X

Join or Sign In

Sign in to customize your TV listings

Continue with Facebook Continue with email

By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.

Vince Gilligan Biography

Birth Name:George Vincent Gilligan

Birth Place:Richmond, Virginia, United States

Profession Writer, Producer, Director, Actor, Soundtrack

Fast Facts

  • Won the 1989 Virginia Governor's Screenwriting Award for "Home Fries․"
  • Won the 2014 Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in a Dramatic Series for "Breaking Bad․"
  • Won five Writers Guild of America Awards for "Breaking Bad․"
  • Earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts
  • Wrote a screenplay during his college years that was turned into "Home Fries․"
  • Received his big break in television when, as a fan of "The X-Files," he decided to submit a script that would later become one of the show's second season episodes
  • Quote: "That is an important lesson for anyone to learn, to keep to the story and the characters simple rather than letting it all get away from you in an effort to please what is perceived to be an increasingly attention-deprived audience․"
  • Quote: "[on "Breaking Bad"] "The writers and I love the idea of revisiting previous moments in the show because we love the idea that all actions have consequences․""
  • Quote: "People still like storytelling that can slow down enough to explore characters and examine them closely․ I think there's still room for that․ Hopefully, that never gets lost completely․"
  • Quote: "I guess I learned and am in the process of learning that less is more and oftentimes it's a benefit when you don't throw the kitchen sink at it․"
  • Known as the creator and executive producer of "Breaking Bad․"

Awards

  • 1997Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: nominated
  • 1997Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 1998Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2008Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2009Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2009WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: winner
  • 2009WGA Award (TV)-New Series: nominated
  • 2010Humanitas Prize-60 Minute Category: nominated
  • 2010PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: nominated
  • 2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2010WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: nominated
  • 2011Edgar-Best Television Episode Teleplay: nominated
  • 2011Edgar-Best Television Episode Teleplay: nominated
  • 2011PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: nominated
  • 2011WGA Award (TV)-Dramatic Series: nominated
  • 2011WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: nominated
  • 2012DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series: nominated
  • 2012INOCA TV-Best Episode of a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2012OFTA Television Award-Best Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2012OFTA Television Award-Best Direction in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2012Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2012Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2012WGA Award (TV)-Dramatic Series: winner
  • 2012WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: winner
  • 2013OFTA Television Award-Best Direction in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2013OFTA Television Award-Best Writing in a Drama Series: winner
  • 2013PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: nominated
  • 2013Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: winner
  • 2013WGA Award (TV)-Dramatic Series: winner
  • 2014DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series: winner
  • 2014Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Episode of the Year: nominated
  • 2014OFTA Television Award-Best Direction in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2014OFTA Television Award-Best Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2014PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: winner
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: winner
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2014Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2014WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: winner
  • 2015PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: winner
  • 2015Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2016PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: nominated
  • 2016Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2016WGA Award (TV)-New Series: nominated
  • 2016WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: nominated
  • 2016WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: winner
  • 2017PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series: nominated
  • 2017Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2017WGA Award (TV)-Episodic Drama: nominated
  • 2017WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: nominated
  • 2018WGA Award (TV)-Dramatic Series: nominated
  • 2019Gold Derby TV Award-Drama Episode of the Decade: nominated
  • 2019PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: nominated
  • 2019Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2019WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: nominated
  • 2020DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Limited Series: nominated
  • 2020TEC Award-Outstanding Creative Achievement Film Sound Production: nominated
  • 2020PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Streamed or Televised Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 2020Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2020Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Television Movie: nominated
  • 2020WGA Award (TV)-Long Form Adapted: nominated
  • 2021DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series: nominated
  • 2021PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: nominated
  • 2021WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: nominated
  • 2022Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2023DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series: nominated
  • 2023PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama: nominated
  • 2023Peabody Award-Entertainment: winner
  • 2023Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 2023WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: nominated
  • 2026WGA Award (TV)-Drama Series: nominated
  • 2026WGA Award (TV)-New Series: nominated