Olivia Newman
American film director and screenwriter
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Olivia Newman is an American film director and screenwriter.[1][2] She is best known for directing First Match (2018) and Where the Crawdads Sing (2022).[3]
Columbia University (MFA)
Olivia Newman | |
|---|---|
Newman in 2026 | |
| Born | Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | Vassar College (AB) Columbia University (MFA) |
| Occupations | Film director, writer, producer |
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Spouse | Steve Lehman |
Life and career
Newman was born in Hoboken, New Jersey and graduated from The Hudson School in 1996.[4] She holds an A.B. in French and women's studies from Vassar College and an M.F.A. in film from Columbia University.[5][6] Her first short film, Blue-Eyed Mary, was shown at the Portland Oregon Women's Film Festival in 2010.[7]
Newman made her feature directorial debut with the drama film First Match starring Elvire Emanuelle, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Colman Domingo and Jharrel Jerome, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival. First Match was released by Netflix in 2018.[8]
She directed the 2022 mystery thriller film Where The Crawdads Sing, an adaptation of the 2018 novel of the same name by Delia Owens.[9][10] Despite mixed reviews from critics, audience reception was more positive and the film subsequently became a sleeper hit at the box-office, grossing $140 million on a $24 million budget.
Filmography
Short film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Blue-Eyed Mary | Yes | No | No |
| 2010 | First Match | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storm Up the Sky | No | No | Yes | |
| 2011 | The Runner | No | No | Yes |
| 2012 | Lucky Duck | No | No | Yes |
Feature film
| Year | Title | Director | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | First Match | Yes | Yes |
| 2022 | Where the Crawdads Sing | Yes | No |
| 2026 | Remarkably Bright Creatures | Yes | Yes |
Television
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Chicago Fire | Episodes "What Will Define You", "Move a Wall", "Badlands" and "Mercy" |
| 2020 | FBI | Episode "Broken Promises" |
| 2023 | The Last Thing He Told Me | Miniseries |
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | New Jersey Film Festival | Grand Prize | Won | [11] |
| Aspen Shortsfest | Jury Award | Won | [12] | |
| 2018 | SXSW Film Festival | SXSW Gamechanger Award | Won | [13] |
| Audience Award | Won | [14] | ||