| American screenwriter, director, producer and actor Date of Birth: 03.11.1956 Country: USA |
Gary Ross (born November 3, 1956) is an American writer, director, producer, and actor. He is best known for his work on the films "Pleasantville" and "Seabiscuit" with Toby Maguire in the lead role in both cases. Ross was born in Los Angeles, California. His father was screenwriter Arthur A. Ross, and he is also the nephew of California physician Robert Zaytlin.
Ross's first successful screenplay was for the 1988 film "Big." He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for his first work. He received the same nomination again for the 1993 film "Dave." Additionally, Ross wrote the screenplays for the 1992 film "Mr. Baseball" and the 1994 film "Lassie."
In 1998, Ross wrote the screenplay for the film "Pleasantville," which also marked his directorial debut. The film was notable for its exploration of social themes and received critical acclaim.
In 2003, Ross solidified his success by serving as the producer, director, and screenwriter for the film "Seabiscuit," based on Laura Hillenbrand's popular book "Seabiscuit: An American Legend." This project earned Ross another Academy Award nomination, this time for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Ross also wrote the screenplay for the animated film "The Tale of Despereaux" in 2008, based on the Newbery Medal-winning book by Kate DiCamillo. He is currently working on the screenplay for the upcoming remake of the horror classic "Creature From the Black Lagoon," originally written by his father, Arthur. Ross has also worked on projects such as "Dog Years" and "The Free State of Jones," although there is no information about the films' production.
Ross's directorial debut, "Pleasantville," received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. His 2003 film, "Seabiscuit," broke this record by receiving seven nominations, including Best Picture.
Ross is currently involved in the project "Crusaders," which is set to be released in 2010. Afterward, he is likely to work on the screenplay for "The Free State of Jones," a project he has already developed.