Brian Grazer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brian Grazer
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Grazer in 2011
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Brian Thomas Grazer
July 12, 1951 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1978–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Corki Corman
(m. 1982; div. 1992)Gigi Levangie
(m. 1997; div. 2007)Veronica Smiley
(m. 2016) |
| Children | 4 |
| Relatives | Jack Dylan Grazer (nephew) |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Picture A Beautiful Mind (2001) |
Brian Thomas Grazer (born July 12, 1951) is an American movie and television producer. He is famous for creating some of Hollywood's biggest hits. In 1986, he started the company Imagine Entertainment with his friend and director Ron Howard.
Together, they have produced movies that have earned over $15 billion worldwide. Grazer has been nominated for four Academy Awards for his work on the films Splash (1984), Apollo 13 (1995), A Beautiful Mind (2001), and Frost/Nixon (2008). In 2002, he won the Oscar for Best Picture for A Beautiful Mind.
His movies and TV shows have received a total of 47 Academy Award nominations and 217 Emmy Award nominations. In 2007, Time magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Brian Grazer was born in Los Angeles, California. His father was a lawyer, and he is the older brother of Nora Beth and Gavin Grazer. He grew up in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.
Grazer's grandmother was a very important person in his life. He remembers her telling him, "In order to get it, you got to do it. No one's going to get it for you, Brian." This advice inspired him to work hard.
In school, Grazer had dyslexia, which made reading and writing difficult. He found creative ways to learn, like reading other students' papers and discussing his grades with teachers. His nephew is the actor Jack Dylan Grazer.
After high school, Grazer attended the University of Southern California (USC) and graduated from its film school in 1974. He briefly attended law school but left to follow his dream of working in Hollywood.
Career in Hollywood
Starting Out
Grazer began his career in the early 1980s by creating TV shows. While working at Paramount Pictures, he met Ron Howard, who would become his long-time business partner.
Their first movie together was Night Shift in 1982, which Howard directed. Two years later, they made the hit movie Splash, which Grazer co-wrote. The movie was a huge success and earned Grazer an Oscar nomination for its screenplay.
Founding Imagine Entertainment
In 1985, Grazer and Howard founded Imagine Entertainment. Their company quickly became one of the most successful production companies in Hollywood. They produced many popular films, including the family comedy Parenthood (1989) and the firefighter action movie Backdraft (1991).
One of their biggest successes was Apollo 13 (1995). The film, about the true story of a dangerous space mission, was nominated for Best Picture.
Major Successes and Awards
In 2001, Grazer won the Academy Award for Best Picture for A Beautiful Mind. The movie tells the story of a brilliant mathematician and also won Oscars for Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Grazer also produced 8 Mile (2002), starring the rapper Eminem. The movie's song, "Lose Yourself", became the first rap song to win an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
Over the years, Grazer has produced movies in almost every genre. His work includes comedies like Liar Liar and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and thrillers like The Da Vinci Code and American Gangster.
Television and Recent Work
Grazer has also had great success in television. His company produced popular shows like 24, Arrested Development, Friday Night Lights, and Empire. These shows have won many Emmy Awards.
He has also written two books. The first, A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life, was a bestseller. It talks about his habit of meeting and talking with interesting people to get new ideas.
In January 2024, it was announced that Grazer would produce a movie based on the life of Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Personal Life
Brian Grazer has been married three times and has four children. He married his current wife, Veronica Smiley, in 2016. He lives in Santa Monica, California, and also has a home in Hawaii.
In a 2025 documentary, Grazer said he voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. He explained that he made this choice because he felt President Biden's health was declining and the Democratic Party lacked clear direction. Grazer also produced the movie Hillbilly Elegy, which is based on a book by Vice President J.D. Vance.
Notable Works
Grazer has produced a huge number of films and TV shows. Here are some of his most well-known projects.
Famous Films
- Splash (1984)
- Apollo 13 (1995)
- Liar Liar (1997)
- How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
- A Beautiful Mind (2001)
- 8 Mile (2002)
- The Da Vinci Code (2006)
- American Gangster (2007)
- Frost/Nixon (2008)
- Rush (2013)
- The Beatles: Eight Days a Week (2016)
- Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021)
- Thirteen Lives (2022)
Popular TV Shows
- Sports Night (1998–2000)
- Felicity (1998–2002)
- 24 (2001–2010)
- Arrested Development (2003–2019)
- Friday Night Lights (2006–2011)
- Empire (2015–2019)
- Genius (2017–present)
See also
In Spanish: Brian Grazer para niños
