Paul Feig (/fiːɡ/;[1] born September 17, 1962) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He is best known for directing films such as Bridesmaids (2011), The Heat (2013), Spy (2015), Ghostbusters (2016), A Simple Favor (2018), and Last Christmas (2019). He often collaborates with actress Melissa McCarthy.
Paul Feig | |
|---|---|
 Feig in August 2024 | |
| Born | September 17, 1962 Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1986–present |
Feig created the comedy series Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000) and Other Space (2015). He has also directed several episodes of Arrested Development, Nurse Jackie, Mad Men, The Office, Parks and Recreation, 30 Rock, and Weeds. He received nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards for writing on Freaks and Geeks, and two for producing and directing on The Office. His most notable acting roles were as Bobby Wynn in the sitcom The Jackie Thomas Show (1992–1993), Tim the Camp Counselor in the comedy film Heavyweights (1995), and Mr. Eugene Pool on the sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996–1997).
Early life
editFeig was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, on September 17, 1962,[2] the son of telephone operator Elaine Elizabeth (née Artingstall) and Gratiot Avenue store owner Sanford William Feig.[3][4][5] He grew up in a Christian Scientist home in Mount Clemens, Michigan.[6][7] Sanford was born into a Jewish family, but converted to Christian Science to marry Elaine, whom he had met at a church social.[3][8][9]
Career
edit1986–2010: Early career, Freaks and Geeks and directorial debut
editAfter a year at Wayne State University, Feig moved to Los Angeles and transferred to the University of Southern California. He also worked as a tour guide at Universal Studios Hollywood, embarked on a stand-up comedy act, and landed minor roles on various television shows.[10] Feig also appeared in a number of films, such as Ski Patrol,[11] and in a role alongside Ben Stiller in the 1995 film Heavyweights, in which he played camp counselor Tim. On the first season of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, Feig portrayed Mr. Eugene Pool, Sabrina's science teacher.
With Heavyweights co-scripter Judd Apatow, Feig created the short-lived comedy series Freaks and Geeks, inspired by his experiences at Chippewa Valley High School in Clinton Township, Michigan. The show aired on NBC during the 1999–2000 television season. Eighteen episodes were completed, but the series was canceled after only twelve had aired. Despite the short run, Freaks and Geeks has since maintained a devoted cult following. The show was named in Time magazine's 100 Greatest Shows of All Time,[12] and in summer 2008, Entertainment Weekly ranked Freaks and Geeks as the 13th best show of the past 25 years.[13] Feig was nominated for two Emmys for writing the show's pilot and the season finale.
Feig made his directorial debut with the drama film I Am David, which premiered at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. He later directed the Christmas comedy film Unaccompanied Minors (2006).
2011–2016: Bridesmaids and other film works with Melissa McCarthy
editIn 2011, Feig was consulted to direct the Apatow-produced comedy film Bridesmaids. Written by Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, the plot centers on Annie (Wiig), who suffers a series of misfortunes after being asked to serve as maid of honor for her best friend, Lillian, played by Maya Rudolph.[14] Budgeted at $32.5 million, Bridesmaids was both critically and commercially successful, eventually grossing over $288 million worldwide, and served as a touchstone for discussion about women in comedy.[15][16] The film was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and received multiple other accolades, including Academy Award nominations in the Best Supporting Actress for Melissa McCarthy and Best Original Screenplay for Wiig and Mumolo.[17]
