Toni Collette as Fiona, and Academy Award winner Rachel...
Paul Weitz
- 2004: In Good Company
- 2006: American DreamzAmerican DreamzAmerican Dreamz is a 2006 comedy/parody film that satirizes both American politics and popular entertainment.Director/producer/writer Paul Weitz has stated that the movie is meant to satirize both the TV show American Idol and the Bush Administration...
- 2009: Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
- 2010: Little FockersLittle FockersLittle Fockers is a 2010 American comedy film and sequel to Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers . It stars Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Blythe Danner, Teri Polo, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand...
- 2012: Being Flynn