Director, set designer, art director, screenwriter
Fast Facts
For her architecture thesis project at the University of Texas, dressed up as a building and pulled off layers to demonstrate the evolution of design
Got her start in the film business working as production designer on such movies as The Newton Boys (1998), Three Kings (1999) and Vanilla Sky (2001)
Collaborated with the then 14-year-old Nikki Reed to write Thirteen (2003), which was her directorial debut
Her 2006 biblical film The Nativity encountered controversy when 16-year-old star Keisha Castle-Hughes, who plays Jesus' mother, Mary, announced she was pregnant two months before the movie's release
Delivered the highest-grossing opening weekend for a film with a female director with 2008's Twilight
Awards
2004Independent Spirit Awards-Best First Feature:nominated
2004Independent Spirit Awards-Best First Screenplay:nominated
2003Sundance Film Festival-Directing Award: Dramatic:winner