In 2013, Feig reunited with McCarthy on buddy cop action comedy film The Heat, also starring Sandra Bullock. Directed by Feig and written by Katie Dippold, it centers on a mismatched police pairing who must overcome their differences in order to take down a mobster. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the chemistry, and performances of Bullock and McCarthy,[18] and was a success at the box office, grossing $229 million worldwide against a $43 million budget.[19]
In 2015, Feig wrote, directed, and produced the spy comedy movie Spy for 20th Century Fox, again starring Melissa McCarthy.[20] It follows the life of a secret agent, Susan Cooper, trying to expose the black-market. The film received acclaim from critics and became another box office success at an international gross of $235.7 million.[21] It was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for McCarthy.[22] Also in 2015, Feig produced the animated feature The Peanuts Movie for Blue Sky Studios, based on the Peanuts comic strip and characters created by Charles M. Schulz.[21] That same year, it was announced that Feig will direct a film adaptation of Play-Dohs for Hasbro Studios, 20th Century Fox, and Chernin Entertainment.[23]
During 2015, Feig also created the science fiction comedy series Other Space for Yahoo!'s video on demand service Yahoo! Screen and wrote the show's first episode. The series stars Trace Beaulieu, Neil Casey, Eugene Cordero, Joel Hodgson, Conor Leslie, Bess Rous, Karan Soni, and Milana Vayntrub as the dysfunctional crew of an exploratory spaceship who become trapped in an unknown universe. Other Space received positive reviews,[24][25] but was not renewed for a second season due to Yahoo! Screen being shut down in 2016. Feig later created a Tumblr to provide direct links to each episode after he reobtained the rights to the series.[26] In 2020, the series was picked up by streaming service DUST.[27]
In 2016, Feig directed and co-wrote the female driven reboot of the Ghostbusters franchise, starring McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, and Leslie Jones as four women who begin a ghost-catching business in New York City.[28] The announcement of the female-led cast in 2015 drew a polarized response from the public and internet backlash,[29] leading to the film's IMDb page and associated YouTube videos receiving low ratings prior to the film's release.[30][31] The film grossed $229 million worldwide against a production budget of $144 million, becoming the highest-grossing live-action comedy domestically of 2016.[32] However, due to its high production and marketing budget, it is considered a box-office bomb.[33]
2017–present: A Simple Favor and Last Christmas
editIn 2017, Feig produced Jonathan Levine's comedy film Snatched, starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn as a mother-daughter couple who are abducted while on vacation in South America.[34] The same year, he began production on the comedy thriller A Simple Favor. Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell, it stars Anna Kendrick, Blake Lively, and Henry Golding, and follows a small town blogger who tries to solve the disappearance of her mysterious and rich best friend. Released in September 2018, the film received generally favorable reviews from critics, with praise for the plot twists and performances of Kendrick and Lively.[35]
In 2018, Feig directed an advertisement for Diet Coke starring Hayley Magnus, which was shown during the Super Bowl.[36] In 2019, he directed the romantic comedy Last Christmas, re-teaming with Henry Golding, who starred in the film alongside Emilia Clarke. The film received mixed reviews and was a box office success, earning over $120 million.[37]
In March 2019, following 20th Century Fox's acquisition by The Walt Disney Company, Feig announced he would be moving his Feigco production studio to Universal Pictures.[38][39]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director | Producer | Writer | ||
| 2003 | I Am David | Yes | No | Yes |
