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Charlie Kaufman Biography

Birth Name:Charles Stuart Kaufman

Birth Place:New York City, New York, United States

Profession Writer, Producer, Director, Soundtrack, Script department

Fast Facts

Won the 2003 Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay for his work in "Adaptation․"
Was awarded the president's award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2016
Graduated from New York University in 1980
Started out writing comedic articles for National Lampoon magazine, including parodies of Kurt Vonnegut and the "X-Men" series
Quote: "The usual thing for a writer is to deliver a script and then disappear․ That's not for me․ I want to be involved from beginning to end․"
Quote: "[On writing "Adaptation"] “I honestly did not think this movie would ever see the light of day․ I didn’t think this movie was going to get made․ Putting myself in the [script] was a really hard thing to do․ I wouldn’t have done it if I had some distance from it․ I wouldn’t have set out to do it․”"
Often incorporates a sense of fantasy within his films
Was a college classmate of director Christopher Columbus
His script for "Being John Malkovich" was discovered by director Francis Ford Coppola, who suggested it to director Spike Jonze

Awards

1999ACCA-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
1999BSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1999LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
1999SDFCS Award-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
1999TFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2000Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
2000Saturn Award-Best Writer: winner
2000BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Original: winner
2000CFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2000Chlotrudis Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2000Independent Spirit Award-Best First Screenplay: winner
2000Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
2000Hugo-Best Dramatic Presentation: nominated
2000Sierra Award-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
2000NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2000OFTA Film Award-Best First Screenplay: nominated
2000OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
2000OFCS Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2000OFCS Award-Best Debut: nominated
2000SFFCC Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2000Golden Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2000WGA Award (Screen)-Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
2001ALFS Award-Screenwriter of the Year: winner
2001Nebula Award-Best Script: nominated
2002ACCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2002ACCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2002BSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2002BSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2002Golden Schmoes-Best Screenplay of the Year: winner
2002Sierra Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2002Sierra Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2002Sierra Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2002LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2002High Hopes Award-: winner
2002NBR Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2002NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2002NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2002SDFCS Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
2002SEFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2002SEFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2002TFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2002TFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2002UFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2002VVFP Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2002WAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2003Oscar-Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2003Oscar-Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2003BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Adapted: winner
2003BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Adapted: winner
2003COFCA Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
2003COFCA Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
2003CFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2003CFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2003Audience Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2003Audience Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2003Chlotrudis Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2003Chlotrudis Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2003Critics Choice Award-Best Writer: winner
2003DFWFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2003FFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2003FFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2003Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay: winner
2003Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay: winner
2003Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
2003Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
2003INOCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2003OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: winner
2003OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: winner
2003OFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2003OFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2003Literary Award-Screenplay: winner
2003Literary Award-Screenplay: winner
2003PFCS Award-Best Screenplay - Adapted: nominated
2003PFCS Award-Best Screenplay - Adapted: nominated
2003PFCS Award-Best Screenplay - Adapted: nominated
2003Golden Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
2003Golden Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: winner
2003USC Scripter Award-: nominated
2003WGA Award (Screen)-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2003WGA Award (Screen)-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2004ACCA-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2004BSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2004Bram Stoker Award-Screenplay: winner
2004Golden Schmoes-Best Screenplay of the Year: winner
2004KCFCC Award-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
2004ALFS Award-Screenwriter of the Year: nominated
2004ALFS Award-Screenwriter of the Year: nominated
2004LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2004NBR Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2004NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2004NYFCO Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2004PFCS Award-Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: winner
2004Seattle Film Critics Award-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
2004SEFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2004TFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2004UFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2004VVFP Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2004WAFCA Award-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
2005Oscar-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: winner
2005Saturn Award-Best Writer: nominated
2005BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay - Original: winner
2005COFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2005Critics Choice Award-Best Writer: nominated
2005Gold Derby Film Award-Original Screenplay: winner
2005Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
2005Hugo-Best Dramatic Presentation - Long Form: nominated
2005ICS Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2005INOCA-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2005IOMA-Best Original Screenplay (Miglior sceneggiatura originale): winner
2005Sierra Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2005ALFS Award-Screenwriter of the Year: winner
2005NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2005OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: winner
2005OFCS Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2005Nebula Award-Best Script: nominated
2005WGA Award (Screen)-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2006Literary Award-Screenplay: winner
2008AFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2008Golden Camera-: nominated
2008Palme d'Or-: nominated
2008CFCA Award-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2008Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Feature: nominated
2008ICP Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2008ICP Award-Best First Feature: nominated
2008LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2008OFCC Award-Best First Film: winner
2009Robert Altman Award-: winner
2009Independent Spirit Award-Best First Feature: winner
2009Independent Spirit Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2009NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2009OFTA Film Award-Best First Feature: nominated
2009OFCS Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2009OFCS Award-Best Breakthrough Filmmaker: nominated
2010Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay of the Decade: nominated
2010Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay of the Decade: nominated
2010Gold Derby Film Award-Original Screenplay of the Decade: winner
2012ACCA-Best Adapted Screenplay of the Decade: nominated
2012ACCA-Best Original Screenplay of the Decade: winner
2015Best Director-Fantastic Features: winner
2015AFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2015ACCA-Best Animated Feature Film: nominated
2015CFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2015ICP Award-Best Director: nominated
2015ICP Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2015LAFCA Award-Best Animation: winner
2015LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2015Audience Award-Animation: winner
2015SDFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2015TFCA Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted or Original: nominated
2015VFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2015Golden Lion-: nominated
2015Future Film Festival Digital Award-: winner
2015Green Drop Award-: nominated
2015Grand Special Jury Prize-: winner
2015VVFP Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2016Oscar-Best Animated Feature Film of the Year: nominated
2016Annie-Outstanding Achievement in Directing in an Animated Feature Production: nominated
2016Honorable Mention-Best Foreign Film: winner
2016Chlotrudis Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2016Independent Spirit Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2016Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
2016Independent Spirit Award-Best Feature: nominated
2016Gold Derby Film Award-Animated Feature: nominated
2016ICS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2016MovieZone Award-: nominated
2016INOCA-Best Animated Feature: nominated
2016NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2016OFTA Film Award-Best Animated Picture: nominated
2016PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures: nominated
2016Creative Impact in Directing Award-: winner
2016FIPRESCI Film of the Year-: nominated
2016Seattle Film Critics Award-Best Animated Feature: nominated
2016FIPRESCI Prize-: winner
2016Aurora Award-: nominated
2016World Soundtrack Award-Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film: winner
2017Robert-Best American Film (Årets amerikanske film): nominated
2020BOFCA Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2020BSFC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2020CFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2020FFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2020Gold Derby Film Award-Animated Feature of the Decade: nominated
2020GWNYFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2020IFJA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2020IFJA Award-Best Director: nominated
2020ICP Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2020ICP Award-Best Director: nominated
2020VHS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2021CIC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021Chlotrudis Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021CinEuphoria-Best Screenplay - International Competition: nominated
2021COFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021DFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021DFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021DFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2021GAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021Gold Derby Film Award-Motion Picture: nominated
2021Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021ICS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021KCFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021LEJA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021ALFS Award-Screenwriter of the Year: nominated
2021MNFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2021MCFCA Award-Best Film: nominated
2021MCFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2021NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2021NCFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021NDFS Award-Best Picture: nominated
2021NDFS Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2021NDFS Award-Best Director: nominated
2021OAFFC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021OFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021SDFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021SFBAFCC Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2021SFCS Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2021SLFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2021UFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2021WAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2025Annie-Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Television/Media Production: winner
2025Emmy-Outstanding Animated Special: nominated