Gavin O'Connor (filmmaker)

Gavin O'Connor
Born (1964-10-30) October 30, 1964
Long Island, New York
Education University of Pennsylvania
Occupation Director, screenwriter
Years active 1992–present
Spouse(s) Angela Shelton (m. 1995–1996)
Brooke Burns (m. 2013)
Children 1

Gavin O'Connor (born October 30, 1964) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, playwright, and actor. He is best known for directing the films Miracle, Warrior and The Accountant.

Life and career

Gavin O'Connor was raised in Huntington, New York, on Long Island.[1] He wrote and produced Ted Demme's directorial debut, the short film The Bet.[2] Three years later, he made his own feature film co–writing and directing debut with Comfortably Numb, about the moral dilemmas facing a Connecticut preppie-turned-New York City prosecutor; the film was screened at both the Cannes Film Festival and the Boston Film Festival. O'Connor then turned to the stage, producing, writing, and starring in the Off-Broadway play Rumblings of a Romance Renaissance in 1997.

At the same time, O'Connor began work on a screenplay based on then-wife Angela Shelton's memories of her childhood spent on the road with her serial-marrying mother.[3] Impressed by Tony Award-winning British actress Janet McTeer's appearance on Charlie Rose's talk show in 1997, he was determined to cast her in what had become Tumbleweeds (in which he co-starred); he and Shelton were forced to finance the film themselves after being unable to find backers.[4] The movie won the Filmmakers Trophy at the Sundance Film Festival; McTeer's performance earned her a Golden Globe as Best Actress and Academy Award and Screen Actors Guild nominations in the same category; and Kimberly J. Brown, cast as her pre-teen daughter, won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance.

After serving as executive producer of several smaller, independent projects, O'Connor directed Walt Disney Pictures' Miracle (2004), a film about the United States hockey team's victory in the 1980 Winter Olympics. He also produced the HBO Film, "The Smashing Machine", that chronicled the struggles of fighter Mark Kerr.

With his twin brother Greg, O'Connor founded Final Cut Features, designed to assist independent filmmakers with post-production financing and services. As either producer or director (or both), he became involved in six projects that were scheduled for release in 2007 and 2008.

O'Connor filmed the MMA film Warrior, for which he wrote the screenplay and directed. The film received a 2011 release, through Lions Gate Entertainment.

As of 2013, O'Connor is working on adapting the novel The Hustler into a stage play.[5] In April 2013, he signed on to direct Jane Got a Gun.[6] He executive produced and directed the pilot of the FX series The Americans. He will serve as a director and executive producer on the upcoming Netflix series Seven Seconds.[7]

He is known for his collaborations with actor Noah Emmerich, who has appeared in all of O'Connor's films except Comfortably Numb.

In June 2014, O'Connor was set to direct his upcoming action-adventure film, Massacre in the Himalayas, which Gianni Nunnari's Hollywood Gang Productions will produce about the murder of ten climbers and the local Pakistani cook who are intent on conquering the K2 summit.[8] He will direct the WW2 drama Atlantic Wall starring Bradley Cooper.[9] In 2017, he will replace Matt Damon as director of Father Daughter Time.[10] On September 6, 2017, O' Connor landed the role of director and writer of Suicide Squad 2.[11] By October, O'Connor had exited the project due to his story treatment reportedly being identical to Birds of Prey, as well as his commitments to Torrance.[12]

He has been connected to a Brad Inglesby-scripted drama Torrance, alongside his former colleague Ben Affleck from The Accountant. He will likely act as a producer.[13]

Personal life

O'Connor married actress/model Brooke Burns on June 22, 2013.[14] He was previously married to Angela Shelton.[4]

Filmography

Year Film
Director Writer Producer Notes
1992 The Bet No Yes executive Short film
1995 Comfortably Numb Yes Yes Yes Directorial Debut
1999 Tumbleweeds Yes Yes executive Role: Jack Ranson
2001 The Glass House No No No Role: Whitey
2002 The Smashing Machine No No executive Documentary
The Slaughter Rule No No Yes
2004 Miracle Yes No No
2007 Elvis and Anabelle No No executive
2008 Pride and Glory Yes Yes No
2011 Warrior Yes Yes Yes
2015 Brothers No Story No
2016 Jane Got a Gun Yes No No
The Accountant Yes No executive
TBA Torrance Yes No Yes
The Green Hornet Yes Yes Yes
Untitled The Accountant sequel Yes No No

TV Roles

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
2004 Clubhouse Yes Yes No 1 episode
2013-2014 The Americans Yes No executive Director: 1 episode;
Executive producer: 8 episodes
2017 Seven Seconds Yes No executive 1 episode

References

  1. ↑ Lickona, Matthew (September 13, 2011). "Warrior's Faith". Retrieved July 14, 2013.
  2. ↑ Dawson, Nick (October 23, 2008). "Govin O'Connor, Pride and Glory". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  3. ↑ Rubin, Saul (September 15, 1999). "Gavin O'Connor & Angela Shelton". Variety. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  4. 1 2 Wallace, Amy (December 19, 1999). "Mom and Daughter or David and Goliath 'Tumbleweeds' and 'Anywhere' Duke it Out at Box Office". SF Gate. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  5. ↑ "Fighting Words – exclusive interview with Gavin O'Connor, director of 'Warrior'". IrishCentral. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Bradley Cooper joins Jane Got a Gun". Moviehole.net. Retrieved April 6, 2013.
  7. ↑ "Gavin O'Connor Working on Veena Sud Netflix Project". Slashfilm. 2016-10-05. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
  8. ↑ "'Warrior' Director Ascends the 'Massacre in the Himalayas'". Variety. June 2, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Bradley Cooper, Gavin O'Connor Team On Imperative's WWII Drama 'Atlantic Wall'". Deadline.com. 2016-11-30. Retrieved 2016-11-30.
  10. ↑ Fleming Jr, Mike (January 9, 2017). "Gavin O'Connor New Beneficiary Of Matt Damon's Busy Sked: Will Helm 'Father Daughter Time'". Deadline.com. Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  11. ↑ Gilyadov, Alex (September 6, 2017). "Suicide Squad 2 Taps The Accountant's Gavin O'Connor to Write and Direct". IGN. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  12. ↑ McNary, Dave (October 9, 2018). "From Marvel to DC: James Gunn in Talks to Take on Suicide Squad 2". Variety. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  13. ↑ Fleming JR, Mike (June 11, 2018). "Hot Spec Package: Ben Affleck, Gavin O'Connor Re-Team On Brad Ingelsby Script 'The Has-Been'". Deadline. Retrieved June 12, 2018.
  14. ↑ Finn, Natalie (December 13, 2011). "Newly Blond Brooke Burns Engaged to Warrior Director". E!. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
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