| 2006 | Unaccompanied Minors | Yes | No | No |
| 2011 | Bridesmaids | Yes | Yes (exec.) | No |
| 2013 | The Heat | Yes | Yes (exec.) | No |
| 2015 | Spy | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2016 | Ghostbusters | Yes | Yes (exec.) | Yes |
| 2018 | A Simple Favor | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2019 | Last Christmas | Yes | Yes | No |
| 2022 | The School for Good and Evil | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 2024 | Jackpot! | Yes | Yes | No |
| TBA | Untitled A Simple Favor sequel | Yes | Yes | No |
Producer only
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | The Peanuts Movie | |
| 2017 | Snatched | |
| 2019 | Someone Great | |
| 2020 | Holler | Executive producer |
Acting roles
edit| Year | Title | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Note | ||
| 1987 | Zombie High | Emmerson | |
| Three O'Clock High | Hall Monitor | ||
| 1990 | Ski Patrol | Stanley | |
| Zoo Radio | Chester Drawer | credited as Skylar Billings | |
| 1994 | Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult | Oscar Audience Member | |
| 1995 | The TV Wheel | Various | |
| Heavyweights | Tim The Camp Counselor | ||
| 1996 | That Thing You Do! | KMPC D.J. | |
| My Fellow Americans | Reporter #2 | ||
| 1997 | Life Sold Separately | Clark | |
| Statical Planets | Renfester | ||
| 2000 | Bad Dog | Messenger | Short film |
| 2002 | Stealing Harvard | Electrician | |
| 2003 | I Am David | American Man | |
| 2007 | Knocked Up | Fantasy Baseball Guy | |
| Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story | Different DJ | Uncredited | |
| 2011 | Bad Teacher | Dad at the Car Wash | |
| Bridesmaids | Guy at Wedding | Uncredited | |
| 2013 | The Heat | Doctor | |
| 2015 | Spy | Drunken Guest at Paris Hotel | |
| 2017 | Ferdinand | Picador (voice)[40][41] | |
| 2018 | Song of Back and Neck | Dr. Street |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Writer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | Freaks and Geeks | Yes | No | Yes | Also creator and producer; 18 episodes Episode directed: "Discos and Dragons" Episodes written:
|
| 2001 | Undeclared | Yes | No | No | Episode: "Oh, So You Have a Boyfriend?" |
| 2004–2005 | Arrested Development | Yes | No | No | Episodes: |
| 2005–2007 | Weeds | Yes | No | No | Episodes:
|
| 2005–2011 | The Office | Yes | Yes (exec.) | No | Episodes directed: |
| 2007 | 30 Rock | Yes | No | No | Episode: "Cleveland" |
| Mad Men | Yes | No | No | Episode: "Shoot" | |
| 2009 | Parks and Recreation | Yes | No | No | Episode: "Pawnee Zoo" |
| Bored to Death | Yes | No | No | Episodes:
| |
| 2009–2010 | Nurse Jackie | Yes | No | No | Episodes:
|
| 2012 | Ronna and Beverly | No | Yes (exec.) | No | 6 episodes |
| 2015 | Other Space | No | Yes (exec.) | Yes | Creator; 8 episodes Episode written: "Into the Great Beyond...Beyond" |
| 2018 | The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale | No | Yes (exec.) | No | 19 episodes |
| 2020–2021 | Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist | No | Yes (exec.) | No | 12 episodes |
| Love Life | No | Yes (exec.) | No | 10 episodes | |
| 2022 | Welcome to Flatch | Yes | Yes (exec.) | Yes | Episodes directed:
|
| 2022 | Minx | No | Yes (exec.) | No | 10 episodes |
| TBA | East of La Brea | No | Yes (exec.) | No | 6 episodes |
Acting roles
edit| Year | Title | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Note | ||
| 1986 | The Facts of Life | Ron | Episode: "The Ratings Game" |
| 1988–1989 | Dirty Dancing | Norman Bryant | 11 episodes |
| 1990 | thirtysomething | Focus Group Member | Episode: "Pulling Away" |
| It's Garry Shandling's Show | Chester Bass | Episodes: "The Proposal", "The Honeymoon Show" and "Chester Gets a Show" | |
| 1991 | Good Sports | Leash | Episodes: "Pros and Ex-Cons", "Electricity", "The Return of Nick" and "A Class Act" |
| Get a Life | Mark | Episode: "Chris Becomes a Male Escort" | |
| 1992 | Deep Dish TV | Unknown | Television film |
| 1992–1993 | The Edge | Various | 7 episodes |
