Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris
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Dayton and Faris in 2006
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| Born | Jonathan Dayton July 7, 1957 Alameda County, California, U.S. Valerie Faris October 20, 1958 Los Angeles County, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television |
| Occupation | Film directors, music video directors |
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Notable work
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Little Miss Sunshine Ruby Sparks Battle of the Sexes |
| Children | 3 |
Jonathan Dayton (born July 7, 1957) and Valerie Faris (born October 20, 1958) are a husband-and-wife team from the United States. They are famous for directing and producing movies and music videos. They started their careers by creating music videos for popular bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, R.E.M., and The Smashing Pumpkins. Later, they directed well-known films such as Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Ruby Sparks (2012), and Battle of the Sexes (2017). They have also directed episodes for TV shows like the Netflix comedy series Living with Yourself (2019) and the Hulu series Fleishman Is In Trouble (2022).
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jonathan Dayton was born in Alameda County, California. He grew up in Grass Valley, California. After finishing high school, he went to the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television in the late 1970s.
Valerie Faris was born in Los Angeles. Her mother, Paula Forbes, was a supervising painter, and her father, Jim Faris, was a film editor. Valerie met Jonathan while they were both students at UCLA. She was studying dance at the time.
Creative Careers
As a team, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris have directed and produced many different projects. These include music videos, documentaries, commercials, and feature films.
Music Videos and Early Success
They directed music videos for many famous bands. Some of these include Oasis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, and R.E.M.. Their music video for "Tonight, Tonight" by The Smashing Pumpkins was very successful in 1996. It won six MTV Video Music Awards. Another popular video they directed was for the 1990 Extreme song "More Than Words".
They also directed several funny sketches for the HBO comedy show Mr. Show from 1995 to 1998.
Starting a Production Company
In 1998, Jonathan and Valerie started their own production company called Bob Industries. Through this company, they directed commercials for big brands. These included Hewlett-Packard, Volkswagen, Sony, GAP, Target, IKEA, Apple Computer, and ESPN. One of their commercials for the Volkswagen Cabrio in 1999 was very famous. It used the song "Pink Moon" by Nick Drake. This commercial helped bring Nick Drake's music back into the spotlight.
Directing Feature Films
Around this time, they started getting offers to direct movies. In 2001, they began working on the film Little Miss Sunshine. This movie was released in 2006. It won the Audience Award at the 2006 Sydney Film Festival. It also received a standing ovation at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. The film was even nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture. When directing Little Miss Sunshine, they encouraged actors to improvise. This helped the actors connect deeply with their characters.
Their next movie was Ruby Sparks, which came out in 2012. After that, they directed Battle of the Sexes in 2017. This film tells the story of a famous tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Emma Stone played Billie Jean King, and Steve Carell played Bobby Riggs. The movie also featured actors like Elisabeth Shue, Alan Cumming, and Sarah Silverman.
Personal Life
Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris got married after they met in college. They then started working together as a creative team. They have three children together.
Filmography
Directors
- Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
- Ruby Sparks (2012)
- Battle of the Sexes (2017)
- Living with Yourself (2019, 8 episodes)
- Fleishman Is in Trouble (2022, 3 episodes)
Producers
- The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years (1988)
- Gift (Jane's Addiction) (1993)
Videography
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Directors
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Executive producers
Producers
Live action directors
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Awards and Recognition
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Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris have received many awards and nominations for their work.
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See also
In Spanish: Jonathan Dayton y Valerie Faris para niños
