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Edward Zwick
Edward Zwick 2016.jpg
Zwick in 2016
Born (1952-10-08) October 8, 1952 (age 72)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Alma mater Harvard University (AB)
AFI Conservatory (MFA)
Occupation Director, producer, screenwriter
Years active 1979–present
Notable work
About Last Night, Glory, The Last Samurai, Blood Diamond, Defiance, Love & Other Drugs
Spouse(s)
Lynn Liberty Godshall
(m. 1982)

Edward M. Zwick (born October 8, 1952) is an American filmmaker. He is known for directing, producing, and writing movies and TV shows. Many of his films are either funny dramas or big historical stories.

Edward Zwick has been nominated for two Academy Awards (also known as the Oscars) and two Golden Globe Awards. He won an Academy Award for Best Picture as a producer for the movie Shakespeare in Love (1998).

Some of his well-known movies include Glory (1989), The Last Samurai (2003), and Blood Diamond (2006). He also helped create popular TV shows like thirtysomething (1987–1991) and Once and Again (1999–2002).

Early Life and School

Edward Zwick was born on October 8, 1952, in Chicago, Illinois. His parents were Ruth Ellen and Allen Zwick. He went to New Trier High School.

After high school, he studied at Harvard University and earned a degree in 1974. He then went to the AFI Conservatory, a film school, and got his Master of Fine Arts degree in 1975.

His Work in Movies and TV

Edward Zwick has directed many famous movies. These include Glory (1989), which is about a Black regiment in the American Civil War. He also directed Legends of the Fall (1994), The Siege (1998), and The Last Samurai (2003).

He also worked on Blood Diamond (2006) and Defiance (2008). These movies often tell important stories.

The Bedford Falls Company

Edward Zwick runs a film company called The Bedford Falls Company with Marshall Herskovitz. They named it after a town in the movie It's a Wonderful Life. This company has produced many movies and TV shows.

Some of their well-known productions include the movie Traffic and Shakespeare in Love. They also produced TV shows like thirtysomething, Once and Again, and My So-Called Life.

Awards and Recognition

Edward Zwick's work has won many awards. He won an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award for Best Picture as a producer. He also won Primetime Emmy Awards for his TV work.

He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for Traffic. He has also been nominated for several Golden Globe Awards. In 2024, he wrote a book about his career called Hits, Flops, and Other Illusions: My Fortysomething Years in Hollywood.

Filmography

Movies He Directed

Year Title Director Producer Writer
1986 About Last Night... Yes No No
1989 Glory Yes No No
1992 Leaving Normal Yes No No
1994 Legends of the Fall Yes Yes No
1996 Courage Under Fire Yes No No
1998 The Siege Yes Yes Yes
2003 The Last Samurai Yes Yes Yes
2006 Blood Diamond Yes Yes No
2008 Defiance Yes Yes Yes
2010 Love & Other Drugs Yes Yes Yes
2014 Pawn Sacrifice Yes Yes No
2016 Jack Reacher: Never Go Back Yes No Yes
The Great Wall No No Story
2017 American Assassin No No Yes
2018 Trial by Fire Yes Yes No

Movies Where He Was Only a Producer

  • Dangerous Beauty (1998)
  • Shakespeare in Love (1998)
  • Traffic (2000)
  • I Am Sam (2001)
  • Abandon (2002)
  • Cut Bank (2014)
  • Woman Walks Ahead (2017)

Movies Where He Was an Executive Producer

  • Lone Star State of Mind (2002)
  • Boys of Abu Ghraib (2014)
  • About Alex (2014)
  • The Birth of a Nation (2016)

Television Work

Year Title Director Writer Executive
Producer
Creator Notes
1979–80 Family Yes Yes No No Also producer;
5 episodes (written);
Directed episode "Ballerina"
1985 The Insiders Yes No No No Pilot episode
1987–91 thirtysomething Yes Yes Yes Yes 3 episodes (directed);
8 episodes (written)
1999–2002 Once and Again Yes Yes Yes Yes 3 episodes (directed);
4 episodes (written)
Also actor (as Dr. Daniel Rosenfeld)
2008 Quarterlife No Yes Yes Yes Web series;
2 episodes (written)
2016–18 Nashville No Yes Yes No Wrote episode "The Wayfaring Stranger"
2020 Away Yes No Yes No Directed episode "Go"

TV Movies

Year Title Director Writer Producer
1982 Paper Dolls Yes No No
1982 Having It All Yes No No
1983 Special Bulletin Yes Yes Yes
1990 Extreme Close-Up No Story executive
2009 A Marriage No Yes executive
2020 Thirtysomething(else) Yes Yes No

TV Series Where He Was Only an Executive Producer

Year Title Notes
1987 CBS Summer Playhouse Episode "Sawdust"
1989 Dream Street
1994-95 My So-Called Life
1998 Relativity
2000 The Only Living Boy in New York TV movie
2002 Women vs. Men

Awards and Nominations

Edward Zwick has received many awards and nominations for his work. Here are some of them:

Year Title Award/Nomination
1989 Glory Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Director
1994 Legends of the Fall Nominated - Golden Globe Award for Best Director
1998 Shakespeare in Love Academy Award for Best Picture
BAFTA Award for Best Film
Satellite Award for Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
Nominated - Producers Guild of America Award for Best Theatrical Motion Picture
2000 Traffic Nominated - Academy Award for Best Picture
2003 The Last Samurai National Board of Review Award for Best Director
Nominated - Saturn Award for Best Director
Nominated - Producers Guild of America Award for Best Picture
2006 Blood Diamond Nominated - St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Award for Best Director
Awards received by Zwick films
Year Title Academy Awards BAFTA Awards Golden Globe Awards
Nominations Wins Nominations Wins Nominations Wins
1989 Glory 5 3 1 5 1
1994 Legends of the Fall 3 1 4
2003 The Last Samurai 4 3
2006 Blood Diamond 5 1
2008 Defiance 1 1
2010 Love & Other Drugs 2
Total 18 4 1 0 16 1

See also

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