Peter Hedges Biography

Fast Facts

• At the 2003 Chicago International Film Festival, his film "Pieces of April" won a FIPRESCI Prize Special Mention
• Won a Gold Plaque at the Chicago International Film Festival for "Pieces of April" in 2003
• Often lends his talents to the Sundance Screenwriters' Lab
• Studied drama at the North Carolina School of the Arts
• Quote: "From the age of 12 I wanted to be an actor and for 10 years I worked hard to become one․"
• Quote: "Surrounded by actors of enormous talent, I made it my purpose to create roles for them, roles that if I could act, I would want to play․"
• Quote: "It is my hope that [my] plays will find other young actors bursting with love for the theater․ They were written for fearless young actors․"
• Co-founded New York's Edge Theatre in 1985 alongside Mary-Louise Parker and Joe Mantello
• A full-time writer in the 1990s, he would transition to screenwriting for films with "About A Boy", "Pieces of April" and several other award-winning treatments after his initial involvement with "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"
• Gained overnight success in the early '90s following the release of the film adaptation of his first novel, What's Eating Gilbert Grape