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David O. Russell Biography

Birth Name:David Owen Russell

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

Profession Director, Producer, Writer, Actor, Soundtrack, Camera department, Script department

Fast Facts

He became a board member of Ghetto Film School, a program based in The Bronx, New York, where industry professionals donate their time and money to help underprivileged youth develop their filmmaking skills
Won an Independent Spirit Award as well as the Audience Award at Sundance for his first film, "Spanking the Monkey"
Graduated from Amherst College in 1981 with dual degrees in English and Political Science
Quote: "There's nothing better than an actor who is really, really hungry to show everything they've got․"
Quote: "I'm most proud of being in sync and feeling like a family with the crew ․․․and having everybody being willing to go through the fire for this vision․ That's a wonderful thing․"
Following his first bout into the dramatic genre with "Three Kings", he gained the most recognition after the release of his next project and cult classic, "I Heart Huckabees" in 2004 and later Academy Award nominated drama "The Fighter" in 2010
Has often explored controversial subject matters from the earliest beginnings of his career, including his directorial debut "Spanking the Monkey" in 1994
Once waited on parties held at Manhattan's Music of Modern Art where he would later be presented a filmmaking honor in 2002
Married to Janet Grillo, daughter of actress Angela Grillo
Reportedly came under fire after videos surfaced of several explosive arguments between him and crew members as well as actors while on the set of "I Heart Huckabees"

Awards

1994NYFCC Award-Best New Director: nominated
1994Audience Award-Dramatic: winner
1994Grand Jury Prize-Dramatic: nominated
1995Independent Spirit Award-Best First Feature: winner
1995Independent Spirit Award-Best First Screenplay: winner
1997Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
1997Independent Spirit Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1997NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
1999BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
2000NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
2000Literary Award-Screenplay: winner
2000Golden Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Original: nominated
2000SEFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2000SEFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2000WGA Award (Screen)-Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
2004Gotham Independent Film Award-Best Feature: nominated
2010Davis Award-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
2010ACCA-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
2011Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
2011DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
2011Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
2011NTFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2011Director of the Year Award-: winner
2012Audience Award-Narrative Feature: winner
2012ACCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2012CFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2012DFCS Award-Best Director: winner
2012DFCS Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2012Golden Schmoes-Best Screenplay of the Year: nominated
2012Audience Award-Narrative: winner
2012Hollywood Film Award-Director of the Year: winner
2012IFJA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2012LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2012Audience Award-Best U.S. Feature Film: winner
2012NBR Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2012Audience Award - Honorable Mention-Special Presentations: winner
2012PFCS Award-Best Screenplay Adapted from Another Medium: nominated
2012SDFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2012SDFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2012Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Adapted: nominated
2012Satellite Award-Best Director: winner
2012SLFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2012People's Choice Award-: winner
2012Festival Award-Best Film: winner
2012UFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2012WAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2013AACTA International Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2013AACTA International Award-Best Direction: winner
2013Movies for Grownups Award-Best Director: nominated
2013Movies for Grownups Award-Best Screenwriter: nominated
2013Oscar-Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2013Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
2013EDA Award-Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2013EDA Award-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: nominated
2013EDA Award-Best Director: nominated
2013ACCA-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2013BAFTA Film Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2013BFCC Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2013Capri Original Screenplay Award-: winner
2013Capri Director Award-: winner
2013COFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2013CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2013CFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2013Chlotrudis Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2013Critics Choice Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2013Critics Choice Award-Best Director: nominated
2013DFWFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2013David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
2013DFCS Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2013DFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2013DFCS Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2013Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: winner
2013Independent Spirit Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2013FFCC Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2013GAFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2013GAFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: winner
2013Gold Derby Film Award-Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2013Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
2013Golden Schmoes-Best Director of the Year: nominated
2013Golden Schmoes-Best Screenplay of the Year: nominated
2013HFCS Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2013HFCS Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2013Humanitas Prize-Feature Film Category: winner
2013ICP Award-Best Director: nominated
2013ICP Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2013INOCA-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2013IOMA-Best Adapted Screenplay (Miglior sceneggiatura non originale): nominated
2013NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2013NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
2013NYFCC Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2013NCFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2013NCFCA Award-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2013OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
2013OFCS Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2013Indie Impact Award-: winner
2013SFFCC Award-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
2013SFFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
2013SEFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2013SLFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2013SLFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2013USC Scripter Award-: nominated
2013WAFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2013WGA Award (Screen)-Best Adapted Screenplay: nominated
2014AACTA International Award-Best Direction: nominated
2014AACTA International Award-Best Screenplay: winner
2014Movies for Grownups Award-Best Screenwriter: nominated
2014Oscar-Best Achievement in Directing: nominated
2014Oscar-Best Writing, Original Screenplay: nominated
2014David Lean Award for Direction-: nominated
2014BAFTA Film Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2014COFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2014COFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2014CinEuphoria-Top Ten of the Year - Audience Award: winner
2014Critics Choice Award-Best Director: nominated
2014Critics Choice Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2014Robert-Best American Film (Årets amerikanske film): nominated
2014David-Best Foreign Film (Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
2014DFCS Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
2014DFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
2014DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film: nominated
2014GAFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2014Gold Derby Film Award-Original Screenplay: nominated
2014Gold Derby Film Award-Director: nominated
2014Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
2014Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
2014IFC Award-Best Director: nominated
2014IOMA-Best Original Screenplay (Miglior sceneggiatura originale): nominated
2014NSFC Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
2014NCFCA Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2014NCFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
2014OFTA Film Award-Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
2014OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
2014Outstanding Director of the Year Award-: winner
2014Satellite Award-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
2014Satellite Award-Best Director: nominated
2014WGA Award (Screen)-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
2014Yoga Award-Worst Foreign Director: winner
2015Capri Original Screenplay Award-: winner
2015Grammy-Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media: nominated