Jason Reitman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jason Reitman
Reitman in 2025
Born	(1977-10-19) October 19, 1977 (age 47) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Citizenship	Canada United States
Education	Skidmore College University of Southern California (BA)
Occupation	Film director producer screenwriter actor
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Michele Lee ​ ​ (m. 2004; div. 2014)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Ivan Reitman (father)
Relatives	Catherine Reitman (sister)

Jason R. Reitman (born October 19, 1977) is a Canadian-American filmmaker. This means he directs movies, helps make them happen (producer), and writes movie scripts (screenwriter). He is famous for directing films like Thank You for Smoking (2005), Juno (2007), Up in the Air (2009), Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021), and Saturday Night (2024). He has won a Grammy Award and a Golden Globe, and has been nominated for four Academy Awards, including two for Best Director. Jason is the son of the well-known director Ivan Reitman. He often works with screenwriter Diablo Cody and director Gil Kenan.

Early Life and Family

Jason Reitman was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His mother is Geneviève Robert, an actress, and his father was the famous film director Ivan Reitman (1946–2022). Jason has two younger sisters: Catherine Reitman, who is also an actress, producer, and writer, and Caroline Reitman, a nurse.

His father, Ivan, was born in Czechoslovakia. His parents were Jewish and survived the Holocaust, a terrible time in history. Jason's mother is from a Christian background and later became Jewish. When Jason was a child, his family moved to Los Angeles.

Growing Up on Film Sets

Jason's father, Ivan, directed many popular movies like Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, Stripes, and Kindergarten Cop. Jason grew up around movie sets. He even has pictures of himself as a baby on the set of Animal House in 1978. Actors like Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd joked that Jason was already trying to direct movies even as a child! These experiences taught him that making movies is a real job, not just magic.

Jason described himself as a "movie geek" and "shy" when he was young. In the late 1980s, he started taking small acting roles and helping out as a production assistant on his father's films. He spent time in the editing rooms, learning how movies are put together.

He finished high school at Harvard-Westlake School in 1995. He was a high jumper in high school. Jason first went to Skidmore College to study medicine, but then he moved to the University of Southern California (USC) to study English and creative writing. At USC, he was part of an improv comedy group.

Film Career Highlights

Jason Reitman began his film career by making short films while he was at USC. In his twenties, he chose to make his own short films and direct commercials instead of taking offers to direct big commercial movies. He even turned down the chance to direct Dude, Where's My Car? twice.

Reitman in 2007

First Feature Films

Reitman's first full-length movie was Thank You for Smoking, which came out in 2005. He turned a book by Christopher Buckley into a movie script. The film was very successful, earning over $39 million worldwide and getting nominated for two Golden Globes.

His second film, Juno, became a huge hit after it was shown at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival. It was released in December 2007. Many critics loved it, and it received Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress (for Elliot Page), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director for Reitman himself. Reitman won other awards for Juno, including Best Director at the 2008 Canadian Comedy Awards. The movie made over $140 million in the U.S., making it his biggest success.

Production Company and Other Projects

In 2006, Reitman started his own production company called "Hard C Productions" with his partner Daniel Dubiecki. Their goal was to make "small, funny, and different comedies that are still easy for people to enjoy." Through this company, they produced films like Jennifer's Body. In 2009, Reitman left Hard C to start a new company called Right of Way Films.

Up in the Air and Ghostbusters

In 2009, Reitman directed Up in the Air, starring George Clooney. This movie was based on a book about a man who travels a lot for his job, helping companies fire people. The film also featured real people who had recently lost their jobs. Reitman and Sheldon Turner won a Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay for Up in the Air in 2010.

Reitman at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival

On January 15, 2019, Reitman announced he would direct Ghostbusters: Afterlife. This movie continued the story of the original Ghostbusters films that his father directed. It was released on November 11, 2021, after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After the movie's success, Reitman and his writing partner Gil Kenan signed a deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to create more projects. Reitman also co-wrote and produced the sequel, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, which came out in 2024.

On October 11, 2024, Reitman directed and co-wrote Saturday Night. This comedy movie is about the events right before the first episode of Saturday Night Live aired in 1975.

Other Creative Work

Reitman in 2012

Before making feature films, Jason Reitman wrote and directed six short films. He paid for his first short film, Operation, by selling ads in desk calendars. This film was shown at the Sundance Film Festival in 1998.

He has also directed commercials for companies like Wal-Mart, Burger King, Nintendo, BMW, and Buick. In television, Reitman directed two episodes of The Office: "Local Ad" and "Frame Toby". He also directed a funny sketch for Saturday Night Live called "Death by Chocolate."

Since 2011, Reitman has directed the Live Read series. This is a monthly event where actors perform live readings of famous movie scripts at the Film Independent at LACMA. In 2020, Reitman directed The Princess Bride, a TV show based on the book, to raise money for charity.

Personal Life

Jason Reitman is a dual citizen of Canada and the United States. He describes himself as a libertarian, which is a political belief that focuses on individual freedom.

In 2000, Jason started dating his neighbor, Michele Lee, who is a writer. They worked together on a short film called Consent in 2004. They got married and had a daughter named Josie in 2006. After being together for ten years, they divorced in 2014.

Filmography

Short Films Directed

Feature Films Directed

Other Producer Roles

Acting Roles

Television Work

Awards and Nominations

Jason Reitman has received many awards and nominations for his work in film.

Academy Awards (Oscars)

BAFTA Awards

Golden Globe Awards

Other Major Awards

See also

In Spanish: Jason Reitman para niños