Ron Nyswaner
American screenwriter and film director (born 1956)
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Ronald L. Nyswaner (/ˈnaɪswɑːnər/ NY-swahn-ər ; born October 5, 1956) is an American screenwriter and film director.[1] He is a Peabody Award[2] winner, and has been nominated for numerous awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and two Primetime Emmy Awards.
Columbia University (MFA)
Ron Nyswaner | |
|---|---|
James Schamus (left) and Nyswaner (right), 2009 | |
| Born | October 5, 1956 |
| Education | University of Pittsburgh (BA) Columbia University (MFA) |
| Occupations | Film director, writer |
He is known for his screenplays Smithereens (1982), Philadelphia (1993), The Painted Veil (2006), Freeheld (2015), and My Policeman (2022). He is also known as a writer and producer of the Showtime series Ray Donovan (2013–2015), Homeland (2017–2018), and the historical drama series Fellow Travelers (2023).
Early life and education
Nyswaner was born in Clarksville, Pennsylvania. He later attended the University of Pittsburgh and Columbia University.[3]
Career
Nyswaner wrote his first screenplay for the Susan Seidelman film Smithereens. After two other notable screenplays for Swing Shift and Mrs. Soffel, he gave his directorial debut with The Prince of Pennsylvania in 1988, a film with Keanu Reeves and Fred Ward.
Nyswaner, who is openly gay[4] and an activist for gay rights, has often worked on movies dealing with subjects such as homosexuality, homophobia, and AIDS. In 1993, he came to worldwide prominence for his screenplay to the Academy Award-winning movie Philadelphia, directed by Jonathan Demme. It earned him nominations at the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs.
After several years of working for television, he wrote the screenplay for the 2006 film The Painted Veil, based on the novel by W. Somerset Maugham. He received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award and won the award of the National Board of Review in 2006.
From 2015 to 2017, he was an executive producer for the Showtime TV series Homeland.
In 2015, Nyswaner directed the documentary film She's the Best Thing in It, featuring Mary Louise Wilson, which he coproduced along with Jeffrey Schwarz and Neda Armian.[5]
Nyswaner created the historical drama miniseries Fellow Travelers in 2023, which won a Peabody Award[6] at the 84th ceremony in 2024.
Filmography
Film
As a director
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | The Prince of Pennsylvania | also written |
| 2012 | Why Stop Now? | co-directed with Phil Dorling; also written |
| 2015 | She's the Best Thing in It | documentary |
As a writer
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Smithereens | |
| 1984 | Mrs. Soffel | |
| 1989 | Gross Anatomy | |
| 1990 | Love Hurts | |
| 1993 | Philadelphia | |
| 2006 | The Painted Veil | |
| 2015 | Freeheld | |
| 2022 | My Policeman | |
Television
| Year | Title | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Soldier's Girl | Television movie | |
| 2006 | Filthy Gorgeous | Television movie | |
| 2013–2014 | Ray Donovan | Wrote 4 episodes; also co-executive producer | |
| 2015–2018 | Homeland | Wrote 9 episodes; also co-executive producer | |
| 2020 | Murder on Middle Beach | Co-executive producer only | |
| 2023 | Fellow Travelers | Screenwriter and executive producer | [7] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Project | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Deauville Film Festival | Critics Prize | The Prince of Pennsylvania | Nominated |
| 1989 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best First Feature | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Academy Award | Best Original Screenplay | Philadelphia | Nominated |
| 1993 | Golden Globe Awards | Best Screenplay | Nominated | |
| 1993 | British Academy Film Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Nominated | |
| 1993 | Writers Guild of America Awards | Best Original Screenplay | Nominated | |
| 2006 | Independent Spirit Awards | Best Screenplay | The Painted Veil | Nominated |
| 2006 | National Board of Review | Best Adapted Screenplay | Won | |
| 2014 | Writers Guild of America Awards | New Series | Ray Donovan | Nominated |
| 2015 | SXSW Film Festival | Grand Jury Documentary Prize | She's The Best Thing in It | Nominated |
| 2015 | Woodstock Film Festival | Audience Award | Won | |
| 2016 | Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Drama Series | Homeland | Nominated |
| 2024 | Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Fellow Travelers | Nominated | |
| 2024 | Peabody Awards | Chronicling LGBTQ+ History Over 50 Years | Fellow Travelers | Won |
Bibliography
In 2004, he published Blue Days, Black Nights: A Memoir, which chronicles his relationship with alcohol, drugs, and hustlers.