| The Jackie Thomas Show | Bobby Wynn | 18 episodes | |
| 1993 | Roseanne | Pete | Episode: "A Stash from the Past" |
| 1994 | The Good Life | Video Clerk | Episodes: "Paul Dates a Buddhist" and "John Takes Out Melissa" |
| Hardball | Agent #1 | Episode: "Whose Strike Is It Anyway?" | |
| 1996 | The Louie Show | Dr. Jake Anderson | 6 episodes |
| 1996–1997 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Mr. Eugene Pool | 26 episodes |
| 1997 | Men Behaving Badly | Nelson | Episode: "The Sting" |
| Ellen | Peterson | Episode: "G.I. Ellen" | |
| 1998 | The Drew Carey Show | Worker #1 | Episode: "From the Earth to the Moon" |
| 1999 | Freaks and Geeks | Alexander the Guitarist | Uncredited; Episode: "I'm with the Band" |
| 2005 | Arrested Development | Magician | Episode: "Sword of Destiny" |
| Early Bird | Unknown | Television film | |
| 2009 | Nurse Jackie | Mr. Spagnolo | Episode: "Monkey Bits" |
| 2013 | The Office | Animal Trainer | Episode: "Stairmageddon" |
| 2014 | Maron | Warren | Episode: "Therapy" |
| Hell's Kitchen | Himself | Episode: "18 Chefs Compete" | |
| 2017 | 9JKL | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 2018 | The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale | 14 episodes | |
| 2020 | Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist | Dale | Episode: "Zoey's Extraordinary Mother" |
Bibliography
edit- Feig, Paul (September 24, 2002). Kick Me: Adventures in Adolescence. Crown. ISBN 978-0-6098-0943-3.
- Feig, Paul (June 28, 2005). Superstud: Or How I Became a 24-Year-Old Virgin. Crown. ISBN 978-1-4000-5175-5.
- Feig, Paul (September 1, 2008). Ignatius MacFarland: Frequenaut!. Little, Brown Books for Young Reacers. ISBN 978-0-3160-3993-2.
- Feig, Paul (July 1, 2010). Ignatius MacFarland: Frequency Freakout!. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-0-3160-8882-4.
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 53rd Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series | Freaks and Geeks | Nominated | [42] |
| 2001 | 54th Primetime Emmy Awards | Nominated | |||
| 2008 | 60th Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series | The Office | Nominated | |
| 2009 | 61st Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Comedy Series | Nominated | ||
| 61st Directors Guild of America Awards | Outstanding Directing – Comedy Series | Won | |||
| 2010 | 21st Producers Guild of America Awards | Best Episodic Comedy | Nominated | ||
| 2014 | 16th American Comedy Awards | Best Comedy Director – Film | The Heat | Nominated | |
| 2017 | 59th Hugo Awards | Best Dramatic Presentation – Long Form | Ghostbusters | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ Smith, Krista (January 5, 2012). "Paul Feig on the BridesmaidsSequel, Female Comedy, and His S.N.L. Dreams". Vanity Fair. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
- ^ "Celebrity birthdays for the week of Sept. 12-18". Associated Press. September 7, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
Sept. 17:...Actor-director Paul Feig is 59.
- ^ a b "The Trouble With Paul Feig". The New York Times. September 28, 2008.
- ^ Joseph, Gina (July 29, 2011). "Director Paul Feig is a genius at portraying awkwardness". Royal Oak Tribune. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "Personally Speaking". Windsor Star. January 4, 1961. p. 27 – via Google News.
- ^ Lawson, Terry (December 7, 2006). "Paul Feig Again Puts Teens in the Spotlight". Detroit Free Press. p. 1C.
...Paul Feig, the film's Royal Oak-born, Mt. Clemens-raised director...
- ^ "Michigan's Paul Feig to direct female-led 'Ghostbusters". Detroit Free Press. Associated Press. October 9, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ^ Robert, Daniel (May 4, 2006). "Interviews > Paul Feig Director Of Unaccompanied Minors". SuicideGirls. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
- ^ Schilling, Mary Kaye (June 28, 2013). "The King of the Lady Gross-out". Grantland.
- ^ Bowe, John (September 26, 2008). "The Trouble With Paul Feig". The New York Times Magazine.
- ^ James, Caryn (January 13, 1990). "Ski Patrol (1989) Review/Film; Meanwhile, Pops Is Back At the Lodge". The New York Times.
- ^ Poniewozik, James (September 6, 2007). "The 100 Best TV Shows of All-TIME". Time. Archived from the original on September 11, 2007. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
- ^ Connolly, Kelly (March 20, 2012). "The New Classics: TV". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 28, 2012.
- ^ Fox, Margalit (November 5, 2010). "Jill Clayburgh Dies at 66; Starred in Feminist Roles". The New York Times.
- ^ "Bridesmaids (2011)". Rotten Tomatoes. May 13, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- ^ Friendly, David T. (June 19, 2011). "'Bridesmaids' Effect: Why Female Comedies Are Making Comeback". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "'Bridesmaids' Breathes Life into Women's Comedy". Third Age. Archived from the original on May 19, 2011. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- ^ Ryan, Tim (June 28, 2013). "Critics Consensus: White House Down Is Predictable Action Fluff". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
- ^ "The Heat (2013)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
- ^ Sneider, Jeff (June 18, 2013). "Paul Feig Developing Female James Bond Comedy 'Susan Cooper'". The Wrap. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
- ^ a b "'Spy' - Movie Review". Retrieved June 19, 2015.
- ^ Travers, Peter. "Spy Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (April 2, 2015). "Fox Molding 'Play-Doh' Film With Paul Feig Circling; Another Hasbro Toy Brand Making Movie Transfer". Deadline Hollywood.
- ^ "Other Space: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ "Other Space: Season 1". Metacritic. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
- ^ Whitbrook, James (January 31, 2017). "It's Finally Easy to Watch Other Space, the Best Scifi Comedy You've Never Seen". io9. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
- ^ Oller, Jacob (July 7, 2020). "WIRE Buzz: Adam Sandler's Hubie Halloween; Tenet teases Easter egg; 'Other Space' to Dust". SyFy Wire. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ Zuckerman, Esther (October 8, 2014). "Paul Feig explains his vision for a female-led 'Ghostbusters'". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Sharf, Zack (July 8, 2016). "'Ghostbusters' Reboot Added New Scene As Reaction To Internet Backlash". IndieWire. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
- ^ Hayes, Britt (July 11, 2016). "'Ghostbusters' Haters Spam IMDb With Low Ratings". ScreenCrush. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
- ^ Hickey, Walt (July 14, 2016). "'Ghostbusters' Is A Perfect Example Of How Internet Movie Ratings Are Broken". FiveThirtyEight. Retrieved February 8, 2017.
- ^ "Box Office Performance for Comedy Movies in 2016". The Numbers. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Fritz, Ben (August 14, 2016). "Rising Box Office Masks Glut of Big-Budget Film Flops". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (August 18, 2015). "Director Jonathan Levine Circles Amy Schumer Mother-Daughter Comedy At Fox". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 19, 2015.
- ^ "A Simple Favor (2018)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 21, 2018.
- ^ Steinberg, Brian (February 5, 2018). "Inside Diet Coke's Return to Super Bowl Advertising". Variety.
- ^ "Last Christmas (2019)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
- ^ "Fox Film Team Faces Rocky Disney Future; Paul Feig Moves Label To Universal". Deadline Hollywood. March 31, 2019.
- ^ Donnelly, Matt (March 21, 2019). "Paul Feig's Feigco Entertainment Jumps From Fox to First-Look Deal at Universal". Variety. Retrieved March 22, 2019.
- ^ Holmes, Adam (August 8, 2016). "Why Paul Feig Won't Direct Any More Remakes". Cinema Blend. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 9, 2017). "Blue Sky's Bull Toon 'Ferdinand' To Lock Horns With 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'". Variety. Archived from the original on February 9, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2017.
- ^ "Paul Feig – Awards". IMDb. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
